HSE and the Police release new guidelines for work-related deaths

Several influential safety organisations have come together to develop a protocol that should be followed in the event of a fatal work-related accident in Scotland.

This set of rules means that if should someone be fatally injured in a Scottish work-related accident, there is a clear path for the accident investigators to take. It is thought that the move will make investigation more straightforward in cases where there may have been a criminal offence committed.

There has been such a protocol in England and Wales for several years, but the Health and Safety Executive, as one of the bodies involved in the development, has been central in implementing a set of rules for Scotland as well.

Getting a criminal perspective on work-related deaths
The move to finalise the protocol has been welcomed by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS), another of the organisations involved in its formation. ACPOS described the set of rules as providing "a clear and practical written foundation" which could be drawn upon when fatal work-related accidents were being looked into.

Norman McFadyen, Crown Agent and Head of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services, added, “This protocol will ensure that we make the most of partnership working in this area, sharing best practice and continuing to deliver the quality and professionalism that the public require and deserve. It will help to underpin the process of investigation by making clear the responsibilities of each agency involved.

“It will also provide a robust framework to allow training, guidance and development to be given to specialist prosecutors, who will then be able to take on such cases. What this will mean is that the work conducted by investigation teams will now be much more effective in making sure that justice is done, as well as delivering a high quality of service to victims and relatives.”

You can read the full protocol at www.hse.gov.uk/scotland/workreldeaths.pdf.

Work-related accident compensation claims
Many employees are killed in work-related accidents each year in the UK, and often because their employer has not laid out health and safety standards properly. Many workplace accidents could be avoided if standards were adhered to.

Unfortunately, it is often young and inexperienced workers that lose out and suffer personal injuries even if they thought they were carrying out a job correctly. For these type of situations, the employer may be at fault.

YouClaim works with a panel of no win, no fee compensation solicitors who specialise in work-related accident claims. Each of the personal injury panel companies are governed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and are extremely adept at handling work accident cases.

All of our compensation solicitors works on a no win, no fee basis and ensures that you do not have to pay a penny towards your accident claim at any time. It is a completely cost-free process for you.

So why not find out more about making a work-related accident claim by filling in the online form to request a call back, chatting online to an experienced claims advisor or calling us free right now on 0800 10 757 95.