What Causes Accidents in the Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry?

Food and drink manufacturing in the UK accounts for around 20% of all manufacturing turnover in the UK today and in 2020 contributed some £28 billion to the economy. It’s a huge industry and is highly varied.

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The majority of these businesses are SMEs, and they employ more than 100,000 people across the UK. Accidents within the industry are not uncommon although there are strict health and safety regulations in place.

If you work in food and drink manufacturing and you have suffered an injury that was caused by negligence on the part of your employer, you may be able to claim compensation.

Types of Accidents in the Food and Drink Industry

With some heavy work going on in these businesses, it’s no surprise that a third of injuries caused in the food and drink industry is down to moving and handling errors. Other accidents are caused by falling objects, injury caused by machinery and being hit by a vehicle such as a forklift truck.

Manual handling accidents are found in a range of activities, everything from stacking containers and moving trolleys to packing products. In certain sectors such as meat packing, operatives are often using sharp utensils such as knives and saws which can also cause of accidents.

The Duty of Employers

All employers in the food and drink manufacturing industry have a duty of care to ensure that they carry out risk assessments and make sure staff are properly trained, they have the right tools for the job and all health and safety risks are minimised as much as possible.

For example, a reputable employee may use certain mechanisation for more dangerous activities to reduce the potential for an injury to occur. They might have strict areas where staff are not allowed or have to wear suitable protective gear. If they have forklift trucks on site, the employer must make sure that operators are fully qualified to drive them. Adequate supervision is also required to ensure that workers are adhering to all health and safety protocols.

Can I Claim Compensation?

An injury following an accident in a business like a food or drinks manufacturer can vary from back strains to loss of limbs and even death in some circumstances. If the employer was negligent, for example, because they haven’t maintained adequate health and safety protocols, then you may be able to claim compensation.

This compensation can be used to help with many different challenges. If you have lost earnings because of your injuries, it can recompense you. If you are no longer able to do the same job and can only earn a lower wage compensation can also rectify this.

A personal injury lawyer will normally offer a free initial consultation if you feel that you may have a reason to claim. If they think your case has merit and is likely to be successful, they will also generally give you access to their no win no fee service. This is where they take on your case without charging upfront fees – these are only charged if the claim is successful, and an award of compensation is made. If the claim is not successful, you don’t pay anything.

If you have suffered an injury following an accident that wasn’t your fault, it’s essential to talk to the experienced team at Personal Injury Lawyers Birmingham as soon as possible to discuss your claim and how we can help.

By: Accinet
Title: What Causes Accidents in the Food and Drink Manufacturing Industry?
Sourced From: www.accinet.co.uk/what-causes-accidents-in-the-food-and-drink-manufacturing-industry/
Published Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2022 09:52:18 +0000