Meat Processing Accidents and How to Claim

Meat processing plants are an integral part of the national food chain and businesses employ around 75,000 people in the UK alone. These locations are often very busy but should always adhere to strict health and safety standards.

They are tasked with every aspect of getting meat products from beef and lamb joints to pies and processed meals ready for the dinner table – that includes handling animals as they are brought to the abattoir, slaughtering them and then butchering and packaging or preparing the meat.

In such a complicated environment, it’s not surprising that accidents occur. If you have been injured while working in a meat processing plant, you may well have the right to claim compensation.

Types of Injuries in Meat Processing Environments

Many of the processes in a meatpacking plant are carried out by hand, with employees using sharp knives and other tools. It’s often easy to suffer from a cut or major injury including amputation, particularly with more difficult bone cutting work.

There is a lot of manual handling that goes on in meat processing environments with employees carrying heavy cuts from one station to another which can cause musculoskeletal issues. The floor can also get very greasy with all the blood and other fluids that come from dismembering a carcass so slips and falls are common.

In addition, a lot of heavy machinery is used to cut up animals, especially larger ones. These include large saws, skinning machines and the like. If the meat is being processed for specific products such as pies, then you are likely to have other types of machinery that can cause accidents.

You will also see forklift trucks being driven around and accidents can occur here when safety procedures are not followed. There are also likely to be people working from height and, again, falls are not uncommon.

It’s safe to say that, compared to many other industries, there is a risk to the individual at almost every stage of the processing chain.

Personal Injury Claims

Employers have a duty of care under the law to protect those who work in these environments. Many injuries that occur in meat processing plants are down to poor practice – machinery or tools aren’t maintained properly, or staff are not given adequate breaks, so they lose concentration while cutting meat and bone.

How to Claim for Compensation

If you have been injured in a meat processing accident and you believe you have a compensation case, it’s important to seek advice from a qualified solicitor as soon as possible. Compensation can be used for a variety of reasons including to support your medical care and help with your rehabilitation as well as to make up for lost earnings.

Most personal injury solicitors will offer a free consultation so that you can find out whether you have a claim or not and decide if you want to proceed. If you do, the normal process is what is called a no win no fee service. This means that the solicitor takes your case on without charging upfront fees. If your claim is successful and you are awarded compensation, the fees are taken out of this award. If the claim is not successful, you pay nothing.

By: Accinet
Title: Meat Processing Accidents and How to Claim
Sourced From: www.accinet.co.uk/meat-processing-accidents-and-how-to-claim/
Published Date: Wed, 04 May 2022 15:07:57 +0000