What are my rights after an accident at work?
You should ensure that there is a record somewhere of the incident, whether that is in your usual workplace, or if you are working somewhere that is not your usual workplace.
Your employment status can also affect where or whom you report an accident to. If you are not able to report it yourself, you can ask someone else to do it for you.
Your manager should be informed that an accident took place, even if you are not able to immediately formally report it. This means that, should you make claim for injuries from the accident at work, it can be evidenced.
You may be entitled to sick pay, and you should check your employment contract or staff handbook to find out.
Your employee benefits may able you to get access to medical care or a helpline where you can seek initial advice on your injuries.
Do I get paid if I get injured at work?
In most cases, you will be entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP) if you need to take time off due to an accident at work.
Of course, SSP is unlikely to be near as much as your usual earnings, so if you struggle to pay bills and want to claim for lost income due to an accident at work that wasn’t your fault, you will have to make a claim for compensation.
Talk through your circumstances with a personal injury specialist to see if you have grounds for a successful claim while you recover.
What happens if an accident at work is not reported?
An employer is likely to receive a substantial fine by the Health & Safety Executive if it is found out that any kind of accident at work or near miss is not reported. Regardless of the severity, every instance of an injury sustained on the job needs to be reported.
Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure reporting is up to date and done so in the proper way. As a result, it is crucial that employees speak up and report any workplace injury no matter how minor.