You only need browse local newspapers, safety at work and trade journals to see how commonplace accidents in the workplace are. Only this week we’ve come across three stories all involving severed fingers. Coincidence, or a case of employers increasingly neglecting their duty of care to the health and safety of their workforce?
According to the HSE, 25 manufacturing industry workers were killed and over 4,000 suffered major injuries last year.
Three cases of employer negligence
In Selby, Record RSS worker Allan Davis lost four fingers after severely injuring his right hand whilst operating a circular saw. Parent company Playpower UK Ltd was prosecuted for breaching health and safety regulations. There was an alternative, safer piece of equipment that could have been used instead of the circular saw, but the company had failed to provide a computer program to operate it. Although he has now returned to work, Mr Davis is currently taking action against his employer.
In Cumbria, a man was airlifted to hospital when he severed fingers whilst working at a door and window manufacturing firm. He was taken to a hospital in Newcastle so that he could be treated by their specialist vascular unit.
And global packaging giant Linpac Packaging Ltd, a company that turns over £700 million annually, has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to protect its employees from dangerous machine parts. A 49 year old worker lost the tops of three of his fingers whilst trying to clear a machine jam and during their investigation, the HSE found that workers were often at risk of injury as they were faced with unblocking the machine once or twice every shift.
The effects of severed fingers on lifestyle
Losing fingers can have a severe impact on a person’s life in many ways. The ability to write, take part in hobbies, leisure and sports and generally to perform everyday tasks can be affected, and in many cases, victims are unable to continue in their jobs, thus having a serious effect on income. Quality of life and self esteem can suffer as a result.
As well as these lifestyle effects, loss of grip, dexterity, sensitivity, weakness, levels of pain and stiffness, as well as the possibility of osteoarthritis in the future, are all factors taken into consideration when calculating a compensation payout. Average amounts awarded can vary from just over £2,000 to almost £53,000.
If you have suffered severed fingers after an accident at work, the specialists at Stephensons will put together a strong case that ensures maximum compensation is awarded, taking everything into account. Talk to us today in confidence; our experts are available on 01616 966 229.
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