Preventing office injuries

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Ex 1. Study this information. Explain the words and phrases in bold.

Offices are usually considered to be fairly safe working environments, without many of the hazards associated with factories, construction sites and other workplaces where there’s a risk associated with using machinery. But every year there are a significant number of office injuries and compensation claims arising from accidents and bad working practices in offices.

Office injury claims tend to arise as a result of inadequate workstations and seating arrangements - bad ergonomic planning for desk workers - and also from trips over trailing cables and other obstacles on the floor, slipping on worn or broken steps, and injuries from inappropriate lifting.

As with all personal injury claims, if an employer has failed in a duty owed to an employee to comply with safety regulations, and to take all practical steps to ensure safe working practices and a safe workplace, and it can be proved that injuries have arisen as a result of this failure, compensation may well be recoverable for an office-based work injury claim.

Along with factories and construction sites (indeed along with any working environment), offices are subject to health and safety legislation. This puts duties on employers to make sure that offices are safe for employees, and that the way in which they are required to carry out their duties is also safe and complies with all relevant health and safety regulations.

Employers have a responsibility to take precautions to stop office accidents happening in the first place. These precautions could include ensuring leads and wires are tidy and not straying across walkways, or making wrist rests available to reduce strain injuries whilst using a computer keyboard. They will also include educating employees about any risks, as well as how to avoid injury in the office.

If your employer fails to provide this education, this is further support of office health and safety negligence and may support an accident claim.

Дата добавления: 2017-02-01