Types of workplace accidents
Workplaces are exposed to a wide range of accidents and there are different types of workplace accidents that can occur. Three are responsible for more than half of all fatal injuries at work in the UK.
Based on the latest RIDDOR figures (2023/24), the most common cause of deaths at work was falls from height (40), followed by being struck by a moving vehicle (22) and being struck by a moving object (17).
According to the latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics, the most common kind of accident occurring in the workplace is slips and trips. They contribute to a tiny percentage of deaths, but account for nearly a third of all injuries reported to the HSE. Work-related ill-health and non-fatal injuries, including slip and trip accidents and manual handling incidents, caused the loss of 33.7 million working days. (Source: Labour Force Survey, 2023/24)
Data collected under RIDDOR in 2023/24 shows 138 fatal injuries to workers. Self-reported data from the Labour Force Survey suggests roughly 604,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work.
Common types of workplace accident include:
- Forklift accidents - Particularly in warehouses, large retail operations and on construction sites etc.
- Falls from vehicles - In agriculture (tractors), construction (forklifts trucks and telescopic handlers etc.
- Ladder accidents - Typically in construction, maintenance and anywhere workers use ladders to work at height
- Plant and equipment accidents - Such as guard-related injuries, crush injuries, particularly in manufacturing and heavy industry
- Hazardous substances - Chemical burns, and respiratory problems, including asbestos exposure.
- Falling objects - Dropped tools and heavy loads etc.
- Accidents in confined spaces - Commonly during maintenance of machinery and plant.
- Needlestick accidents - Workers in hospital and healthcare services and waste disposal services.
- Manual handling accidents - Lifting and carrying incidents.
- Unsafe work equipment - Usually relating to badly maintained equipment or lack of training in use of tools and machinery.
Whatever the circumstances of your accident in the workplace, speaking with an experienced personal injury solicitor can help you ensure that you realise your legal rights and achieve the best possible result in the quickest possible time.
What should you do after a workplace accident?
Report the injury and immediately inform your employer of what happened. Make sure it is recorded in the accident book. Seek medical treatment, even if the injuries appear minor at first; sometimes problems only develop or become apparent later. Make a record of the details as soon as possible and collect the names of any witnesses. A personal injury solicitor will be able to advise you on whether you have a claim for compensation.
Claim accident compensation with Thompsons
We are the leading personal injury firm in Scotland and have an excellent success rate, winning more than 90 percent of the cases we represent. We are a dynamic firm and recover more than £1 million every week for our clients.
The amount of damages you receive for your work injury will depend on the nature and extent of your injuries as well as the value of your losses. For a free, informal chat about your possible claim or to begin your fight for compensation today, simply fill out an online claim form so that we can deal with your case with the detail and efficiency it deserves. Alternatively, call us on 0800 0891 331.
