Any injury that occurs at work must be recorded and reported by your employer. Working in construction or the industrial industry means being exposed to a large number of potential hazards and dangers. Naturally, the risk of injury is much higher in a construction site than it is in a regular office. High scaffoldings, heavy loads and dangerous machinery are just a few of the possible health and safety hazards that industrial employees face each time they go to work.

If an accident occurs, you may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. These costs are in place to pay for any medical expenses related to the accident that occurred whilst you were at work. However, many people are unsure about how to approach claiming compensation and most don’t even know if they qualify for it. Here is all of the information you need to know regarding your rights and claiming compensation:

What Steps Should You Take?

If an accident occurs in the workplace, there are certain steps you and your employer should take. Your employer must report the incident, especially if it is serious. It is also their duty to ensure that you are aware of the health and safety issues that concern you as an employee.

Industrial accidents can be very serious. There are lots of different types of heavy machinery and potential health hazards right, left and centre. If your employer failed to make you aware of these hazards, you may be able to claim as a result of their negligence. Accidents that must be reported include:

• Chemical related injuries (chemical burns for example)
• Major injuries such as broken limbs
• Accidents that occurred due to things like gas or scaffolding that has collapsed.
• Disease or death

If your work-related injury required you to take off more than three days, that injury must be reported by your employer.

Who is to Blame for your Accident?

As previously mentioned, your employer is responsible for your safety in the workplace. Working in the industrial industry requires that you be equipped with the right tools for the job. However, these tools must also include things like hard hats and gloves for your safety. For example, if a chemical related accident took place and you were not wearing a pair of high-quality vinyl gloves to protect yourself, you could suffer serious chemical burns and will be eligible to claim compensation.

Can you Claim Compensation?

Sustaining a personal injury that was not your fault leaves you open to the possibility of claiming compensation. Of course, you will have to prove your injury was a result of a third party’s negligence and that you are not to blame. According to www.citizensadvice.org.uk, the court will decide how much you are owed in compensation. The general damages paid are to cover the pain of the injury whilst special damages are paid for the financial loss that the injury has had on your life from the moment the accident occurred, right up until the date of the court hearing.