Unfortunately, workplace accidents are not uncommon. There are, of course, some working environments that are a lot more dangerous than others. For such industries, there tend to be specific rules and regulations in place for employers to adhere to.
Workers that have to use machinery are always a bit more at risk than those that do not. For workers, you need to be diligent and ensure you are using such machines properly. For employers, you need to abide by the law and do everything to make the work environment as safe as possible. If you don’t, you could have a very costly lawsuit on your hands.
The first thing you need to know is that there are regulations in place that your employer has to follow when it comes to machinery. Of course, they must adhere to the general rules about ensuring the workplace is a safe one. Nonetheless, there is also PUWER, which standards for Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. This states various different things that employers must abide by. For instance, they need to ensure that all machinery and equipment is inspected properly, that it is maintained and in a safe condition, and that all equipment has the adequate safety marks and warnings.
Of course, this merely scratches the surface regarding the different steps that need to be taken in order to make sure that a machine-intensive workplace is a safe one. If you are an employer, it is a good idea to turn to experts like ST&L. They will be able to make sure that you are doing everything correctly when it comes to work equipment and safety.
If you are a worker and you feel that your employer has failed to abide by PUWER, then you will definitely have a very good chance of getting compensation for the accident that you have suffered. Nonetheless, you do need to handle everything as professionally as possible. After all, the last thing you want is to fall out with your employer. Therefore, make sure you inform them of the incident, as they will need to record it in the accident book that they are required to have by law. Employees certainly cannot take legal action if they have failed to abide by the security policy in place.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what PUWER is and how it relates to safety in the workplace. No matter what industry you work in, if there are machines involves, there are a number of different rules and regulations that need to be adhered to. Failure to do this could result in very serious consequences, from severe injuries to huge fines.
