Lawford Kidd, Personal Injury Solicitors

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a new inspection initiative targeting the agricultural sector, and potato farmers in particular, to remind them of the importance of managing risks to workers during the potato harvest.

HSE inspectors will be visiting farms across the country that grow, pick and process potatoes over the next few months to ensure risks during the harvesting season are being controlled and measures are in place to protect farmers and their workers.

 

The initiative announcement comes after the latest HSE statistics show that there have been 30 deaths on farms in Great Britain over the last 12 months. Incidents during potato harvesting season remain a common cause of serious and fatal injury and recurring causes include entanglement with dangerous parts of machines, being struck or run over by vehicles and falls from height.

 

Throughout the inspection initiative, inspectors will be checking:

 

 

“The risks during potato harvesting are well-known but the precautions are straightforward,” explained HSE’s head of agriculture, Rick Brunt. “Farmers and their employees need to work together to make sure equipment is safe and work is well-planned. This inspection initiative is about ensuring those participating in any harvesting activity remain safe and go home from their work healthy.”

 

For expert legal advice on claiming compensation following a farming injury then contact our specialist personal injury lawyers today.

New research has highlighted the need for more action to prevent women feeling forced to wear high heels.

 

The review by researchers at the University of Aberdeen examined research into the physical damage wearing high heels can cause as well as the social and cultural aspects surrounding their wear.

 

Unsurprisingly, a wealth of studies demonstrated wearing high heels increases the risk of developing musculoskeletal conditions from the spine to the toes and also increases the chance of injury.

 

The study mentions a recent policy controversy regarding whether or not employers are legally allowed to stipulate that female staff wear high heels at work. The authors draw a distinction between the UK, where the Government has pledged to develop guidelines and raise awareness that female workers should not be forced to wear high heels without introducing new legislation, and the Canadian province of British Columbia which has amended legislation to specifically prohibit employers from requiring staff to wear high heels.

 

The review found large amounts of studies showed a link between wearing high heels and an increased risk of bunions, musculoskeletal pain and personal injury. However, it found a lack of clear evidence of an association between high heel wear and osteoarthritis – something that has been taken as a matter of fact by some.

 

The researchers have suggested that more research is done into the issue of second party injury (high heels injuring people other than the wearer), as work in this area has shown stiletto high heels can cause serious injury to others but not how common such injuries are.

 

If you have suffered a work-related injury then contact our specialist personal injury lawyers today to find out more about claiming compensation.

Injuries to the hand occur all too frequently in the workplace, especially where the work conducted is physical in nature. Unfortunately, many of these injuries could be prevented if only employers put the necessary precautions in place.