| Despite huge improvements in health and safety | | | | incidents to the Incident Contact Centre of the |
| along with an ever increasing list of safety rules, | | | | Health and Safety Executive (HSE), or in Northern |
| sadly many workplaces still remain dangerous. It | | | | Ireland the Health and Safety Executive for |
| doesn't matter what employment sector you | | | | Northern Ireland (HSENI). |
| work in there are potential dangers present in all | | | | It is essential that your employer reports the |
| of them. You could be working in an office and | | | | following:o Deatho Major injuries (for example, a |
| start suffering from repetitive strain injury due to | | | | broken arm or ribs)o Dangerous incidents (for |
| incorrect positioning of your desk or you could trip | | | | example, the collapse of scaffolding, people |
| over aspects such as boxes that have been left | | | | overcome by gas)o Any other injury that stops |
| on the floor. Maybe you are a construction | | | | an employee from doing their normal work for |
| worker who is suffering due to a fall from | | | | more than three dayso Disease |
| scaffolding or you are a labourer who has been | | | | As well as reporting any serious accidents or |
| given faulty equipment. Whatever your position | | | | incidents you employer must also provide the |
| and whatever your workplace sector, if you don't | | | | company with an accident book, which is required |
| have the correct health and safety or the right | | | | by law if a business has more than ten |
| amount of training you are running the risk of | | | | employees. If however there is no accident book |
| suffering from a severe accident. | | | | and no one has made a note of the incident then |
| It is the responsibility of your employer to ensure | | | | it is important that you advise your employer to |
| that the workplace is safe and free from hazards. | | | | put what happened into writing, detailing the full |
| It is also the responsibility of your employer to | | | | circumstances of the accident and the injuries |
| ensure that employees have received the correct | | | | that were sustained. |
| amount of training; however as an employee if | | | | In order to reduce the amount of accidents that |
| you feel that you haven't received sufficient | | | | are caused due to incorrect safety procedures it |
| training for the job that you are doing or if any of | | | | is important that all employers are provided with |
| the equipment that you are using is faulty/worn | | | | the correct safety wear such as goggles, hard |
| you must report it to your employer straight | | | | hats, ear defenders, dust masks, safety gloves, |
| away so that the necessary action can be taken | | | | safety boots or high-visibility jackets as well as |
| to improve the safety of the workplace. | | | | being shown how to lift heavy objects in a safe |
| If the worst does happen and an accident does | | | | way. |
| happen in the workplace then your employer has | | | | If you have had an accident at work it is |
| a legal obligation to report certain accidents and | | | | important that you get any injuries checked by a |
| incidents. Your employer must report serious | | | | health professional and that you record details of |
| work-related accidents, diseases and dangerous | | | | your injuries to your employer. |