A Solicitor's Guide to Injury at Work

Employers have an implied duty of care towardsmust do is ensure that a person does not lift a
their employees and people working for themheavy weight on his own and they must also
generally, such as contractors. This duty involvesprovide every employee with a safe system of
health and safety, including providing suitablework.
equipment in a safe working environment. AnSometimes a person can be said to have
employer cannot waive this responsibility.contributed to his or her accident, by, for
Lifting injuries are one of the most commonexample, continuing with a task that he/she
types of injury in the workplace and an employerthought was not safe. However, the employer
should always ensure that the lifting is done in ahas the duty of care - an employee would have
safe manner. The Health and Safety Executiveto do something that is definitely not part of their
give a lot of guidance to employers andjob description for it not to be the employer's
employees on how heavy loads should be liftedfault.g. using the company van for an errand of
safety. One of the things which an employerhis/her own.