Unsafe working conditions among UK manufacturing industry?

Personal injury solicitors Hayward Baker commissioned an in-depth study into the conditions of Britain’s shop floors, offices, factories, warehouses and building sites – and discovered a staggering 81% of workers from the manufacturing industry claim their workplace to be a health hazard.

Half of all factory workers surveyed said they had suffered from an injury at work, with almost a third (32%) having been to hospital due to a work-related illness or injury.

The research identifies that the average employee in the manufacturing industry has had 3 accidents at work, with 2 of those accidents having happened in the last 12 months alone.

Findings to have emerged from the study regarding their workplace injury show slippery floors or stairs (24%), obstructions (16%) and cluttered floors (11%) were all cited as causes.

The serious issue of factory workers’ health and safety protection – or lack of it in this case –  worsens as 24% said manual handling large, heavy items incorrectly and without the right equipment contributed to their injury.

Defective equipment counted towards 13% of workplace injuries among employees among the manufacturing industry and 10% said they had unsatisfactory tools to carry out their job.

More than one in 10 (11%) workers from manufacturing companies said they had not had a risk assessment to carry out their job, which means their employers are contravening important health and safety legislation.

More than half (56%) of those employed by manufacturers polled have regularly complained to their bosses about the state of their place of work, with a further 25% saying their manager did nothing to rectify the situation.

A spokesperson for Hayward Baker, which commissioned the research, said: “Going to work could seriously damage the health of employees that work in a manufacturing environment if their managers fail to take working conditions seriously enough."

According to the research, a quarter (25%) have sought legal advice after suffering from injury within a manufacturing or factory environment, claiming an average of £20,071.

Common ‘minor’ workplace injuries in the manufacturing industry are cuts (29%), strained backs (25%), bruises (16%), small burns (15%), repetitive strain industry (12%) and whiplash (11%).

However, there were accidents among the sample that were considered ‘moderate’ by the solicitors and serious enough to make a claim against their employer, with almost a third (30%) explaining that either a broken bone or fracture was a direct result of their injury.

The more ‘severe’ accidents that followed an injury at work in a manufacturing environment include dislocations (8%) and a further 6% said they had lost a limb or body part as a result of their injury.

A third (33%) said that the accident at work was their employer's fault while almost a fifth (17%) said their accident was their own fault.