Breach of Health and Safety At Work Claims
If you’ve suffered because of a breach of health and safety at work, you could be entitled to compensation for any pain and suffering endured.
Breach of Health and Safety At Work Claims
If you’ve suffered because of a breach of health and safety at work, you could be entitled to compensation for any pain and suffering endured.
If you’ve suffered an injury because of a breach of health and safety at work, this guide explains when you could claim compensation. We also review the laws that apply, how to prove what happened, time limits and what compensation can include.
Should you need support, solicitors from our panel can guide you through accident at work claims from start to finish. They can investigate what went wrong, gather evidence, liaise with insurers, and value your case on your behalf. If your claim is accepted, their service will be provided on a No Win No Fee basis.
To get tailored advice now, please read on or call 01744 385105 or use our Contact Us form for a free, no-obligation chat.
What Might Constitute A Breach of Health and Safety at Work?
A breach of health and safety at work happens when your employer fails to take reasonable steps to keep you safe and, as a result, you’re injured. It’s about preventable risks, things that should have been foreseen and controlled.
Common examples include:
Missing or inadequate risk assessments for known hazards (e.g., working at height or with moving machinery).
Poor training or no training for tasks like manual handling, forklift operation or use of chemicals.
Faulty or unguarded machinery: lack of lock-out/tag-out procedures.
Failing to provide or enforce suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This may include gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, safety boots, or safety harnesses.
Slips, trips and falls risks left unaddressed, leaks, trailing cables, cluttered walkways, broken flooring.
Inadequate supervision, understaffing or unrealistic deadlines that push unsafe practices.
Poor maintenance, broken ladders, defective racking, worn pallet trucks, unsafe scaffolds.
Exposure to hazardous substances without proper COSHH controls, ventilation, or spill kits.
These issues arise across settings, construction in Newton-le-Willows, warehouses in Haydock, offices near Church Square, or workshops around Thatto Heath. If such failings caused your injury, that may point to employer negligence.
If you believe you’ve suffered because of a breach of duty at work in St Helens, why not call our team for free advice today?
If you've suffered an injury through no fault of your own, you don't need to suffer in silence.
Can I Claim Compensation For A Breach of Health and Safety at Work?
In most workplace injury cases, you can claim if you can show three things:
Your employer owed you a duty of care (they do, by law).
There was a breach of health and safety at work.
That breach caused your injury.
Importantly, it doesn’t matter if you’re permanent, agency, zero-hours or a contractor; if employer negligence led to an injury, you may be entitled to claim.
We are happy to check your eligibility to claim. Therefore, why not call today for a free initial consultatation?
Are There Any Time Limits?
Yes. Under the Limitation Act 1980, there is a 3-year time limit for accident at work claims. This limitation period starts from:
The date of an accident cause by a breach of health and safety at work.
Your date of knowledge i.e., the date a medical professional diagnosed your injuries and linked them to a breach of health and safety.
If you would like us to check how long you have left to claim, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our specialists.
What Health and Safety Laws Apply To Accident At Work Claims?
Your employer’s core duty stems from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, to take reasonably practicable steps to protect your health, safety and welfare. Several regulations sit beneath this and often feature in accident at work claims:
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999: risk assessments, training, supervision.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992: safe floors, lighting, housekeeping, sanitation.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER): suitable, maintained, guarded equipment.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992: avoid hazardous lifts: provide training/aids where unavoidable.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992: assess, provide and enforce PPE use.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 2002: control exposure to harmful substances.
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR): report certain incidents to the HSE.
Importantly, you don’t need to have an in-depth knowledge of these laws to claim for a breach of health and safety at work. Instead, you might decide to work with a specialist solicitor who already knows them.
The solicitors on our panel cover St Helens claims, so why not give us a call today?
How To Prove A Breach Of Health and Safety
Some examples of evidence you can use when claiming for injuries linked to workplace safety breaches include:
Accident report/book entry.
Medical records and appointment letters.
Photographs of the scene, injuries, and surrounding area.
Witness statements and contact details.
Relevant documents (risk assessments, training records, maintenance/inspection logs, PPE records).
Emails or messages regarding unsafe work or hazards.
CCTV footage.
Receipts for expenses and a pain/symptom diary.
RIDDOR reports and HSE investigation findings.
Whether your accident happened in a Haydock industrial unit or a Newton-le-Willows site, this evidence helps show what went wrong and why. If you’d like us to check any evidence relating to your accident, please feel free to call today.
The Benefits Of Claiming With a No Win No Fee Solicitor
Claiming with solicitors from our panel on a No Win No Fee basis (a Conditional Fee Agreement) can reduce upfront risk and stress. Typically, you won’t pay any fees for their work if the claim doesn’t succeed. If it does, a success fee (capped by law) is taken from your compensation, clearly explained before you sign.
Why this helps:
Access to specialist legal support without paying upfront legal fees.
Clear, written terms about costs and the capped success fee.
Case building handled for you: evidence, medical reports, negotiations with insurers.
Potential After The Event (ATE) insurance to help protect you against adverse costs.
If you’d like to claim using a No Win No Fee solicitor, why not contact our team today?
If I Receive Compensation, What Will It Cover?
Compensation in workplace injury claims usually includes:
General damages: for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, reflecting the severity, recovery time and long-term impact.
Special damages: to put you back financially, covering reasonable losses such as:
Loss of earnings, overtime and bonuses: potential future loss and pension impact.
Medical costs (physio, counselling, prescriptions) and rehabilitation.
Travel to appointments (e.g., to St Helens Hospital), parking and care/support provided by family or paid carers.
Equipment and adaptations, wrist supports, ergonomic chairs, mobility aids, or home adjustments if needed.
Damaged clothing or safety gear.
If you work with a solicitor from our panel who covers St Helens, their main job after proving liability is to try and ensure that you are compensated fairly. That means they won’t necessarily accept the first offer received. Instead, they’ll fight your corner in an effort to secure the maximum compensation possible.
Contact Our Team Today
If you’ve suffered after a breach of health and safety at work in St Helens, please get in touch. You can call 01744 385105 or use our Contact Us page to tell us what happened, and we’ll do the rest.
After a free initial consultation, we could connect you with a specialist solicitor covering St Helens for further advice. If they agree to manage your case, they’ll do so on a No Win No Fee basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, you can find answers to some frequently asked questions about claiming for after a breach of health and safety at work:
Will making a claim for a breach of health and safety at work affect my employment?
Legally, your employer should not treat you unfairly or dismiss you for making a genuine claim relating to a workplace injury caused by a health and safety breach. UK employment law protects your right to seek compensation if you’ve been injured due to your employer’s negligence. If you do experience any form of victimisation, you should seek advice from an employment law specialist.
What if I was partially responsible for the accident at work? Can I still claim?
Yes, you may still be able to claim compensation if you were partially at fault, as the law in the UK operates under the principle of “contributory negligence.” This means your compensation may be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility, but you could still recover damages for the employer’s contribution to the accident.
Do I need to attend a medical assessment as part of my claim?
In most cases, yes. You’ll usually need to attend an independent medical examination arranged by your solicitor to provide an objective report of your injuries. This report is key evidence used to assess the severity of your injuries and calculate the compensation you may be entitled to receive.
