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What is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
Information about PPE
What injuries can be caused by lack of PPE?
Risks to health and safety without appropriate PPE
Is it my employer's duty to provide me with PPE?
Will I have to purchase my own PPE to use at work?
News stories we have published about Personal Protective Equipment
Compensation Claims we have dealt with involving PPE Issues
Make a claim for Personal Injury Compensation
How to start a Compensation Claim
Personal Protective Equipment or PPE as it is more commonly known is all the equipment a worker needs to wear or use to protect them from risks to their health and safety which cannot be controlled in other ways. In other words PPE should be a last resort and the risk to health and safety should be avoided completely if at all possible.
PPE includes respirators and masks, safety boots, overalls, goggles (or other eye protection), ear defenders, safety helmets, gloves, harnesses and high visibility clothing. PPE also includes clothing needed to protect a worker against adverse weather conditions.
If you have been injured at work and your injury was caused or made worse by the lack of PPE you may be able to make a personal injury claim for compensation. Contact us for free legal advice.
There are many different types of injuries which can be caused by a worker having no PPE or inappropriate PPE.
Obvious injuries would include lacerations or amputations where safety gloves or safety boots are not worn, head or brain injuries caused by lack of a safety helmet and catastrophic injuries caused by a faulty harness.
It is not just accidents which can occur as a result of a lack of appropriate PPE though; industrial diseases are also commonly caused by a lack of PPE.
Our specialist personal injury solicitors have dealt with many claims in the past for the following industrial diseases which could have been prevented if workers had been provided with appropriate PPE:
asbestos-related diseases
industrial deafness
occupational asthma
occupational dermatitis
vibration white finger
There are also many other accidents and illnesses which can be caused as a result of having no appropriate Personal Protective Equipment. To find out if you have a valid claim for compensation contact us on 08000 224 224 for free legal advice.
Regulations state that all PPE necessary should be provided free of charge by your employer as it is an employer's duty to keep their employees safe whilst at work. Employers cannot ask for any financial contribution to be made towards the PPE by their employee.
The regulations go onto say that it is also an employer's duty to ensure that the PPE is properly assessed before use to ensure it is suitable and that the PPE is stored and maintained properly. An employer also has to provide their employee with instructions on how to use the PPE correctly and ensure that their employees do use it correctly. If a worker has to wear several different PPE items such as breathing equipment and eye protection, the PPE must be compatible with each other and be capable of being worn together without undermining the full and desired protection to be afforded by each.
If you are injured at work due to a lack of PPE, inappropriate PPE or lack of training on how to use the PPE, you may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim against your employer. Contact us for free legal advice.
In the past we have published news stories on our website about accidents or illnesses which have been caused by a lack of appropriate PPE. To read a selection of these, follow the links below or to read all of our news stories, visit our News Desk.
9th May 2008 - Machine operator from Merthyr Tydfil injured by seamer machine secures £11,000 damages
7th January 2008 - Boilermaker from Port Talbot secures over £8,000 damages from four employers after vibrating tools permanently damaged his hands
6th December 2007 - Delivery Driver recovers compensation after exposure to Diesel
22nd October 2007 - Gardener from Rumney secures £3,000 compensation from Cardiff County Council following Vibration White Finger injury
24th May 2007 - Justice for families affected by Asbestos
4th April 2007 - Refuse collector awarded compensation after walking 30 miles in ill-fitted boots
13th March 2007 - Vibration white finger injury victim secures compensation
8th February 2007 - Road worker from Derby secures £42,000 following injury caused by exposure to vibrating tools
15th December 2006 - British Rail forced to pay compensation as two former employees die from asbestos cancer mesothelioma
23rd November 2006 - James Bond filmset at heart of asbestos compensation case
20th November 2006 - Ford and the MoD forced to pay compensation as former London plumber dies from asbestos cancer mesothelioma
27th March 2006 - Former Solaglas employee wins £5,500 compensation for shoulder laceration
9th February 2005 - Farmer responsible for neighbour's lost sight in hay making accident
25th January 2005 Landmark ruling against Corus UK for vibration exposure
If you have suffered an injury or illness at work which was caused by a lack of appropriate PPE or made worse by a lack of appropriate PPE then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. Contact us on 08000 224 224 for free legal advice.
If you or anyone you know has suffered an injury, illness or disease at work which has been caused or made worse by a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.