It’s a wonderful time of year, or is it? The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents tells us that more than 80 thousand people go to A & E over the festive season. Obviously, not all of those accidents give rise to a claim but many situations do and here are some of those situations.
Faulty products – we fill our home with novelty decorations and Christmas lights and fill our children’s stockings with toys but not all of these will meet the required safety standards and as many items are mass-produced at this time of year there is a higher chance of faulty, and even dangerous gifts. Our Christmas dinner is no exception. Mass production processes can result in foreign bodies in our prepacked foods. We see all sorts of injuries including burns, cuts and abrasions, broken teeth, food poisoning and even broken bones.
Fairy lights – who doesn’t like to outdo the neighbours by putting on the most elaborate displays to both the inside and outside of our homes. Apparently, 2.6 million people have fallen whilst using an unstable chair or stool. Obviously, it’s advisable to use a ladder! It’s also a good idea to make sure the lights and wiring meet safety standards to avoid fires and the risk of electrocution and watch where you run those cables to avoid tripping hazards!
Snow and ice – it’s probably unlikely we will see a white Christmas Day, but the cold spell brings frost and ice and sometimes snow and extra care should be taken when out shopping in the supermarket or retail car parks or on our high streets, and on public staircases and steps. Local authorities and retailers have a duty to you, a duty to risk assess and to prevent where possible, or to reduce the risk of injury. There are duties to grit in certain places, place mats in doorways, clean, dry and keep walkways clear from clutter, provide handrails where appropriate and to try to prevent trips, slips and falls.
Workplace accidents – apparently there is an increased risk of an accident or injury whilst in the course of your employment, at this time of year. It’s a busy time for manufacturers and we see employers taking on a lot of temporary workers to deal with a high demand. Employers are under a duty to provide a safe place and system of work with appropriate equipment. Standards shouldn’t slip in the run-up to the holidays. As we avoid the congested high streets and turn to the Internet, our delivery drivers work hard to keep up with the deadlines. As dog bite injury specialists we know all too well the risks faced by delivery drivers from dogs.
If you are injured and believe the injury was someone else’s fault, we are here to help. Please call or complete a contact form and one of our team will be happy to speak to you.
From all the team at Actons, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
