Recent research from National Accident Helpline has revealed that the fear of repercussions from speaking out is preventing construction workers from making claims after suffering from workplace injuries
The ‘Rights on Site’ campaign is highlighting the need for support and guidance for those who have suffered a workplace injury through no fault of their own.
National Accident Helpline is also calling on the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and businesses operating within the construction sector to increase efforts to tackle unfair treatment on sites.
Many workers feel as though they will lose out on future work from speaking out when something isn’t right.
The company also commissioned research including discussions with industry participants, exploring the potential barriers to claiming if construction workers were to have an accident that wasn’t their fault.
Examples of feared consequences included job loss, a bad atmosphere at work, or future employment concerns if the news that they’d made a claim got around to other employers.
‘Damaged reputations’
One participant recalled an incident on site, claiming: “I know of an occasion where a colleague fell through scaffolding which had been altered. Nobody would pay out, so the chap made a claim, and his reputation was damaged.”
It is illegal for employers to fire staff for making a compensation claim for a workplace accident. If a worker believes their employer has acted in this way, they have automatic grounds for an employment tribunal.
Data shows there were on average 61,000 construction accidents per year between 2018/19 and 2020/2021. But on average, only 71,000 employer liability claims were made across all UK industry sectors per year during this time.
With construction only representing 6% of the workforce, this appears to show a major disparity between the number of accidents happening and workers making claims.
‘Fear of a workplace backlash is a daunting reality for those in construction’
Jonathan White, Legal and Compliance director at National Accident Helpline, commented: “The statistics say it all when you look at the number of construction injuries versus the number of overall claims – something just isn’t adding up.
“It’s clear that the fear of a workplace backlash is a daunting reality for those in construction. It’s essential that construction workers know their rights, and don’t feel bullied or shamed into not coming forward about personal injuries they’ve experienced on the job through no fault of their own.
“This is a collective industry issue, and we acknowledge that it isn’t something that will be solved overnight. We’ve launched ‘Rights on Site’ to raise awareness of the problem, clear up misconceptions about claiming and to help right many wrongs.”
