Work Accidents in the Modern Workplace

Published on Sep 24

This week, health and safety officials have urged the public to updated their understanding of what a workplace is.

According to recent statistics almost 100,000 major work related injuries go unreported each year, even it is illegal not to.

One reason for this is that many workers have an outdated understanding of what a workplace is.

A recent sociological survey showed that when asked to picture a ‘workplace’, the most common answers were ‘an office,’ ‘a factory’ or ‘a shop’.

Although many people still work in these traditional settings, the modern UK economy is changing the places we do our jobs. Around 13% of people are self employed, working in their homes, or in a range of workplaces on contract work.

For many in the Driving industry – Taxi drivers, HGV operators, their workplace is the vehicle they drive in.

Lone workers are increasingly employed by public services like the NHS. Many lone workers only visit their head office for short periods of time, and work independently in the community visiting clients, often with complex health needs.

Despite our change in work habits, many people still hold the old fashioned view of workplace

“A workplace is where you get paid in return for your time and skills, a shop, a factory, a school – where ever that place might be.

What is a Workplace?

The health and safety at work act 1995 is clear that a workplace is much more than a physical building:

“A workplace is any place where work is, or is to be, performed by:

(a) a worker; or
(b) a person conducting a business or undertaking.”

The examples given in the Health and Safety act mean that anywhere that paid work takes place can be considered a workplace.  This means that untraditional settings, such as taxis, private houses – even scuba diving bells – must follow the same Heath and Safety laws as any other workplace.