Workplace Kitchen Accidents: What to Do if You’re Injured

What should I do if I’m hurt in a workplace kitchen accident?

Kitchens can be dangerous places to work as you’re surrounded by potential hazards on a daily basis.

As well as the dangers presented by hot ovens and sharp knives, there is also the risk of slips and falls due to food spillages.

If you’ve been involved in a workplace kitchen accident, you might be unsure of what to do next. We’ve set out the main steps to take in this short guide, including:

1. Seeking medical support
2. Reporting your accident
3. Identifying who is responsible
4. Gathering evidence
5. Getting legal advice

We’ve elaborated on each of these steps below. But if you’d prefer to speak to someone about what happened, our friendly claims team can help.

Seek medical support

Before doing anything else, you should seek medical attention after suffering any kind of kitchen accident. Even if you don’t think it’s serious, getting a medical opinion can provide additional reassurance.

As well as giving you immediate medical care, a doctor will also be able to confirm the extent of your injuries. And having this recorded on your file will help you in the long term if you decide to make a claim for compensation.

Report your accident

All companies with 10 or more employees are legally required to keep an accident log. Your employer must record any work-related accidents, illnesses or near-miss incidents in this book.

Your employer’s accident log should be readily available for you to view. And we’d recommend checking that the details of your accident have been logged correctly.

For reference, your accident report should include:

• Your information
  This should include your name, job title and the name of your line manager
• Details of your accident
  An outline of what happened, when the accident took place and what was done to help you
• The impact of your accident
  A description of the injuries you suffered and how they have affected you
• Action taken
  An explanation of the actions your employer has taken to prevent similar accidents in future
• Medical treatment required
  A summary of the medical treatment you’ve received following your accident

If you decide to take legal action against your employer, you’ll need to prove that they were at least partly responsible for your injuries. To do this, your solicitor may pull up your accident report as evidence. So it’s important that this record is as accurate and detailed as possible.

Identify who is responsible

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, your employer has a duty to minimise the risk of you being injured at work. This involves taking all reasonable measures to maintain a safe working environment for employees.

If your employer hasn’t complied with safety legislation and you’ve been injured as a result, you could have grounds to make a claim against them.

Examples of employer negligence in commercial kitchens include:

• Failing to conduct regular risk assessments
  Risk assessments are essential for maintaining a safe workplace. Your employer should be regularly looking for risks that could cause harm to colleagues and taking steps to remove them.
• Failing to maintain equipment
  Your employer should also be frequently inspecting appliances such as ovens and fryers to make sure that they’re safe for use. If any defects are identified, the equipment should be fixed or replaced as soon as possible.
• Failing to provide proper training or supervision
  In a commercial kitchen, you’ll likely be required to handle sharp knives, work near hot surfaces and carry heavy crockery on a daily basis. And without proper training, you could be put at risk of cuts, burns or manual handling injuries.

After speaking to you about the circumstances surrounding your accident, a solicitor will be able to tell you if you have a strong claim against your employer. And if you do, they’ll begin to gather evidence to further strengthen your case.

Gather evidence

Evidence is often the key to a successful claim. That’s why we’d recommend keeping hold of any documents or records related to your accident wherever possible. These could be essential later on in the claims process.

Your No Win No Fee solicitor will gather and compile these records on your behalf, as well as seeking out additional evidence to support your claim. They may look to include:

• A statement from you, explaining the impact of the accident
• CCTV evidence, if this is available
• Medical records detailing your injuries
• The report in your employer’s accident book
• Witness accounts from anyone who saw the accident

The aim of collecting and presenting this evidence is to prove that your employer breached their duty of care towards you - and that their negligence ultimately led you to suffer an accident at work.

Get legal advice

We understand that the thought of making a claim can feel daunting, especially when your work is involved. But you’re protected by laws that make it illegal for your employer to dismiss you for taking legal action. If they do, you could bring an unfair dismissal claim against them. 

If you’re not sure if you have an accident at work claim, get in touch with our compassionate and knowledgeable claims advisors. We offer a free initial consultation so you’ve got nothing to lose by giving us a call.

Our client Nicholas was able to claim £5,500 in compensation after suffering a severe cut to his hand while working in a busy kitchen. We helped Nicholas on a No Win No Fee basis, and we could do the same for you.

Contact us on the number at the top of the screen to find out more. Or, if you’d prefer, you can reach us online by filling in our quick and easy claims form.