Safety in the Scottish construction industry continues to be a serious problem, with construction and building workers having more accidents of greater severity than other industrial sectors.

Workers in construction industry are six times more likely to be involved in a fatality than are workers from any other industry.

Every week, workers are killed on building sites, and include those operating on large construction sites to small building works.

Many of these accidents could have been prevented if sensible safety precautions had been taken.

Your employer or contractor must ensure that the place where you carry out your work is as safe as possible.

You can claim compensation

If you were injured as the result of an accident on a building site or an accident related to a building site in Scotland you can claim compensation if the accident was not your fault.

As a construction industry worker you are protected by Law. Your employer or contractor is legally required by law to adhere to safety regulations in order to prevent injury within the construction industry, and employers must provide:

• Safe design of scaffolding and competent supervision of its erection
• A safe building site, with safe access
• Stringent protection against falls greater than 2 metres
• Equipment to prevent falls
• Full training on the safe and effective use of ladders
• Equipment to protect you from falling objects on-site
• Safe storage for construction equipment and building materials

Building and construction Injury claims

The main causes of injury include overturning vehicles or collisions, collapsing structures, unsafe scaffolding, slipping on wet and dangerous surfaces, fragile roofs, falling through fragile roofs and roof lights and crushing injuries.

Redress can help you claim for loss of earning and loss of future income as a result of your accident or injury. Construction work accident compensation awards in cases like these can be substantial.

All Scottish employers are obliged by law to have Employer's Liability Insurance, which should cover them if an employee is injured.

It can be difficult for Scottish employees to bring a claim for construction and buiulding work related injury compensation.

That’s why you need the expertise of Redress our skilled personal injury and accident at work lawyers have helped thousands of victims claim the compensation they deserve in Scotland.

Injury at work claims advice tips
provided by Andrew Henderson, Solicitor and Solicitor advocate, accredited specialist in personal injury law by the Law Society of Scotland and who specialises in accidents at work

1. Report the injury as soon as possible to your employer in writing (using the proper forms, not just telling the employer about it).
   
   
2. The accident must be recorded in the accident book. Your employer has a legal responsibility to report the accident to the Health and Safety Executive or the local authority environmental department and can be prosecuted if they fail to do so
   
   
3. Report the injury to your doctor because it could become more serious. You should do this even if the injury seems minor. If you subsequently go to court to get compensation for the injury, the doctor will be asked to provide a medical report. Remember medical evidence for claims of work related injuries is required in the form of a physician’s statement.
   
   
4. Gather evidence about the accident and injuries. For example, it may be useful to take photographs of the scene of an accident and of what caused the injury. You should also, if possible, write an account of the incident while details are still fresh in your mind. If there are witnesses, you should make a note of their names and addresses.
   
   
5. Court proceedings must be commenced within 3 years of the date on which you had your accident otherwise any rights to damages you may have had will automatically be extinguished. The time limit for children and those with mental incapacity may vary.For time limits in fatal cases see Fatal Injuries section.
   
   
6. Contact Redress as soon as possible for advice.

Remember, even if you’re not sure, Redress can still advise you free of charge at this stage and are here to help you with any questions you may have...