SLIPS, trips, falls and manual handling injuries are just some of the reasons why employees have submitted accident claims to Dumfries and Galloway Council over the past three years.
And a freedom of information request has found that the local authority has had to pay out £143,000 in compensation since 2022.
The figures were obtained by JF Law and revealed that the most common causes of accident claims made against DG Council were for slips, trips, and falls (nine); followed by assaults, which council employees lodged four times.
In 2022, there were seven workplace accident claims; it rose to eight in 2023 and again in 2024.
Furthermore, the council has paid out a total of £143,000 in successful claims over the past three years, with the highest amount coming in 2023/24 at £81,000.
Councils owe their staff a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and should take every reasonable step to ensure their safety.
Some examples include conducting regular risk assessments, communicating an up-to-date health and safety policy to all staff, providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and training employees to work safely without harming themselves or others.
Failure to comply with any of the above could constitute a breach of health and safety codes and a breach of their duty of care.
Solicitor for JF Law, Lucy Parker, said: “Councils, like all employers, have a legal obligation and owe a significant duty of care to safeguard their workforce and prevent them from harm.
“Unfortunately, council workers can often be involved in workplace accidents ranging from seemingly minor issues like slips on wet floors and trips on uneven surfaces to more serious incidents involving manual handling and defective equipment.”
