Sun damage to workers could lead to legal action

-

A law firm has issued warning to employers in the UK about serious legal action if they do not take adequate safety measures at workplace.

This warning comes after a landmark judgement in a case involving workers in Australia, who became victims of skin cancer, because of long hours of work outside in the sun. The furious workers filed a legal case against their employer for not providing a good sunscreen for skin protection. The court found the employer guilty of the damage.

Although, there is a great difference between UK and Australia as regards the temperature. In recent years the UK has experienced adverse weather conditions and employers should ensure the safety of workers in extreme condition hot or cold as exposure could potentially leads to future health implications.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

Richard Biggs, associate at law firm Ralli, said that the firms must take this warning seriously and protect their workers. He further added that it is the responsibility of employers to examine the workplace to ensure safety of workers. They must also provide safety equipments and adequate information about protective measures to workers.

There are two notable regulations binding upon firms. One is the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation, which requires every employer to conduct adequate safety examination of the workplace to rule out any danger to the lives of workers.

Another one is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, which states that it is the responsibility of companies to prevent employees from any kind of hazard. Employees should have easy access to all the necessary information about health and safety measures.



Paul Gray is an entrepreneur and digital publisher who creates online publications focused on solving problems, delivering news, and providing platforms for informed comment and debate. He is associated with HRZone and has built businesses in the HR and professional publishing sector. His work emphasizes creating industry-specific content platforms.

Latest news

Sustainable business starts with people, not HR policies

Why long-term success depends on supporting employees, not just meeting ESG targets, with practical steps for leaders to build healthier organisations.

Hiring steadies but Gulf crisis threatens recovery in UK jobs market

UK hiring shows signs of stabilising, but rising global uncertainty linked to the Gulf crisis is weighing on employer confidence and delaying recovery.

Women ‘face career setback’ risk with flexible working

Female staff using remote or reduced-hour arrangements more likely to move into lower-status roles, raising concerns about bias in career progression.

Jo Kansagra: Make work benefits work for Gen Z

Gen Z employees are entering the workforce at full steam, and yet many workplace benefits schemes are firmly stuck in the past.
- Advertisement -

Union access plans risk straining workplace relations, CIPD warns

Proposed rules on workplace access raise concerns about employer readiness and operational strain.

Petra Wilton on managers struggling with new workplace laws

“Managers are not being given the tools they need to fully understand how the rules of the workplace are changing.”

Must read

Syma Spanjers: Respecting religious beliefs in the workplace

The fundamental principle of discrimination law is simple: ensure...

The top five office romances

With Valentine’s Day done and dusted for another year,...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you