At ground level is the most common cause of injury-related accidents in the UK, the simple act of moving about the planet on our own 2 legs puts thousands of people off work every day.
Falling over is often dismissed as unfortunate, clumsy even, and often does not imply any significant consequence that falling from a 4 m high scaffold clearly does– but consider the issues faced by Network Rail who have 10s of millions of passengers passing through their stations every day.
In the past 5 years, they have paid out over £1million pounds in compensation to rail passengers moving in and around their concourses. The highest fine given was £36,392 after a passenger “slipped on liquid and landed
heavily on their right hip” at Charing Cross station. The lowest fine was £10, after a passenger slipped on ice at an entrance to Victoria Station, and suffered personal injuries and damages to their suit.
Over half of the £1m total fines were made due to accidents at the following stations:
- Euston – a passenger received £35,721 for slipping.
- Paddington – a passenger received £36.392 for slipping.
- Liverpool Street – a passenger received £28,000 after suffering a “possible lacerated finger”.
- Victoria station had the highest number of successful claims paid out by Network Rails.
- Guilford and Glasgow Central were the only stations managed by Network Rail, that did not have compensation claims.
Obviously these are all insurance claims made by passengers, but this could be anyone just on a smaller scale in terms of claims, but as can be seen, the pay-out is quite significant. Good housekeeping reduces accidents, improves safety attitude within an Organisation.
