Health and safety in the workplace is perhaps better now than it has ever been. Even in environments of high risk, legislation like the 1974 Health and Safety in the Workplace Act has been protecting employees while at work. However, no matter how stringent the legislation, mistakes can still be made and accidents can still happen. Even with all the right safety equipment and regulations, people’s lives are still ruined by accidents at work.

Key dangers

One of the main dangers of working is simply the commute to and from work. Most of us have to travel to the office or workplace every day. Whether that’s on foot, bike, via train or in the car there are a lot of potential risks out there while travelling.

This may not be the responsibility of your employer but travelling for work may fall under their jurisdiction. Statistics from the national Office for National Statistics reveal that an estimated 73,000 people are injured while travelling for work in 2011, excluding the commute. That represents a huge 36% of all total road traffic injuries for the year in question.

So, it’s clear that travelling as part of your job comes with significant risks. In fact, you’re more likely to be injured while on the road for your job than in any other situation.

Company cars

Further statistics from Road Safe indicate that one in three of the company cars on the road each year will be involved in an accident either when commuting or as part of the working day. That means that there is a big chance that you may get injured when behind the wheel in a work-related capacity.

Your employee may not be responsible while you are commuting but if you are performing a work task then there may be some liability for which you are entitled to make a claim. This is especially true if it affects your ability to work. If this has happened to you then you need to consult an injury lawyer and find out if you may be entitled to any sort of compensation.

Injuries in the workplace are thankfully a lot less common than they once were. However, we need to ensure we are protected at all times when working, whether that’s on site or off it. How safe are you when travelling to and from work or for work? It’s worth knowing as it could change your life.