Workplace Eye Injuries Caused By Incorrect PPE

By Jo Greenwood. Last Updated 17th July 2023. If you’re injured at work because of employer negligence, you might be able to claim compensation for any suffering that’s caused. There are several ways in which an employer could be found negligent. One example is where you are given unsuitable Personal Protective Equipment or PPE. In this guide, we will look at claiming for workplace eye injuries caused by incorrect PPE. We’ll explain the risks of not using eye protection, the type of injuries that could occur and when you could claim compensation.

No Safety Goggles / Safety Glasses Work Eye Injury Claims

workplace eye injuries caused by incorrect PPE

Later on, we will supply a table containing potential compensation figures for different eye injuries. Additionally, we’ll look at what could be included in your claim such as psychological damage and financial losses. Also, we’ll explain why your employer could be held liable for your injuries.

Advice.co.uk is here to support anybody who is considering making an eye injury claim. We have a friendly team of specialists who are happy to provide free legal advice. Also, they will review any claim on a no-obligation basis. If your case appears to be viable, the advisor could pass it to a personal injury lawyer from our panel. The lawyer will operate on a No Win No Fee basis for all cases that are accepted.

For more information on compensation payouts for workplace eye injuries, please continue reading. Alternatively, to get the ball rolling right away, please call our team on 0161 696 9685 today.

Select A Section

A Guide To Workplace Eye Injuries Caused By Incorrect PPE

It could be claimed that there is no worse injury than one which affects your eyesight. Losing your vision, even for a short period, can be scary, confusing and very disorientating. For that reason, it is vital that PPE is worn when carrying out jobs that could lead to an eye injury. That could include jobs involving chemicals, dust, shavings, or where moving parts could hit you in the eye.

Throughout this guide, we will consider the circumstances in which eye protection should be provided and worn. We’ll also explain why you might be able to claim compensation if you suffer an eye injury because of inadequate PPE. Don’t worry if we don’t discuss a case similar to yours though, we could still help you claim.

To support any type of personal injury claim, you will require evidence to show what happened and how you’ve been affected. This could include:

  • Photographs of the accident scene taken before the cause is removed.
  • Contact details of any witnesses who could corroborate your version of events.
  • Medical records following treatment at a hospital or GP surgery.
  • A copy of the accident report. It is a requirement for workplace accidents to be recorded so you should remember to let your employer know if you are injured.
  • Photographs of your injuries throughout your recovery.
  • Details of any expenses you have incurred following your injury.

You could be eligible to claim for a workplace injury no matter what size company you work for. That’s because all companies have a duty of care to try and keep you safe while at work. That legal duty comes from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Once you have finished reading, please call our team if you require free legal advice on your options.

Click Here To Learn More About Accident At Work Claims

Calculating Compensation For Workplace Eye Injuries Caused By Incorrect PPE

In this section and the next, we are going to look at what compensation could be claimed for a workplace eye injury. The first part of your claim will usually be for general damages. That’s the compensation that covers any pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injuries.

While we have provided a table of compensation amounts below, please bear in mind that every claim is unique. Therefore, the value of your claim could be different from the figures listed here. When you have had your case assessed properly, we should be able to supply a more relevant compensation estimate.

In our table, we’ve listed various eye injuries and compensation figures from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). When lawyers, courts and insurers settle claims, they may refer to the JCG for compensation amounts.

Injury TypeSettlement RangeFurther Details
Total BlindnessIn the region of £268,720
Injuries that lead to complete blindness.
Loss of sight with reduced vison£95,990 to £179,770Injuries where there is complete loss of vision in one eye and reduced vision in the other and the risk of further deterioration.
Total loss of an eye£54,830 to £65,710The amount of compensation awarded in this category will depend on factors like psychiatric problems, age and cosmetic effect.
Complete loss of sight in one eye£49,270 to £54,830The top end of this category covers loss of sight in a single eye where there is scarring in a region of the eye.
Impaired vision in one or both eyes£9,110 to £20,980Where there is minor but permanent reduced vision one or both eyes. This could include double vision and sensitivity to light.
Minor eye injuries£3,950 to £8,730Minor injuries which cause initial pain along with temporary vision impairment such as exposure to smoke or fumes, being struck in the eye or being splashed by dangerous liquids.

With any personal injury claim, you are required to supply evidence about the severity of any injuries. Without it, you might not receive the correct level of compensation. Therefore, as part of the claims process, a medical assessment will be needed. The meeting will be conducted by an independent medical specialist. They will use questions to try and determine how your injuries have affected you. Furthermore, they will examine you and check any medical records available to them.

Once your meeting is over, a report will be prepared that sets out the specialist’s findings. As this report is a crucial part of any claim, all claims will require a medical assessment.

Could I Claim For Medical Costs And Other Expenses?

The next part of your claim is known as special damages. This is compensation that aims to cover any costs or financial losses you’ve incurred due to your injuries. Special damages should not be confused with a fine or penalty. You should not benefit from special damages – they aim to put you back in the same financial position as you were before your accident.

Once again, each claim differs from the next, but you could include the following:

  • Medical expenses. Most people will obviously receive free NHS treatment to help them recover. However, you might need to claim if you need non-NHS treatment. You could also include the cost of any prescriptions.
  • Travel costs. When you visit your GP or a hospital for treatment, you could end up paying for fuel or parking fees. These costs could also be added to the claim.
  • Adaptations to homes or vehicles. Should your accident leave you with a disability, changes to your vehicle or home might become necessary. Therefore, you could request the cost of these changes back.
  • Care costs. While you recuperate, you might need somebody to help you with daily tasks. If that’s the case, you could claim the cost of your care. That could be a professional carer, a friend or a relative.
  • Lost income. Taking time away from work can be expensive unless you receive full sick pay. If you don’t, you could ask for any lost earnings to be paid back.
  • Future lost income. Should your ability to continue working in the same manner as before the accident be affected by your injuries, you could seek lost future earnings too. How much you could claim will depend on factors like age, job prospects and salary.

What Are Workplace Eye Injuries Caused By Incorrect PPE?

When we talk about accidents at work, we mean those that could lead to a compensation claim. The criteria for making a claim are:

  • That you were involved in an accident at work which;
  • Was caused by your employer breaching their duty of care (i.e. potentially not providing adequate eye protection) and;
  • Led to you being injured.

Negligence doesn’t just mean that you were not provided with eye protection, it could also mean that:

  • The PPE you were given was inadequate.
  • Your eye protection was damaged.

We could help you start a claim if your case meets the criteria listed above. Therefore, why not call our team today to see if you could be eligible to start a compensation claim? Our advisors will review your case on a no-obligation and offer free legal advice on your options.

Health And Safety At Work Protective Eyewear

There are many laws designed to try and keep employees safe in the workplace. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 is one piece of legislation that is particularly relevant. The act means that if it is not possible to control risk in any other way, the correct PPE must be identified and used to protect staff.

Importantly, your employer cannot charge you for PPE or ask you to provide your own. In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, staff are not allowed to be asked to pay for the cost of PPE or maintaining it.

This legislation could therefore be used to support your compensation claim if your eyes are injured because you weren’t given safety goggles or eye protection. Don’t worry too much about learning the legislation, though. If you work with us, an experienced personal injury lawyer from our panel could be appointed to your case if it’s accepted. If that’s the case, they will know which laws to base your claim on and will deal with all the legal complexities for you. Why not get in touch with a member of our team today and we’ll investigate your options for free?

What Are The Risks Of Not Wearing Protective Equipment?

While it’s true that you could get away with not wearing any PPE, it is far more likely that you will be injured in some way. Here are some of the risks of not wearing PPE in the workplace:

  • Eye punctures and lacerations
  • Chemical burns
  • Electric shock
  • Injuries caused by prolonged excessive vibrations
  • Hearing problems caused by prolonged excessive noise
  • Injuries caused by falling objects
  • Burns caused by airborne chemicals
  • Eye injuries caused by chemical splashes

Obviously, eye protection is not the only sort of PPE that we’ve covered in the list. You could also claim compensation for injuries caused by unsuitable hard hats, ear protection, hazmat suits and any other type of PPE.

Remember, if you are injured at work, you should report the accident as soon as possible. By doing so, your incident will be recorded in an accident book. A copy of the report will help prove the date and time of your accident and also list any injuries you’ve suffered.

If you would like us to review your case, please speak to one of our specialists today. They’ll consider your evidence, give free legal advice on what else is needed and could partner you with one of the personal injury lawyers on our panel.

What Workplace Eye Injuries Could Be Caused By Incorrect PPE?

Now we are going to look more at the types of eye injuries that could be caused by a lack of eye protection. Please bear in mind that our list is just a sample. You could still begin a claim with us if your injury is not listed. Remember, to be entitled to claim, not only does an accident need to have been caused by your employer’s negligence, but you will also have to have suffered as a result.

Some common injuries caused by inadequate eye protection are:

  • Chemical splashes in the eyes. This could be caused by not wearing eye protection while mixing cleaning products.
  • Foreign bodies in the eyes could happen while using cutting tools without eye protection.
  • Burns from harmful vapours or gases.
  • Projectiles hitting the eyes. This is one of the reasons PPE is needed in the construction industry.

While it is possible that some of the injuries listed above could lead to minor eye irritations, each of them could also lead to partial or complete blindness. If the injury is caused by a lack of PPE, you might be entitled to seek compensation for any harm caused. For a detailed review of your case with free legal advice, please get in touch with an advisor today.

Industrial Chemical And Workshop Eye Injuries

Eye protection is vital when working with chemicals. It can protect the eyes if there is an accidental spillage that results in chemicals splashing the face. As part of health and safety regulations, your employer should:

  • Provide full training on how to mix chemicals safely.
  • Ensure certain chemicals are stored in locked containers.
  • Provide a safe environment for mixing chemicals i.e. a flat surface with running water.
  • Supply PPE to protect you while using the chemicals. This includes gloves, aprons and protective eyewear.

In workshops, there are also risks that can be reduced while wearing safety goggles. If working in environments where products are cut with mechanical saws, there is a high risk of debris getting into the eyes if protection is not provided.

It’s worth noting that if your employer has provided you with PPE but you’ve chosen not to use it, then you’d be unlikely to claim for any injuries. However, if an accident occurs because you were given unsuitable PPE, it was damaged, or no PPE was provided, we could help you start a claim.

Our team is ready to discuss your case with you today. They’ll look at what happened and review your evidence in a free telephone consultation. If the claim appears to have merit, they could partner you with a personal injury lawyer from our panel. So, why not get in touch today to start the ball rolling?

Does My Employer Have To Provide Me With Protective Eyewear?

As part of health and safety rules, an employer has to risk assess the workplace regularly. If any dangers are spotted, they need to remove them where possible. If that can’t be done, they’ll need to put something in place to reduce any risk to staff welfare. In many cases, they can reduce risks by saying that PPE must be worn when carrying out certain tasks.

If that is the case, the employer must supply the PPE for staff. Additionally, they must ensure the PPE is maintained properly. You cannot be asked to pay for any PPE which has been identified as a requirement in a risk assessment.

If you have not been supplied with PPE and suffered an injury as a result, please call our team for free legal advice today.

No Win No Fee Claims For Workplace Eye Injuries Caused By Incorrect PPE

If you are eligible to claim for an eye injury at work, you might consider working with a solicitor on your claim. A solicitor could help you gather evidence for your claim, and they could also negotiate with the liable party for a compensation settlement.

All of the solicitors on our panel are able to take on inadequate PPE claims under No Win No Fee arrangements. They may offer to provide their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which means you typically won’t have to pay for their work upfront, or throughout your claim.

Instead, if your claim is successful, the solicitor will deduct a small, success fee from your compensation. This is a legally capped percentage of the compensation. If your claim fails, you will not have to pay for their work.

To check your eligibility to claim, or to ask questions about claiming for eye injuries at work, why not contact an advisor?

Speak To An Expert

Having read this guide, we hope you now know whether you’ll begin a claim. If that’s the case, we’d love to help you do so. To discuss your eye injury claim, you can contact us by:

  • Calling on 0161 696 9685 to have your case reviewed for free.
  • Seek advice from a specialist in our live chat channel.
  • Contact us online to let us know about your claim. An advisor will then call you back at a convenient time.

As we know how busy life can be, we open our claims line 24 hours a day. When you get in touch, we’ll keep everything as straightforward as possible. An advisor will listen to the details of your claim and provide free legal advice. They will also be open about your chances of success so that nobody’s time is wasted. If the claim does appear to be viable, you could be partnered with a personal injury lawyer from our panel.

Reference Information

Thanks for reading this article about work-related eye injury claims. We have tried to provide information to help you decide if you’re eligible to claim. Therefore, in this final part of the guide, we’ll provide resources that might prove useful during your claim. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us if there is any more advice we can provide.

Eye Injury Advice – Details provided by the NHS on what to do if you suffer an eye injury.

Raising A Problem At Work – A useful article from Acas about how to raise concerns in your workplace.

Employment Status – An important government resource that can help determine your employment rights and employer’s responsibilities.

We also have a bunch of dedicated guides on making an accident at work claim, which you can read below:

Thank you for reading our guide to workplace eye injuries caused by incorrect PPE.
Page by TE
Published by HE