Social Care Workers Need to be Careful on the Job
A social care organisation has been fined for worker health and safety breaches.
Social care workers have been put in danger while on the job. Following health and safety audits, it was found that one social care organisation was exposing their workers to the risk of aggression and violence without proper workstation risk assessments. The HSE investigated the company to determine if they provided proper support for their service workers. The investigation started when a worker was kicked in the eye by a client in 2009.
The investigation revealed that between 2009 and 2010, that there were several altercations in the work place where workers were exposed to violence or aggression from this particular client. Yet, the organisation did nothing to prevent this client from harming their workers. The Newcastle Magistrates Court heard the issue concerning aggression and violence. The court listened to instances where the workers were injured due to this particular client.
The organisation has been fined £14,000 for neglecting to protect their workers. They will also pay £30,000 in additional costs. The organisation did plead guilty to breaching Section 2-1 and 3-1 of the Health and Safety Act of 1974.
One inspector of the HSE spoke, stating that violence and aggression is familiar to this line of work; however, the organisation has a duty to care for their workers with proper management systems. Where this organisation failed was in providing proper support after a known client was determined to be troublesome.
