desperate

markharriers

Hi guys i am in desperate need of some help.

I have been working for my current employer now for over 12 months and they have been the worst days of my life due the the place being very corrupt.
I am a fitter, the main problem is our boss makes us stack heavy items on our own which can be very heavy. I have said before that i cant lift the items as there too heavy but i just get threatened with the sack, as i have a family to keep i have had no choice to carry on. Today i went to work and again i was lifting heavy items and something in my neck and back went PING. I went to the doctors who said i have really messed myself up and that he wants me to have 7 days off, which is not ideal financially but i feel in a lot of pain. I got a lift back to work so i could give the boss my sick note and hes basically said hes going to have to let me go. Which has completely left me in trouble especially with it being nearly Christmas.

Sorry to go on but i really need some help with my rights, who to go to and just a bit of knowledge would be a massive help. I am now going to do some research but its a topic i do not have a vast knowledge of.

many thanks in advance

agrinnall

There may not be a lot you can do to save your job if by over 12 months you mean less than 2 years, although it's a time when being in a union could be a good idea (but I get the feeling you may not be).

The two things you could consider are making a claim for an industrial injury, and reporting the employer to the Health and Safety Executive.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/contact.htm

markharriers

agrinnall wrote: »

There may not be a lot you can do to save your job if by over 12 months you mean less than 2 years, although it's a time when being in a union could be a good idea (but I get the feeling you may not be).

The two things you could consider are making a claim for an industrial injury, and reporting the employer to the Health and Safety Executive.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/contact.htm

many many thanks for your help as you quiet rightly say i am not in a trade union but i will look into the link you have very kindly provided as the work place would not no health and safety if it hit them in the face.

my friend has suggested that we should have been sent on a manual handling course??

sangie595

It isn't any immediate help, but you might consult a solicitor about the prospects of a case against the employer. In personal injury there are a number of lawyers who do no win no fee - but do be careful and be clear about the terms, because one way or another a lawyer always gets paid.

takman

markharriers wrote: »

many many thanks for your help as you quiet rightly say i am not in a trade union but i will look into the link you have very kindly provided as the work place would not no health and safety if it hit them in the face.

my friend has suggested that we should have been sent on a manual handling course??

I carry out risk assessments as part of my job role and your employer should have a written risk assessment for the task if they have more than 5 employees. Everyone also has yearly manual handling training.
If you have been unable to work for 7 days after the incident this needs to be reported to the HSE. So it may be worth contacting them to make sure it has been done.