Car garages among the UK's most dangerous places to work

Car garages among the UK's most dangerous places to work

Working in a car garage or dealership is among the most dangerous jobs in the UK, new figures have revealed.

According to an article in The Telegraph, car salesmen and mechanics are ranked in the top 10 most hazardous jobs in the UK. Between 2012 and 2013 there were just fewer than 300 serious injuries in these occupations, with eight deaths recorded.

For anyone that owns a garage or car dealership, this reiterates the need to have employers’ liability cover as part of your combined motor trade insurance policy. This could mean that injuries sustained to staff in the workplace, which might require large amounts of compensation to be paid, would be covered by your policy.

The nature of the work within the automotive industry, which can often involve working with heavy, high-powered machinery makes injuries at work far more common than in other professions. It is therefore also worth considering engineering cover as part of your insurance package; this will ensure plant machinery is regularly checked to clear the employer of any negligence claims that could come their way in the case of an accident when using certain tools.

Top of The Telegraph’s list was farming, where 14 workers died between 2012 and 2013. The three remaining deep cut coalmines in the UK also accounted for more than 150 injuries, including two deaths.

More surprisingly, teachers and shopkeepers both experienced large numbers of major but non-fatal injuries. This could be attributed to the fact they can be subjected to attacks from criminals or problematic children.