Recent data from Ivybridge Today reveals that Devon County Council has paid an astonishing £302,384 in successful workplace accident claims over the past three years. With six claims in 2022 and eight in 2023, the trend is both worrying and instructive for employers across all sectors. See the full story here.
The Rising Cost of Workplace Error
The spike to £200,509 in payouts during the 2023/24 financial year alone is a stark illustration of escalating workplace risk. These claims—largely stemming from slips, trips, and falls, as well as manual handling issues—underscore how everyday lapses in safety can carry hefty financial and reputational consequences.
The Missing Piece: Proactive Risk Management
Talking on the Devon County Council story, Lucy Parker, a solicitor at JF Law, emphasised that many of these accidents “could have been avoided with proper risk assessments and safety measures”. This highlights a pressing issue: even public organisations with resources and policies in place can falter when small oversights combine with larger systemic failures.
Why This Matters to You
Devon County Council isn’t alone—every employer faces the same potential pitfalls:
- Financial exposure due to compensation and legal fees
- Operational disruptions when staff are injured or facilities are compromised
- Damage to reputation, especially if accidents become public issues
A single, preventable incident can ripple through an organisation, affecting morale, productivity, and stakeholder trust.
How Employers Can Turn the Tide
- Conduct comprehensive Health & Safety audits
Map out site-specific hazards and procedural gaps
2. Review and update policies regularly
Ensure risk assessments reflect current work practices
3. Deliver ongoing staff training
Focus on manual handling, slips, trips, falls, and equipment use
4. Introduce monitoring where needed
Use air, noise, vibration, or Legionella assessments to prevent exposure risks
5. Engage external experts
Bring in occupational hygiene and safety auditors for fresh insight
Safety First Group: Your Partner for Prevention
At Safety First Group, we specialise in transforming reactive compliance into proactive resilience:
- Fully calibrated equipment for hire: noise, vibration, EMF, gas, Legionella
- On-site risk assessments and audits tailored to your operations
- Detailed, HSE-compliant reporting with action plans
- Occupational hygiene services covering everything from dust to workplace training
We help organisations avoid the domino effect of accidents—keeping people safe, operations smooth, and reputations intact.
Don’t wait until accidents become a headline—or a legal case.