Proposals to Make Employers Pay for Hospital Bills from At-work Accidents

Dismissals due to employee negligence would go through the roof, as would the burden on Employment Tribual panels for unfair dismisal. These panels are already stretched.

This idea would have massive problems for companies that hire out equipment in terms of ensuring the hiree has the correct competence to use the equipment in a safe manner. If a person was using the equiopment in an unsafe manner and was injuried he then could try to sue the equipment hire company. This would be a nighmare problem for accident investigation especially if that equipment is moved around the country.

I would have some reservations about this as it may adversely affect healthcare. For example:
1. Who decides if a 'borderline'injury is severe enough to require medical treatment? At present, anyone injured can be sent straight to hospital regardless of the nature/extent of injury as their is no direct cost to the employer.If costs are to be recouped from the employer, then employer will treat these costs as any other and will want to ensure that no-one incurs them unnecessarily.
2. Because of costs, there might be subtle pressure brought on 'first-aiders' to try and treat an injury which they should refer for medical treatment .