When we go to work, we expect to be safe from harm; however, if our employers or the owner of the workplace fails to take the necessary precautions then people can be put at risk. If you work in a museum, it is essential that steps are taken to minimise the risks to all employees. If you have been hurt in an accident whilst working in museum, then you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation.

The Dangers of Working in a Museum

There are lots of dangers associated with working in a museum, but one of the primary dangers comes from slips, trips and falls. Museums are often set out in quirky and unusual ways to attempt to appeal to visitors, however this can be dangerous for museum workers. If the design of the museum puts workers at risk from slipping, tripping or falling, then the museum owner could be held responsible for any injuries. Workers in museums with interactive displays must pay particular attention to slip, trip and fall hazards because visitors could drop or spill things on the floor. Anything that is dropped onto the floor should be cleared up straight away.

Museum workers should also pay particular attention if they are asked to move display items. Some display items, such as dinosaur bones, can be quite heavy. Incorrect lifting techniques can result in ongoing back injuries. Dropping heavy items can also lead to crushing injuries and broken bones.

Some museum workers are required to use heavy machinery or technical equipment as part of their role. Heavy machinery and technical equipment always carries a risk factor with it. Possible injuries include; crushing, blinding, deafening and electrocution. Employers are responsible for taking steps to minimise these risks. Any machinery which is used by museum staff must also be properly maintained and serviced according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. In 2014, an external equipment supplier was found to be partially at fault for the death of museum worker, Michael Buckingham, after they supplied faulty equipment for a job. Mr Buckingham became trapped between two pieces of faulty machinery and was unable to be freed due to major failings.

Depending on the type of museum, employees also run the risk of being exposed to harmful substances as part of their job. For example, some museums involve displays using chemical substances. If you are asked to handle harmful substances as part of your role as a museum work, you should be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment. Even working in a dusty environment for prolonged periods of time can put workers at risk of developing chronic lung problems.

What to do if you have been injured in a accident at work or if you were working in a museum

If you have been injured whilst working in a museum, you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation. If you are able to prove that you were not 100% at fault for the accident then you may have a valid case. Even if it can be shown that you were partially at fault for the incident, you can still try to lodge a claim. If you want to find out how much compensation for a accident at work claim you can claim for visit the link.

One of the most important things to remember if you are thinking about making a claim is that there are limitations on the timeframe for the claim. It is always best to launch your claim as soon as possible after the injury, because it is easier to collect evidence if you move swiftly.

Although you can launch a claim without professional support, you can also raise a claim with the support of a solicitor or claims advisor. If you speak to a solicitor or claims advisor they will be able to offer you professional guidance about the strength of your case. By listening to your story, they should be able to advise you about the potential value of your claim.

The potential value of your claim will normally take into account; the injuries that you suffered as a result of your accident; any pain and suffering associated with the accident; any loss of current or future income because of the accident; additional transportation costs; legal fees and any medical expenses that you have incurred because of the incident.

Once you have gathered evidence to support your claim, your solicitor or claims advisor will contact the defendant to notify them of the claim. If the defendant agrees with your claim, they may offer you the full amount. However, they may also make a counteroffer. If you cannot reach a settlement, the compensation claim may go to court. If the claim goes to court, it is possible that the judge may rule that you are not eligible for any compensation.

All museum staff should be fully trained to HSE standards

It is the responsibility of every employer to make sure that all staff members have been trained in the correct HSE standards and museum workers are no exception. A responsible employer should do a risk assessment for each role to ensure that they minimize the risks to that employee. Appropriate Health and Safety training should then be given based on the risks which have been identified. Employees must not be asked to do anything that falls outside of their current level of HSE training. For example, an employee should not be asked to use any heavy machinery which they have not been trained to use. HSE training for museum employees may include; VCU use; heavy lifting training; correct use of personal protective equipment; and training on the use of individual pieces of heavy machinery. You should speak to your employer immediately if you do not feel as though you have been given the correct training for your job role.

An employer may be considered to be negligent if an employee is injured because they have not been fully trained to HSE standards. If negligence is shown in a compensation case, the employer’s insurance provider may not be willing to pay out and the employer may have to cover the cost of the claim.

Although art collections in the United Kingdom cannot compare to that of the Louvre and comparable museums, the country does boast several art collections that are well worth looking into.
At the National Portrait Gallery in London, which was founded in 1856, there are portraits of outstanding people in England and it was the first museum in the world to focus on such types of painting. Artists include Van Dyck, Rubens and Holbein who created works of British monarchs and others during their lifetimes.

The Leeds City Gallery during its 120 years of existence has collections of English artists and sculptors, all of which are masterpieces. The life of the well-known sculpture, Henry Moore, is closely associated with Leeds and so his works are essential to the heritage of the art gallery.
One of the oldest museums in the United Kingdom, located in Oxford is the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology. It boasts four departments which consist of numismatics, antiques, oriental art and Western European paintings. Visitors to the museum can view masterpieces by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Raphael and Michelangelo.

The Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery here www.birmingham.gov.uk/bmag has a collection of over 500,000 objects that dates back 200,000 years and comes from each continent around the world. It has one of the finest collections in the world of Pre-Raphaelite art and fine and applied art as well as exhibits related to archaeology and ethnography. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has designated the museum’s collections as outstanding as they have international, national, regional and local importance too.

The National Museum in Cardiff has a collection of art that is one of the finest in Europe. It boasts magnificent paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics and silver from Wales and around the world from the past 500 years and has one of the best collections of Impressionist art in Europe. The Welsh national collection documents the history of art in Wales since the sixteenth century. It’s is well worth a look at.

The University College of London Art Museum came about as an association with the college’s Slade School of Fine Art. Therefore, its collections present a unique side of art education with works going back to the 1890s. It has early works by pioneering female artists such as Dora Carrington,Anna Maria Pacheco, Winifred Knights and Diana Cumming. Other works related to the history of the teaching of art in Britain include Turner’s annotated landscape prints,Van Dyck’s portraits of people of influence in his Iconographia and drawings by Henry Tonks, John Flaxman and William Coldstreamthat were used for instructional purposes.

The Victoria Museum and Gallery at the University of Liverpool also has some distinctive exhibits. There is the largest collection of original artwork of John James Audubon, the 19th century American wildlife artist, outside of the United States; a collection of Chinese and British ceramics; modern sculpture by Sir Jacob Epstein and Dame Elisabeth Frink; and silverware from the Sydney Jones collection. The museum proudly supports contemporary artists, particularly those that come from the local area.

The UK certainly has some fantastic art collections for art lovers around the globe to flock to and view. With the many new talented artists that are up and coming, the future of art museums in the UK only looks better!