The high accident rate of the new Spiderman musical is a sobering reminder of the dangers of accidents at work.
With music penned by U2 rock stars Bono and the Edge, the show opened in New York with much fanfare, but health and safety troubles were evident from the rehearsal stage.
Newspaper reports have carried accounts of four serious injuries to cast members starring in the show, with one actor playing the invincible web-slinger suffering a skull fracture after falling 35 feet and the lead actress quitting after suffering concussion.
The latest problem involved Spider Man and villain Green Goblin becoming unintentionally tangled up in mid-air during a fight scene.
America's Department of Labor has twice delayed the show due to safety concerns.
Proposal to change health and safety reporting
Over in the UK, no win, no fee solicitors such as Claims Direct can help people claim compensation should they suffer an accident at work through no fault of their own.
Organisations like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also exist to ensure that workers' safety is protected.
But the HSE has recently backed a proposal made by Lord Young which some think could adversely affect accident reporting procedures.
Currently, if an employee is absent from work for more than three days due to an illness or injury caused by an accident at work this must be reported to the HSE or the local authority involved.
Lord Young proposed in October 2010 that the trigger date for reporting should be shifted back to the seventh working day after the accident occurred.
This, Lord Young argues, would streamline the law by bringing it in line with the current seven-day period after which an employee needs to obtain a note from their GP following an absence from work.
Spending cuts
More cynical observers might point out that this ‘relaxing' of the reporting rules is related to the government's drive to slash spending. It is thought that such a change would reduce the number of incidents reported to the HSE and local authorities by 30 per cent.
Examples of workplace accidents
A look at the cases of work accidents which have appeared in the local and national press during February 2011 should serve as a reminder of how important it is that employers prioritise health and safety.
Take for instance, the case of Wayne Miller of Kendal in Cumbria. Mr Miller had his arm dragged into a machine's rotating rollers when he was undertaking repairs at a paper company James Cropper PLC. The accident left him with no grip in his left hand and he can no longer do manual work.
He was awarded £300,000 in compensation.
Then there is the case of Elizabeth McLachlan who suffered an injury while working at an Early Learning Centre in Glasgow. Helping a co-worker retrieve a toy from a high shelf she fell off a faulty ladder and now experiences difficulties walking and driving.
She was awarded £9,600 in compensation.
Trade union officials and those affected by injuries at work will hope that spending cuts don't compromise health and safety as instances of workplace accident continue to attract media attention.
