Accident at work in Glasgow — your rights and how to claim

Work accidents in Glasgow and the west of Scotland

Glasgow is Scotland's largest city with a workforce of around 450,000. The wider west of Scotland economy includes manufacturing, shipbuilding heritage, construction, healthcare, financial services and logistics. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is Scotland's largest NHS board and one of the UK's largest healthcare employers.

Common work accident types in Glasgow

• Construction: Glasgow has seen significant city centre and infrastructure development. Construction accident claims — falls from height, scaffolding, plant vehicles — are common. See fall from height claims.
• Healthcare: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde employs around 38,000 staff. Manual handling, patient violence and needlestick claims are regular occurrences — see healthcare and care workers.
• Manufacturing and engineering: Clydeside retains a manufacturing and engineering base. Machinery and manual handling claims arise in this sector.
• Logistics: The M8/M74 corridor and Glasgow's central position make it a major Scottish logistics hub. Warehouse and HGV driver accidents are frequent.

How does a work accident claim work in Scotland?

The substantive health and safety law is the same as in England and Wales — the same HSWA 1974, the same six-pack regulations, and a three-year period under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. However, Scottish civil procedure is different:

• Claims are raised in the Sheriff Court for most personal injury claims
• The relevant court for Glasgow is Glasgow Sheriff Court (1 Carlton Place)
• The procedure follows the Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Rules)
• Scotland uses its own pre-action protocol — the Pre-Action Protocol in Personal Injury Actions in Scotland
• Damages are assessed on the same Judicial College Guidelines basis as in England and Wales
• No-win-no-fee conditional fee agreements are used in Scotland

See our full guide to accident at work in Scotland.

Do I need a Scottish solicitor?

For a claim raised in a Scottish court, you will generally need a solicitor who is a member of the Law Society of Scotland and is authorised to practise in Scotland. The SRA does not regulate Scottish solicitors. Many Scottish law firms operate on a no win, no fee basis for personal injury claims.