BURKETTS - Key Persons

John Burkett

Job Titles:
  • Principal Solicitor at Burketts Solicitors
John Burkett is the principal solicitor at Burketts Solicitors. His area of practice is civil litigation in the County Courts, High Court Chancery Division and The Technology and Construction Court a specialist court, which deals principally with construction disputes. He also specialises in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence matters and is recognised as a Senior Litigator of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers of which Burketts Solicitors is an Accredited Practice. After working for highly regarded City solicitors for several years John Burkett started his own successful practice in Southend on Sea Essex based on the ethos that Burketts Solicitors: • Are dedicated to providing a high standard of service. • Will put your best interests first.

Manual Handing

Manual handling means more than simply lifting or carrying something. The term is used to describe activities including lifting. lowering, pushing, pulling. carrying, moving, holding or restraining an object. animal or person. It also covers activities that require the use of force or effort such as pulling a lever or operating power tools. According to the HSE, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common cause of occupational ill health in Great Britain, currently affecting 1.1 million people a year and costing society £5.7 billion. MSDs affect the muscles, joints, tendons and other parts of the musculo-skeletal system. In the 2004 TUC safety representatives survey, safety representatives identified MSDs as a major problem. Back strains accounted for 35%, Repetitive Strain Injuries 40% while handling heavy loads 13% of all injuries. Manual handling is responsible for a heavy toll of suffering, much of it endured in silence and never fully reported. Thousands of workers have to leave their jobs each year, thousands more stay on only to suffer further. If a job feels uncomfortable then it is probably doing harm. The aim should be to fit the job to the worker, not the other way round.