Rooms are often the scene of holiday accidents and many of them are preventable. Any area in the apartment or hotel room etc. that is likely to get wet, such as the bathroom, kitchen, and outdoor areas such as patios and balconies, should have non-slip surfaces.

Domestic staff responsible for cleaning the floors should ensure that floor surfaces are dry and not slippery with residue from cleaning. During cleaning, signs should be placed prominently in the appropriate places warning guests that the floor is wet and therefore likely to be slippery.

Holiday accidents caused by tripping in badly constructed or maintained rooms are also common. Electrical equipment positioned a distance from wall sockets pose a hazard if wires are left trailing across floors.

These present a danger if there is inadequate support, light or an uneven floor. Handrails should be provided at an appropriate height in the appropriate places and be strong enough and securely attached to provide support to guests.

Stairs should be evenly spaced and level to minimise the risk of falls or trips. Stairs and stairwells should have sufficient lighting to ensure that guests do not trip or fall while they are climbing the stairs. Failures in design and construction of stairways are very often a cause of holiday accidents.

These are a delightful feature but can be the cause of serious, if not fatal, holiday accidents. Poorly constructed, weakened and badly fitted railings around balconies can give way if they are leant on or over. If the balcony looks in poor condition do not use it or ask to be moved to another room or hotel.

Children should never be allowed onto a balcony without adult supervision

Remember holiday accidents often happen because people are more relaxed and less vigilant than they would normally be at home.

Holiday accidents in accommodation are sometimes caused by the lack of adequate lighting. Rooms, hallways, stairs and outside pathways should all have sufficient lighting to ensure that guests can pass through safely or return to their rooms unharmed if they have spent the evening out.

Unfortunately, many holiday destinations are in countries other than the UK, and do not have the same stringent rules and regulations for health and safety that we have in this country. This means that the accommodation may not be up to the standards you expect and you may be put at risk of having a holiday accident.

If you have had an injury or holiday accident caused by similar situations or negligence mentioned above you may be able to make a holiday compensation claim.

Macks Solicitors have successfully pursued holiday compensation claims on behalf of thousands of clients and will be only too happy to provide you with expert advice, free of charge and without obligation if you have suffered injury in a holiday accident.

Macks skilled personal injury solicitors act for clients on No Win no Fee terms. This guarantees clients access to expert legal advice at no cost and there is no deduction from any compensation they are awarded for their holiday accident.

Holiday Accidents – Equipment, Boilers etc

The equipment provided in holiday accommodation can be the cause of serious, and in some instances fatal, holiday accidents.

Boilers and central heating systems are normally not a problem as long as they are well maintained and regularly checked. However old or faulty boilers present a serious danger.

Any heating system running off wood or fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal, has the potential to produce carbon monoxide: a lethal gas which has been called “the silent killer” because it is colourless, odourless and tasteless.

Faulty boilers can produce carbon monoxide when they burn fuels without sufficient oxygen, this is known as incomplete combustion. Squeezing boilers into tight locations can block air vents or reduce the fresh air supply. If flues or chimneys become damaged or blocked, carbon monoxide can seep into the accommodation instead of venting outside. If this happens it can cause a serious holiday accident with potentially fatal consequences.

The following signs indicate a problem with the boiler and that it is producing carbon monoxide:

If the boiler in the accommodation shows any of these signs it should be reported at once, the heating should not be used and alternative accommodation provided.

Apart from the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, some old boilers, and some foreign designs have an old fashioned “fail-go” system. This allows the water to continue to heat up even if the thermostat, which controls the temperature, fails. Although this type of boiler is rarely seen nowadays it can present a serious risk of causing a holiday accident if the water reaches boiling point, flooding the tanks and causing scalding water to pour out.

The following signs may indicate this type of fault:

If you spot any of these problems you should notify the people responsible for the boiler as soon as possible and, in the meantime, have the immersion turned off.

Air conditioning is considered to be an essential piece of equipment in many countries, keeping you cool in hot climates. However if air conditioning systems are not well maintained these too can be a cause of illness on holiday.

If an air conditioning unit has a cheap filter or is not properly maintained then it will keep harmful elements circulating. These can include any mould spores that have been allowed to build up or chemical by-products that have been released from appliances and cleaning products all of which can cause illness on holiday.

In some cases warm air expelled is not completely released into the atmosphere so it provides a perfect environment for bacteria to grow, most notably the bacteria Legionella pneumophila which causes Legionnaires’ disease. This disease is a form of pneumonia which can be fatal.

Although the UK has strict regulations and standards covering wiring and electrical appliances, other countries may not.

Electrical equipment in holiday accommodations is subject to a lot of use throughout the year and the wiring, casing and plugs can become damaged. If you are unhappy with the electrical equipment in your accommodation ask to have it replaced before it causes a holiday accident.

Minor injuries can be caused by tripping over things in badly planned rooms where trailing cables or badly positioned sockets can cause holiday accidents.

More major holiday accidents can be caused by badly or incorrectly wired appliances and sockets. All wiring should be properly carried out and checked during construction, it should also be checked regularly and corrected as soon as faults are brought to light.

Holiday accidents from electrical equipment can range from mild electric shock or, in the worse case scenario, electrocution. Some other injuries include electrical burns, internal burns, thermal burns, ventricular fibrillation and disorders to the nerves.

No matter how you book your holiday accommodation, whether it is in another country or here in the UK, in an apartment, villa, tent or cruise ship, if you suffer any holiday accident or illness on holiday you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

Macks Solicitors have a great deal of experience in all types of holiday accident and holiday illness compensation claims. Our specialist solicitors have successfully recovered compensation for thousands of clients who have been unfortunate enough to have been injured in holiday accidents or have suffered illness on holiday because of another person’s, or organisation’s, negligence.

If you aren’t sure if you have a case to make a holiday compensation claim one of our specialist solicitors will be happy to discuss this during a free consultation. If you would then like Macks Solicitors to pursue a claim on your behalf we will be happy to do so.

We act for clients on No Win No Fee terms. This means that win or lose you will have nothing to pay. All costs and fees are recovered from the defendant and, in the unlikely event your holiday compensation claim is not successful, all costs are written off.

When your claim has been successfully concluded you will receive the full amount of holiday compensation you have been awarded.