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EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY COVER THAT PROTECTS YOUR WORKFORCE
Why Employers’ Liability Insurance Matters in Aluminium Manufacturing
Aluminium manufacturing and processing environments involve heavy plant, forklifts, cranes, moving machinery, cutting and finishing operations, manual handling, noise and vibration exposure, and (in some facilities) high heat and fume controls. If an employee is injured at work or develops a work-related illness, your business can face compensation claims, legal defence costs, and enforcement scrutiny.
Insure24 arranges employers’ liability insurance for UK aluminium manufacturers — from extruders and fabricators to recyclers, casthouse operations and component producers. We help present your risk properly to underwriters and structure cover around your workforce, processes and site controls.
What Does Employers’ Liability Insurance Cover?
Employers’ liability (EL) insurance protects your business if an employee (or someone treated as an employee for liability purposes) brings a claim for injury or illness arising from their work. It can cover compensation and legal defence costs, subject to policy terms. In most UK cases, EL is a legal requirement where you employ staff.
- Compensation awards – damages awarded to employees for covered injury/illness claims.
- Legal defence costs – solicitors’ fees and court costs (subject to policy wording).
- Claims investigation – support and costs associated with handling and defending claims.
- Occupational disease – illness claims linked to workplace exposure (e.g., noise, fumes, vibration), where covered.
- Temporary staff exposure – cover can extend depending on labour arrangements and insurer acceptance.
- Worldwide business travel (where relevant) – may apply to employees travelling for work, subject to terms.
EL is typically arranged alongside public/products liability and property/BI as part of a combined aluminium manufacturing programme.
Key Employers’ Liability Risks in Aluminium Facilities
Underwriters price employers’ liability on exposure, controls and claims history. Aluminium manufacturing can present a mix of acute injury risk and longer-tail occupational disease exposures, particularly where process controls are inconsistent.
Machinery, Handling & Workplace Injuries
Many EL claims arise from everyday movements around machinery and yards. Insurers will examine how people and plant interact, and whether controls are documented and enforced.
- Forklift and HGV movements in yards, loading bays and warehouses
- Crush injuries around presses, saws, rollers, conveyors and packaging lines
- Manual handling strains (billets, profiles, pallets, packaging and maintenance activities)
- Slips, trips and falls from poor housekeeping, spillages and trailing cables
- Working at height for maintenance, racking and roof-level access
Clear traffic management, guarding, maintenance routines and training records often improve insurer appetite and pricing.
Noise, Vibration & Occupational Disease
Aluminium plants can involve high noise levels, vibrating tools and repeated motion tasks. These exposures can lead to claims that develop over time and can be costly to defend.
- Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) from plant, compressors, saws and material handling
- Hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) from handheld tools (where used)
- Repetitive strain and ergonomic injuries in finishing, packing and assembly areas
- Exposure management: monitoring, PPE, health surveillance and records
Underwriters often ask for noise surveys, vibration assessments, PPE issuance logs and occupational health arrangements.
Heat, Burns & High-Risk Areas (Where Applicable)
Some aluminium operations involve higher temperatures (e.g., casthouse, remelt, heat treatment, hot work maintenance). These increase burn and thermal injury potential.
- Burns from hot surfaces, heat treatment and maintenance work
- Hot works ignition and injury risk during contractor activity
- PPE controls and permit-to-work systems
- Segregation and restricted access for high-risk areas
Evidence of SOPs, supervision and contractor control is often critical for underwriting acceptance.
Fume, Dust & Respiratory Exposure
Cutting, finishing, recycling streams and certain chemical processes can introduce dust and fume exposure. Claims can arise when extraction, housekeeping or PPE programmes fall short.
- Dust and particulate exposure in cutting, grinding and finishing areas
- Fume exposure from process chemicals, welding or maintenance activities
- Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) performance and inspection records
- Housekeeping regimes and PPE enforcement
Insurers may request LEV test certificates, COSHH assessments and training documentation.
What Underwriters Typically Want to See
Strong risk management reduces incidents — and it also reduces uncertainty for insurers. When you can evidence controls, EL terms are usually easier to secure and less likely to come with restrictive conditions.
Documentation & Management Controls
- Up-to-date risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)
- Training matrix and competency records for operators
- Accident/near-miss reporting and corrective actions
- PPE issue logs and enforcement approach
- COSHH assessments and exposure controls (where relevant)
- Contractor management and permit-to-work systems
If records exist but are not collated, we can help you package them in a way underwriters understand.
Site Controls That Impact EL Pricing
- Traffic management: segregation, marked routes, reversing controls
- Machine guarding, interlocks and maintenance schedules
- Housekeeping standards and inspection routines
- Noise and vibration assessments with health surveillance (where required)
- LEV testing and extraction maintenance (where relevant)
- First aid provision and emergency response planning
Improvements here can support better pricing and reduce the chance of claim disputes.
Who This Employers’ Liability Cover Is For
Employers’ liability insurance is relevant to most aluminium manufacturing and processing businesses with employees, including multi-site groups, contract manufacturers and businesses using agency or temporary labour (subject to arrangements).
Aluminium Manufacturing Activities
- Aluminium extrusion and profile manufacturing
- Fabrication, machining, finishing and assembly
- Secondary aluminium recycling and processing
- Casthouse operations and component production
- Warehousing and distribution attached to manufacturing
Workforces & Labour Models
- Direct employees across production and office functions
- Maintenance teams and engineering support
- Forklift operators and warehouse staff
- Labour-only contractors (subject to control/supervision)
- Agency and temporary labour (subject to contract and insurer acceptance)
How to Arrange Employers’ Liability Insurance
To obtain accurate EL terms for aluminium manufacturing, insurers need a clear picture of your payroll, processes, and how you manage safety. We keep the process straightforward while gathering what underwriters actually use to price risk.
- 1. Confirm your workforce – headcount, payroll split by activity, and use of agency labour.
- 2. Describe your operations – processes, machinery, yards, warehouses and high-risk areas.
- 3. Summarise key controls – training, guarding, traffic management, RAMS and housekeeping.
- 4. Review claims history – EL claims, near-misses and corrective actions taken.
- 5. Compare options – limits, deductibles, endorsements and combined programme structure.
If you want to reduce premiums, improving evidence of controls and tightening contractor/agency arrangements can make a real difference.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Is employers’ liability insurance legally required for aluminium manufacturers?
In most UK cases, yes. If you employ staff, employers’ liability insurance is normally a legal requirement.
There are limited exemptions, but manufacturing businesses typically need EL in place. If you’re unsure how your labour model is treated,
Insure24 can help you confirm what insurers will require.
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What does employers’ liability insurance cover?
Employers’ liability insurance covers your legal liability if an employee is injured or becomes ill as a result of their work.
It can include compensation and legal defence costs, subject to the policy wording and terms.
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What are common EL claim types in aluminium manufacturing?
Common claim types include slips/trips, manual handling injuries, crush injuries around machinery, forklift incidents,
and longer-tail occupational disease claims such as noise-induced hearing loss or vibration exposure (where relevant).
Insurers will look closely at risk controls and record keeping.
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Do labour-only contractors need to be included on employers’ liability?
Often, yes. If individuals work under your direction/supervision or are treated as employees for liability purposes,
insurers may require them to be included. The correct approach depends on contracts and the reality of control on site.
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What information do insurers need to quote employers’ liability?
Insurers typically ask for payroll split by activity, headcount, processes and machinery used, claims history,
and evidence of controls such as training, guarding, traffic management, RAMS, PPE and housekeeping. Providing this clearly
usually results in faster quotes and fewer restrictive conditions.
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Can employers’ liability be combined with other covers?
Yes. Employers’ liability is commonly placed within a combined manufacturing policy alongside public/products liability,
property damage, business interruption and (where needed) engineering and environmental cover. We’ll structure the programme
to minimise gaps and overlaps.