One of the UK’s largest trade unions, Unison, has won more than £28 million in personal injury compensation for its members and their families over the last year.

The Press Association reports that the amount was awarded as the result of 3,700 legal cases won by Unison for incidents ranging from assault to road accidents. Some of the most common injuries included back injuries and slips, trips and falls at work.

General Secretary of the union Dave Prentis said the sum of £28m represented ‘the huge amount of pain and suffering’ that some members had experienced from accidents.

‘Our members work in many different areas – nurses, social workers, care workers, dinner ladies, teaching assistants and librarians,’ said Mr Prentis. ‘But what they all have in common is that their jobs are never considered to be dangerous.

‘These statistics show that in the worst cases – members are left severely disabled and others are forced to give up work, through injury. Sadly, many of these accidents could and should have been prevented by employers.’

Mr Prentis added that ‘too often’ health and safety directives were ridiculed – and that it was clear that some employers were ‘still not taking the necessary steps to safeguard their staff’.

He called it ‘disgraceful’ that members were still suffering pain through back injuries, often because of lack of proper training.

Mr Prentis said that the increasing number of assaults on staff at work was ‘sickening’ – and called for tougher penalties for those who attacked public sector staff going about their duties.

‘I am calling on all employers to do all they can to make 2010 a safe and injury free year for their staff,’ said Mr Prentis.

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