July 13th, 2009
A farmer’s wife who fell down a hole while demonstrating for a safety awareness day is to receive compensation.
Tania Foster was at a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) workshop in Churton when she failed to spot the uncovered drain, the Ellesmere Port Pioneer reports.
She fell down it and sustained permanent damage to her Achilles and metatarsal tendons. She now has to wear an ankle brace 24 hours a day.
Ms Foster took legal action against the HSE for failing to protect those at the workshop and for not removing an obvious hazard.
Although the organisation did not admit liability, it agreed to pay Ms Foster £25,000 for the pain and suffering she was caused as part of an out-of-court settlement.
Statistics published by the HSE show that agriculture and construction have the highest rates of fatal injury of all the industrial sectors, accounting for 46 per cent of all fatal injuries to workers in 2006 to 2007.
Tags: Achilles, Agriculture, Ankle Brace, Court Settlement, Ellesmere Port Pioneer, Fatal Injuries, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Industrial Sectors, Pain And Suffering, Permanent Damage, Safety Awareness, Settlement Statistics, Tania, Tendons
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May 27th, 2009
The family of a man who died after falling 23 metres at work have secured a compensation payout from his former employers.
The unnamed employee was working on a building site for Rafaco SA and Lentjes UK when the accident occurred.
He slipped from the platform of an industrial boiler and fell to the ground below, suffering fatal injuries.
The victim’s widow took legal action against the two firms after they were prosecuted under health and safety regulations.
"For many my husband’s death is just another statistic. For me, it is an irreversible tragedy that has changed my life forever," she commented.
The companies agreed to pay the deceased man’s family an undisclosed sum of compensation as a result of their loss.
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, every employer should make sure that work is not carried out at height when it can be successfully carried out at ground level.
Where work at height is carried out, employers are legally obliged to take adequate steps to prevent falls.
Tags: Adequate Steps, Deceased Man, Family Man, Fatal Injuries, Health And Safety, Industrial Boiler, Safety Regulations, Statistic, Tragedy, Undisclosed Sum, Working On A Building
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May 13th, 2009
A teenager is to be paid compensation after an accident at work in which he was trapped in machinery.
Luke Oxton, then 19, was working at the Icelandic Group’s Coldwater factory in Grimsby, but got trapped in a piece of equipment because there was no guard on its vent, the Grimsby Telegraph reports.
He was trapped for over an hour and had to be freed by firefighters, suffering serious injuries to his arm.
Icelandic Group was fined and prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work Act and ordered to pay compensation to Mr Oxton.
"We have learned lessons from this incident and implemented a major training programme for all employees and management to recognised national standards," a spokesperson from the company commented.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, there were 2,894 major injuries to employees in the Yorkshire and Humber region in 2007-08, as well as 16 fatal injuries.
Tags: Fatal Injuries, Firefighters, Grimsby Telegraph, Health And Safety, Health And Safety At Work, Health And Safety At Work Act, Health And Safety Executive, Safety At Work, Spokesperson, Teenager, Telegraph Reports, Training Programme, Vent, Yorkshire
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January 28th, 2009
A Tribune writer has suggested that the current economic uncertainty could increase the risk of construction workers being injured on the job.
Alan Ritchie said that while an average of six construction workers die on the job in the UK every month, this figure could increase as "safety is first to be cut" during tight times.
He explained that as many construction jobs are on the line, workers who are concerned about job security may be less likely to voice a complaint about performing a dangerous task.
Mr Ritchie added that the UCATT union feels that this could make construction sites "more dangerous in the medium-term" and he suggested that there are a range of opportunities for the sector to make "major improvements" to health and safety.
He said that a government inquiry into the high number of construction deaths could spell good news for the industry, as could a new strategy consultation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Figured from the HSE indicate that of the main industry groups, construction has the highest proportion of fatal injuries.
Tags: Alan Ritchie, Construction Jobs, Construction News, Construction Sites, Construction Workers, Dangerous Task, Deaths, Economic Uncertainty, Fatal Injuries, Government Inquiry, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Improvements, Industry Groups, Job Security, New Strategy, Proportion, Risk, Strategy Consultation, Tight Times
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October 30th, 2008
A construction company has paid damages to a former worker after he suffered injuries in a serious accident.
Bill Arthur, 63, was driving a vehicle in 2004 when it hit a pothole and threw him from his seat.
He suffered a dislocated elbow, wrist and shoulder, the Shields Gazette reports. As a result, he needed three operations and still suffers with pain four years later.
"Not only was I in a lot of pain and discomfort over a long period, but even now I can’t do everyday things and have to get a lot of help from my family and friends," Mr Arthur commented.
Clancy Docwra, a utilities and civil engineering firm, has now agreed to pay an undisclosed sum of compensation to Mr Arthur after it was ruled that the vehicle’s seatbelt was not working property and that the building site was unsafe.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, construction and agriculture have the highest rates of fatal injuries. In construction, there were 72 fatal incidents during 2007-08.
Tags: Agriculture, Bill Arthur, Civil Engineering Firm, Construction Company, Construction Worker, Damages, Dislocated Elbow, Everyday Things, Family And Friends, Fatal Incidents, Fatal Injuries, Gazette Reports, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Lot, Pothole, Seatbelt, Shields Gazette, Undisclosed Sum
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