October 30th, 2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned employers that they must adhere to regulations regarding working at height following an accident in which a man broke his spine.
Philpott Demolition and Recycling employee Gediminas Vasiliauskas had been removing roof tiles from an aircraft hangar when the tragedy occurred in April 2007.
He was not wearing a safety harness and when he lost his footing, he fell from the roof of the building. The victim had to have a metal plate inserted into his spine and lost his sense of taste and smell.
He was also unable to work for a year after the accident.
Tim Philpott, the owner of the business, was fined for breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was given a substantial fine.
HSE Inspector Nicola Surrey said: "Mr Vasiliauskas was lucky to survive this incident, which could have been avoided if his employer had taken precautions to ensure his employee’s safety."
Under Work at Height Regulations, 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, Aircraft Hangar, Demolition, Footing, Health And Safety, Health And Safety At Work, Health And Safety At Work Etc Act 1974, Health And Safety Executive, Nicola, Norwich, Quot, Recycling, Roof Tiles, Safety At Work, Safety Harness, Sense Of Taste, Spine Health, Surrey, Tragedy, Working At Height
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September 9th, 2009
A recycling worker from Wiltshire is in line for a seven-figure compensation payment after a botched neck operation left him severely disabled.
Michael Hart underwent surgery to remove a compressed disc at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in September 2008, in what should have been a routine procedure.
However, an error by surgeons led to complications which caused irreversible damage to Mr Hart’s spinal cord.
As a result, he is now confined to a wheelchair, with only limited movement in his hands.
Following his release from hospital in April this year, he began a medical negligence claim against Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust, which has now admitted full liability for the mistake made by its staff.
A compensation figure is still to be agreed, but it is almost certain to be more than £1 million, as it will take into account loss of earnings and the cost of long-term care for Mr Hart.
The news comes after the NHS Litigation Authority’s annual report revealed the health service spent £807 million to settle compensation claims in the 2008-09 financial year.
Tags: Compensation Claims, Compensation Payment, Health Service, Hospital Nhs Trust, Irreversible Damage, John Radcliffe Hospital, Litigation, Long Term Care, Loss Of Earnings, Medical Negligence Claim, Michael Hart, Nhs Litigation Authority, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Nhs Trust, Recycling, Routine Procedure, Spinal Cord, Wheelchair, Wiltshire
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May 6th, 2009
A man whose arm was ripped off as he worked at a waste treatment plant is seeking £2 million in compensation for his pain and suffering.
Steven Gallon, 42, was an employee at Inverboyndie Waste Treatment Plant in Banff in 2004 when he attempted to clear a blockage on a piece of machinery.
His arm was caught between an unguarded roller and a conveyor belt and was pulled out due to the force, along with his shoulder and part of his collarbone.
At the time, the company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to train its employees and not putting a guard in place on the roller.
Mr Gallon also sought legal action to pursue a personal injury claim against Aberdeenshire Council.
A spokesperson for the council declined to comment while the case goes through the appropriate legal channels.
HSE statistics show that the recycling sector had five times more injuries in 2007-08 than manufacturing as a whole.
Tags: 2m, Aberdeenshire Council, Accident In Factory, Banff, Collarbone, Conveyor Belt, Damages, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Horror, Hse, Legal Channels, Pain And Suffering, Personal Injury Claim, Recycling, Spokesperson, Statistics, Waste Treatment Plant
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April 9th, 2009
A man who fell down some steel steps and badly injured his arm is to receive compensation.
Brian Corish, 47, was self-employed but had been subcontracted out to European Metal Recycling’s Plymouth site in January 2006, Plymouth newspaper the Herald reports.
He fell down the flight of steps and seriously fractured his arm, leaving him in need of surgery and unable to work for two months.
Mr Corish needed a steel plate in his arm and may have to have more surgery in the future.
He took legal action against his subcontractors and although the firm denied liability, it agreed to a compensation payout of £15,000 to cover the victim’s lost earnings and pain.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, almost 11,000 employees suffered a serious injury as a result of a slip of trip in the workplace last year.
The most at risk industries were found to be construction, postal services and food manufacturing.
Tags: Corish, Earnings, Flight Of Steps, Food Manufacturing, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Plymouth, Postal Services, Recycling, Risk, Steel Plate, Steel Steps, Subcontractors, Welder
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October 31st, 2008
A man who suffered a serious injury to his foot after a colleague reversed over it in a refuse van is to launch a claim for compensation.
Kevin Jobe, 48, was helping the driver, Arturas Jablonkis, to reverse, when he suddenly moved the vehicle back and turned its wheels, Recycling and Waste Management reports.
As a result, Mr Jobe’s foot was crushed against the kerb and he claims he may still have to have it amputated.
A claim has been launched against Veolia Environmental Services, with Mr Jobe alleging that the company failed to train staff properly and did not provide warning of the manoeuvre.
He hopes to claim £150,000 in compensation.
A spokesperson for Veolia Environmental Services said: "Our sympathies are with Mr Jobe for his continued recovery and we take the injuries he suffered extremely seriously. We are therefore working closely with our insurers as the matter continues to be thoroughly investigated.”
According to new statistics from the Health and Safety Executive, over 136,000 workers suffered injuries during 2007-08.
Tags: Colleague, Damages, Dustbin, Foot Injury, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Kerb, Kevin Jobe, Launch, Manoeuvre, Recycling, Spokesperson, Statistics, Sympathies, Train, Veolia Environmental Services, Waste Management Reports, Wheels
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