May 11th, 2009
Compensation has been secured for a man who was left brain damaged after an accident at work.
The 39-year-old, who did not want to be named, was working for A&P Falmouth in 2004 when he was hit on the head by welding equipment while painting a ship, the Shields Gazette reports.
He now suffers deafness, memory loss and a lack of concentration, as well as epilepsy and headaches, as a result of the brain damage he sustained.
The victim – with the assistance of his mother – took legal action against A&P Falmouth and an out-of-court settlement has now been agreed via the company’s insurers.
"This money will help cover his daily living costs, now that he can no longer earn a wage," remarked his mother.
Employers must deal with any hazards that are likely to arise and might cause serious injury to their workforce.
A compensation claim can be made if it can be proved that employers breached this duty of care and that this resulted in accident or injury.
Payouts for brain injuries will usually be more substantial since they must cover the costs of the victim’s long-term care.
Tags: Accident Compensation, Amp, Brain Damage, Brain Injuries, Compensation Claim, Court Settlement, Duty Of Care, Epilepsy, Falmouth, Headaches, Lack Of Concentration, Left Brain, Long Term Care, Memory Loss, Money, Shields Gazette, Welding Equipment, Work Compensation, Workforce
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April 3rd, 2009
The wife of a construction worker who suffered a brain injury after an accident on-site is seeking compensation from his employer on his behalf.
Christopher Kaye, 55, was working for Euro Dismantling Services in Sheffield last October when he was asked to remove a grapple attachment from a piece of machinery, the Sheffield Telegraph reports.
However, the grapple moved suddenly and hit him in the face, causing a severe brain injury.
Mr Kaye is now unable to communicate and has to be fed through a tube. He can move only his eyes and his right arm and leg.
His wife Susan is taking legal action against Euro Dismantling Services, claiming that the company was negligent and had not trained him in using the machinery.
A writ lodged at the high court also claims that the firm had not checked that the machinery was sufficiently stable before allowing the workforce to use it.
Euro Dismantling Services has declined to comment on the case.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, the rate of major injury in construction is the highest of any main industry group at 599.2 per 100,000 employees between 2007 and 2008.
Tags: Construction Worker, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Industry Group, Mr Kaye, Right Arm, Severe Brain Injury, Sheffield Telegraph, Wife Susan, Worker Compensation, Workforce, Writ
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April 2nd, 2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to employers who require their workforce to carry out tasks in confined spaces after a man was killed.
Kevin Hall, 46, was welding in the hold of a ship in dry docks at Richards Dry Dock and Engineering in August 2005.
However, two other employees were also welding above him, which caused water to enter the confined space.
Mr Hall was electrocuted and died from his injuries.
HSE inspector John Claxton said that employers should better prepare staff for work in confined spaces.
"The procedures in place were inadequate for a known and well established risk and the incident was completely avoidable," he remarked.
Mr Claxton said that workers must be fully trained and that atmospheric monitoring and rescue arrangements must be in place before people are sent into confined spaces.
Richards Dry Dock and Engineering of Norwich has been in shipbuilding for more than 30 years and has 85 metres of dry dock.
Tags: Atmospheric Monitoring, Confined Spaces, Dry Dock, Dry Docks, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hse Issues, John Claxton, Norwich, Risk, Shipbuilding, Workforce, Workplace Death, Workplace Health
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March 27th, 2009
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned construction companies that they must secure a safe working area in order to avoid injury to members of the public.
Its warning comes after a pedestrian suffered a serious cut to her leg after she was hit by a falling scaffolding pole last year.
The unnamed woman was walking past scaffolding that had been erected around the Metro Public House in Coventry city centre by Sky Scaffolding.
One of the men above had leant a pole against a guardrail while he turned away to reach something, but it fell and hit the woman on the leg, cutting her quite badly.
She was immobilised for several weeks and still suffers from anxiety. Sky Scaffolding was prosecuted and fined for breaching health and safety regulations, but HSE inspector Carol Southerd said the accident could have been fatal had the pole hit the pedestrian on the head.
"The company had failed to take more-robust steps to ensure that the system of work was effective to protect the public from simple human error," she added.
Employers must deal with any hazards that are likely to arise and might cause serious injury to their workforce or passers-by.
A compensation claim can be made if it can be proved that companies breached this duty of care and that this resulted in accident or injury.
Tags: Anxiety, Compensation Claim, Construction Companies, Coventry City Centre, Duty Of Care, Guardrail, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hse Issues, Human Error, Members, Metro Public, Pedestrian Injury, Public House, Safety Regulations, Scaffolding, Sky, Workforce
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March 18th, 2009
All companies which use scaffolding during the course of their business have been issued a warning by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after serious injury was narrowly avoided during an accident.
Scaffolding erected by SGB Services and John Davies Interiors in Birmingham collapsed across an alleyway that was being used by construction workers and members of the public in December 2006.
HSE inspector Mike Ford said it was only good fortune that prevented anyone being injured.
"The two companies had failed to provide a scaffold that was suitably tied to the building and failed to ensure that the scaffold was inspected regularly after the erection," he commented.
Mr Ford added that 3,750 workers were seriously injured after falling from height last year and that the accident should act as a warning to business owners.
Employers must deal with any hazards that are likely to arise and might cause serious injury to their workforce.
A compensation claim can be made if it can be proved that employers breached this duty of care and that this resulted in accident or injury.
Tags: Act, Alleyway, Business Owners, Compensation Claim, Construction Workers, Duty Of Care, Erection, Ford, Good Fortune, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hse Issues, John Davies, Mike Ford, Scaffold, Scaffolding, Sgb Services, Workforce
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