November 26th, 2008
A man who worked for a printing company has been paid compensation after falling from a ladder.
Kenneth Blair, 58, had worked for Trinity Mirror for 18 years, but on the night of the accident, was put in charge of a different machine.
As he stood on a ladder, he was knocked off by the driver of a forklift truck and broke his wrist, the Workplace Law Network reports.
Mr Blair claims that had had no safety training to work on the new machine and had to retire as a result of his injuries.
Trinity Mirror admitted 85 per cent liability for the incident and agreed to pay Mr Blair £140,000 in compensation.
Unite regional secretary Kevin Coyne says: "It is vital businesses have very clear health and safety procedures in place in the workplace and that staff are briefed before they start work on a job that is new to them."
All employers are obliged by law to ensure the safety of their employees under a duty of care.
They must provide a safe workplace, safe systems of work, safe equipment and safe fellow employees.
If any safety regulations are breached and an injury occurs, the victim may be eligible for compensation. The Health and Safety Executive will prosecute where appropriate employers that break the law.
Tags: 18 Years, Duty Of Care, Fellow Employees, Forklift Truck, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Health And Safety Procedures, Job, Kevin Coyne, Ladder, Mr Blair, Printing Company, Regional Secretary, Safe Systems Of Work, Safety Regulations, Safety Training, Trinity Mirror, Vital Businesses, Workplace Law
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October 28th, 2008
A man who lost the sight in one eye during a workplace accident has received damages.
David Perry, 52, was working as a plasterer for Cardiff county council. He was sweeping some loose stone next to a cement mixer and bent to reach a brush, reports the Workplace Law Network.
However, he caught his eye on the handle of the mixer, which was exposed jagged metal.
Mr Perry was told that he had ripped out his cornea and would lose the sight in his eye.
"I’ve been left disfigured and have had to keep it in place for cosmetic purposes. I am extremely frustrated by the disability that I have been left with," he commented.
Nick Hughes, a legal officer for the trade union GMB said Cardiff county council should have had safety measures in place to avoid the risk of injury to staff.
The council has now paid Mr Perry £32,000 to compensate for his injury, but declined to comment on the case.
It is the duty of employees to provide appropriate safety equipment for employees. Anyone who suffers an injury and has not had safety equipment provided should seek legal advice.
Tags: Cardiff Council, Cardiff County Council, Cement Mixer, Cornea, Cosmetic Purposes, Damages, Disability, Gmb, Legal Advice, Loose Stone, Lost, Nick Hughes, Plasterer, Risk, Safety Equipment, Safety Measures, Workplace Accident, Workplace Law
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October 9th, 2008
A man who was exposed to asbestos at work has secured a compensation payout as a result.
The victim, who did not wish to be named, was exposed to the deadly building material while working in shipyards in Barrow-in-Furness as a lagger from 1951 to 1961.
He was diagnosed with fatal mesothelioma in April this year and launched legal action against his former employers, Millers Insulation, Turner & Newalls and Vickers Shipyard.
Consequently, the man has now been paid £70,000 to compensate him for not being protected from asbestos, the Workplace Law Network reports.
His daughter said: "It was important to dad to get his case settled quickly so that he could benefit from the compensation. He is relieved that this has been done and that his former employers were made to accept responsibility for his illness."
Exposure to asbestos has been recognised as a health hazard since the early 1900s, although many workers were exposed to the substance decades after this.
If a person can prove they were exposed to asbestos as a result of negligence, they may be able to make a claim for compensation as a result.
Tags: Amp, Asbestos Law, Barrow In Furness, Building Material, Dad, Decades, Early 1900s, Health Hazard, Insulation, Lagger, Mesothelioma, Negligence, Shipyard, Shipyards, Vickers, Workplace Law
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September 29th, 2008
Compensation is to be awarded to a man who suffered horrific injuries as a result of a boiler explosion.
The unnamed man, an engineer surveyor, was inspecting a boiler belonging to E.ON UK in May 2005, the Workplace Law Network reports.
However, the gas side of the boiler exploded, knocking him unconscious and trapping him under a hot boiler door.
He suffered burns to his abdomen, hands and face, as well as an injury to his leg and severe psychological trauma.
As a result, the worker had to have skin grafts and plastic surgery and was unable to return to his position.
A payout of £170,000 has now been agreed upon, which his solicitor said means he will not need to return to that kind of work.
"It is entirely understandable that he never wants to be in an environment that brings back the psychological trauma of the explosion. This settlement ensures he will not be forced to and will now be able to make the relevant adaptations to his life," the legal representative commented.
Compensation for burns depend on the severity of the injury sustained, however, will usually be awarded for psychological trauma, loss of earnings, future treatments and other problems arising from the injuries.
Tags: Abdomen, Adaptations, Boiler Explosion, Burns, Engineer, Explosion Results, Horrific Injuries, Hot, Legal Representative, Life Quot, Loss Of Earnings, Plastic Surgery, Psychological Trauma, Severity, Skin Grafts, Solicitor, Surveyor, Unnamed Man, Workplace Law
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September 22nd, 2008
A widow has been given £205,000 in compensation after the death of her husband from asbestos-related cancer.
The unnamed man worked at the Bolton Manual Exchange during the 1950s for a company that later became part of BT, the Workplace Law Network reports.
He was responsible for laying telephone cables which had to be sprayed with asbestos to prevent fire, but inhaled deadly particles of the material while doing so.
The man was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2007 and died only four months later.
His widow took legal action and BT has now agreed to an out of court settlement, paying the family compensation.
"We had never heard of mesothelioma before and when we were told we could not believe it. He was exposed to asbestos 50 years before he became ill," his widow commented.
If a person can prove they were exposed to asbestos at their place of work, they may be able to make a claim for compensation as a result.
In the UK, a personal injury compensation claim for an asbestos-related disease or asbestos-related illness has to be started within three years of the date a person is informed of their condition by an appropriately qualified doctor.
Tags: 1950s, Asbestos Related Disease, Bolton, Cancer, Court Settlement, Deadly Particles, Four Months, Manual Exchange, Mesothelioma, Personal Injury Compensation, Personal Injury Compensation Claim, Telephone Cables, Unnamed Man, Workplace Law
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