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Employer ordered to pay £50,000 after debilitating workplace accident
Practice area: Injury
An employer has been ordered to pay a former member of his workforce £50,000 in
personal injury compensation following a serious accident.
John Samtani, 60, was found guilty this week at Dorchester Crown Court of breaching health and safety regulations, the Bournemouth Echo reports.
The charges related to a serious incident involving staff member Gary Hounsome, who had been unloading marble tiles for Samtani Developments in Poole in November 2006.
A pallet of the building materials had not been properly secured and several of them fell onto Mr Hounsome, causing him multiple fractures.
Despite undergoing several operations since the accident, the victim still suffers from the damage caused to his leg and now walks with a stick. He was also forced to give up his job.
Jeff Morley, regulatory manager at the Borough of Poole Council, said the incident highlighted a "blatant disregard" for the health and safety of employees.
"We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this case, as the severity of the punishment demonstrates how seriously the courts deem this offence," he added.
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, there are 350 fatalities caused by accidents at work every year, while 36 million working days are lost due to injuries and ill health.
These incidents can also have a significant impact on the victims, particularly if they are forced to take long periods off work or will need long-term care as a result.
However, anyone affected by an accident at work may be able to make a claim for compensation.
Although employees must look after themselves in general, employers have a legal requirement to check for and reduce hazards in the workplace, according to the Health and Safety Executive.
While they cannot be expected to remove all risks, managers are obliged to deal in a reasonable way with those that might arise and cause injuries.
If an accident occurs and it can be proven that the employer breached this duty of care,
personal injury solicitors may be able to recover compensation for the injured party.
Under usual circumstances, claims must be lodged within three years to comply with strict time limits.
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