Electrical accident solicitors

A Sheffield maintenance fitter has been awarded £2,438 in compensation after suffering an electric shock at work, resulting in him suffering a mild heart attack.

Ian Wells, 25, of Grange Farm Drive, Worrall, was offered the sum, following an employer liability claim against Stanley Tools, based in Rotherham. He secured his award with help from Sally Rissbrook, of national law firm Irwin Mitchell, based at its offices in Riverside, Sheffield.

Electric shock accident

Mr Wells, who had been working as a fitter for Stanley Tools for four years at the time of the accident in February 2003, was disconnecting hydraulic pipes with a spanner, when he suffered an electric shock. The spanner stuck to his hand and Mr Wells was unable to remove it until he sat on a nearby metal tank, earthing the shock.

He said: On the day of my accident, I had gone out on a job with an electrician and had begun to remove the hydraulics. Although the power had been disconnected, for some reason, it remained live and I received an electric shock, which burned my hand.

Mr Wells reported the electric shock accident to the company first aider. That night, he found himself unable to sleep and attended Rotherham General Hospital the next day, suffering from palpitations.

He said: I was told in hospital that I had suffered a mild heart attack. Id also badly burned the ring finger on my left hand and there was some skin missing where it had stuck to the spanner.

Mr Wells returned to work the following weekend and noticed the machine which caused the electric shock accident was still in use. He stated to his manager that he did not think this was a good idea, as it was clearly faulty, and the machine was shut down later that day.

He said: I was then suspended on full pay, pending an enquiry into the accident. I received no health and safety training on the job in question, and also suffered from hypertension and had to be treated with beta blockers for around four months after the accident.

Ms Rissbrook, said: As well as suffering from burns, pain and discomfort, Mr Wells was extremely anxious about a heart condition, he reasonably thought had arisen from the accident.

This case highlights the importance of health and safety procedures in the workplace and proper employee training, to ensure accidents and injuries, such as those suffered by Mr Wells, do not occur and cause financial loss to the employer.