Nottinghamshire Firm Fined Over Work Accident

The case of a man forced to have a finger on his right hand amputated following a serious work accident highlights how employers cannot ignore safety in the workplace, according to an injury specialist at Irwin Mitchell.

Caledonian Building Systems at Carlton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, has been fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs in relation to the incident in February 2009, when a banksman was working with a forklift truck driver to raise an 11-tonne modular building unit off some blocks.

When the load began to rock he put his hand down on the blocks, but one end of the unit came down on his fingers and crushed them.  As a result of the incident, his index finger was completely removed.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive revealed that employees on the site were not given clear instructions on the operation and how they should move the unit.

Stephen Nye, a Partner and workplace injury expert at Irwin Mitchell, said: “This case highlights clearly just why this firm and other organisations continue to campaign tirelessly for employers to recognise the dangers of not following safety guidance in the workplace.

“We act for a number of people who have been forced to undergo amputation as a result of work accidents, with such serious injuries meaning their working and personal lives are often turned upside down.

“Businesses need to take note of such cases and realise that health and safety needs to be a fundamental priority. We hope that lessons can be learned from this which also ensure no one else suffers in the same manner in the future.”

If you or a loved one has suffered due to an accident at work, our personal injury claims team could help you to secure the compensation you deserve. Visit our Accident & Injury At Work Claims page for more information.