Worker Suffers Life-Changing Injuries

A work accident specialist at Irwin Mitchell has called for lessons to be learned from a case in which a 68-year-old double-glazing worker suffered multiple serious injuries in a fall from height.

The owner of Direct Window Company has been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs in relation to the incident in April 2011, which saw the unnamed employee fall five metres and land on a patio after climbing up a ladder.

An investigation revealed that the worker, who suffered a broken knee and ankle, broke ribs, a punctured lung and damage to his right foot, had been allowed to work alone without anyone at the foot of the ladder.

Workplace injury experts at Irwin Mitchell represent those who have suffered serious, life-changing injures as a result of a failure to follow safety guidance.

Jonathan Betts, an expert in such cases at the firm’s Manchester office, said: “Falls from height are among the most common causes of injury in a number of different sectors, yet despite this we continue to see cases where employers have failed in their duty to protect staff from any risks.

“This case sadly highlights how dangerous such incidents can be, leading victims to suffer devastating injuries which they often never fully recover from.

“We would urge all firms whose tasks involve work at height to ensure they are following all of the necessary guidance in relation to it. Hopefully this will help to reduce the number of people we see hurt in such incidents year after year.”