Work Accident

The solicitor of a Sheffield woman who required surgery after falling heavily into a metal shelving unit, leaving her with a broken nose and suffering with breathing difficulties has said the case highlights the need for stringent health and safety procedures to be followed at work.

Linzi Hall, 30, from Firth Park, Sheffield, was working as an office administrator for MKM Building Supplies Ltd when the accident occurred. Law firm Irwin Mitchell reached an out of court settlement of £4,000 with the firm’s insurers for damages, after the company admitted liability.

The incident occurred after Miss Hall had been putting merchandise on a shelving unit, whilst unbeknown to her; the office cleaner mopped the floor behind. Miss Hall moved her chair on to the wet floor, which caused her to fall into the metal shelving and bang her face violently.

She received a broken nose as well as cuts and bruising to her face as a result of the fall, and eventually, after the hospital had glued her cuts and attempted to manipulate her nose, she required surgery to aid respiratory problems and to straighten her nose. Although the accident occurred in October 2007, she had to wait for an operation until July 2008.

Louise Morgan, Work Accident lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said “Our client sustained a nasty injury that caused her to have breathing problems, as well as the cosmetic damage to her nose. It would have been avoided had the cleaner simply warned Linzi that she was mopping the floor behind her.

“This case perfectly highlights the need for businesses to ensure that health and safety procedures are followed to prevent incidents such as this from occurring.”