Worker Suffers Injury due to Lack of Proper Tools, Company Settles Out of Court
A lawyer has advised business organisations not to compromise on the supply of appropriate tools because of lack of time or money. The call comes in the wake of an accident of an employee of a tractor shipping company.
Tom Offer of Essex, a 57-year-old worker with DSV Road Ltd., suffered damage to his right hand in an attempt to perform his work without proper tools. On the day of the accident, Offer was taking apart a particular tractor for shipping. He had requested his employer for a type of hammer, which they had failed to provide. He was asked to carry on his work without the tool, as the tractor had to be loaded soon.
Left without a proper tool, offer was forced to use a metal piece for his work. He was not aware that a fellow worker had used the same piece to dismantle the axle of another tractor, for which it had developed serrated edges. Though Offer was wearing protective gloves while using the metal piece, its sharp edges tore the tendons of his right hand. The injury was so serious that he could not work for three months.
After three months of physiotherapy, Offer has found a new employment and he now works as a driver. This is because since his accident he has lost the grip of his hand and suffers from intolerance to cold. Offer now faces the risk of losing his present job because his condition is gradually worsening, and the problem is made worse due to the present climate of recession.
Offer contacted his union Unite to register a complaint against his employers, and the union asked their lawyers Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim for compensation.
For those responsible for health and safety in their organisation, CPP Courses offer accredited health and safety training, which will help management to learn about the importance of promoting a positive health and safety culture in their workplace environment.
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