Legal News

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety (H&S). Every month HSE investigates and prosecutes employers for various H&S failings. So far this month HSE has published over ten cases of serious health and safety failings which resulted in heavy fines and prosecutions.

One of the recent cases HSE investigated was where Hollywood actor Harrison Ford was injured whilst on Star Wars set. The makers of Star Wars: The Force Awakens were heavily fined for injuries Mr Ford suffered when he was knocked to the ground and crushed beneath a heavy prop door. The company responsible were prosecuted and pleaded guilty to breaches under H&S regulations which resulted in a £1.6m fine with costs.

One of the most common injuries employees sustain at work as a result of their employers’ H&S breaches is a crush injury. Such injuries frequently result in severe orthopaedic traumas, organ damage, amputations or even fatality. Duncan Lewis Solicitors have extensive experience representing clients who have suffered such injuries including one case where the client, whilst at work, was crushed against the wall by a digger. He was taken to hospital by Air Ambulance with crush fractures of his vertebrae, injuries to his pelvis, kidneys and abdomen. The Defendant’s response to the letter of claim is still awaited.
In another case, we represented a client who was involved in an accident at work when he was in the process of unblocking a recycling machine. The machine had become jammed and he proceeded to unblock it himself as this is what he was trained to do by his employer. As he was doing this, one of his colleagues turned the machine back on causing the belt to start up and his dominant arm was taken in by the machine causing him to lose consciousness. He was taken to hospital with severe fracture and nerve damage to his arm which required three surgeries. He is currently awaiting further surgery.

Both clients are currently undergoing therapies and are unable to return to work.

As part of our client’s case the most common allegations of their employers’ breach of duty and negligence are failing to provide and maintain a safe working environment, adequate equipment and failure to employ competent staff.
HSE have published various guidance and safety notices aimed at employers on how to avoid crush injuries in the work place. We often find that our client’s injuries could have been avoided if their employers had adhered to the H&S regulations and the risks had been properly assessed.

About the author – Alla Kingswood

Alla Kingswood is a Solicitor in the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors and represents Claimants who have been victims of catastrophic, life-changing injuries such as brain injuries, crush injuries, serious orthopaedic injuries, amputations or spinal injuries.

If you, or anyone you know, has been affected by an accident at work don’t hesitate to contact Duncan Lewis’ specialist personal injury lawyers on 020 7923 4020.