Personal Injury Solicitors

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an Essex-based gas infrastructure company, after an employee suffered serious injury when a pipe fell into the trench he was working in and struck him, resulting in a fractured spine and other serious injuries.

On 23 May 2014, an employee of Forefront Utilities Limited had entered the trench in Rochester, Kent to connect gas pipes – the new pipes were rested on packing timber across the trench, but the weight caused the tarmac to give way.

The pipe fell into the trench and struck the employee, causing significant injury and a fractured spine – he is now paralysed and has no feeling in his bowel.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the incident found the method for jointing newly laid sections of pipe to previously laid pipe was unsafe.

At Maidstone Crown Court, Forefront Utilities Limited of Stephenson Road, Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The company was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £56,686.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Andrew Cousins said:

“Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working – and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise those who suffer spinal injury as a result of negligence on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation, including compensation for spinal injuries such as: