The director of a company in Sheffield has been fined for safety breaches after a young worker suffered a fall from height in an accident at work. The worker, who was 17-years-old, fell from a mezzanine floor to the ground below. The worker and two others were building the mezzanine floor at a site in Sheffield, and they stepped on a loose board and fell 2.8 metres.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that safety nets had not been put in place before boarding commenced. No other fall from height protection was present to prevent or mitigate falls through the mezzanine floor.
Wayne McKnight (trading as RJE Construction) paid a fine of £500 and costs of £1,300.
HSE inspector Sarah Robinson commented: “Falls from height often result in life-changing or fatal injuries, which thankfully did not eventuate here. In most cases, these incidents are needless and could be prevented by properly planning the work to ensure that effective preventative and protective measures are in place. This incident could have easily been prevented if the company had installed safety nets prior to work starting on the mezzanine.”
Claiming Against Your Employer for A Fall from Height in an Accident at Work
It is your employer’s responsibility to keep you safe from falling from a height at work. This means that they must make sure you have the correct training and equipment to be able to do your job correctly. Risk assessments must also be carried out, to ensure the job is done safely. This is especially important when working from height.
If your employer has not followed the guidelines to keep you safe at work, or has done so incorrectly, you may be able to claim fall compensation. We understand that you may feel uneasy about claiming against your employer, however all employers must have employer’s liability insurance. This covers the costs of accidents at work, including falling from height. It is the insurance company who would pay the fall compensation. This means your employer would not be directly out of pocket.
Claiming on Behalf of a Minor
There may be some cases where the person who has the accident at work is under 18. This was the case with the 17-year-old who had a fall from height at work. If this is the case, then a parent or guardian may be able to make a claim on their behalf.
The time limits are also different in cases which involve a minor. Usually, when someone has an accident, they have three years from the date of the accident to make a claim. In cases where a minor has an accident, the time limit extends until they turn 21.
If this happens, then a parent or guardian may make the claim on their behalf until they turn 18. Then, after they turn 18, they have until they turn 21 to make the claim themselves.
How We Can Help
Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience in personal injury claims. This includes falls from height and accidents at work. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.