A 31-year-old army veteran from Lancashire has had a serious injury following a fall from height at work, being unable to walk or talk, and only able to move his eyebrows.
The man, who is a roofer by trade, was attending his day job as usual in March when he fell from the top of a ladder in Burnley. Paramedics had to place him into an induced coma at the side of the road before he was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital, where he had to undergo emergency brain surgery within hours of arrival, and further surgery 48 hours later.
He is now bed-bound after suffering a broken back, severe head trauma and a popped lung following the accident. His injuries have left him unable to move or speak, with the 31-year-old only able to move his eyebrows by means of communication.
Falls from Height at Work
There are many industries where you may need to work at height, which comes with the risk of falls from height at work. One of the industries is construction, including roofing, which the Lancashire man worked in. The further you are working from the ground, the more dangerous your working conditions are. Your employers have a duty to make sure you are less at risk. If you work in one of these industries, then it is the responsibility of your employer to make sure that you are kept safe. They must follow the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Falls from height account for most accidents at work, with these accidents being around 47% of the total number of accidents in 2019-20.
Responsibility of Employers
To ensure everyone is safe at work, there are certain regulations that employers must follow. These include The Health and Safety Act and the Work at Height Regulations. These regulations are designed to keep employees safe at work, and to minimise the risk of accidents happening. There are processes that employers must follow to keep employees safe at work. In the case of the roofer who had a fall from height at work, the rules for working at height must be strictly followed. These rules include:
- Making sure equipment is safe to use
- Maintaining equipment
- Following health and safety rules
- Performing risk assessments
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 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 accidents falling from height. It is the insurance which would pay the compensation, so your employer would not be directly out of pocket.
How We Can Help
Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of personal injury claims. This includes falls from height 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.