Unite Legal Services has secured compensation of £190,000 for a Unite member who had a fall at work. Mrs W, 62, from Watford, originally worked as a silver service waitress for the Civil Service and then for Aramark, a company that took over under a TUPE transfer.
Mrs W was working for Aramark as a steward in the plate wash of the silver store at RAF Northwood washing cups and saucers for the Burn’s Night party when she sustained the injuries. Her left foot got caught in the gap between two slip mats on the floor, causing her to fall heavily onto her right arm. She suffered a double fracture to her right elbow as well as a fracture to her right wrist. Mrs W went on to develop very serious regional pain syndrome, resulting in her not being able to use her arm or hand very much.
Peter Kavanagh, Unite regional secretary commented: “Slips and falls at work are among the most common workplace injuries and the anti-slip mats should have been secured with a plastic strip. The edges of the mats clip into place on the strip to secure them in place. These strips had been available in the storeroom and had they been used, this accident could have been avoided.”
A solicitor from Unite Legal Services added: “The mats are approximately one and a half inches deep and the substantial gap between them represented an obvious tripping hazard. Mrs W’s employer was in direct breach of their duties under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and their negligence led directly to her sustaining these distressing and disabling injuries. We are pleased that our negotiations have resulted in securing an out of court settlement just before the case went to trial, saving Mrs W from the further distress of a protracted court case.”
Mrs W added: “I had to take early retirement and was very worried about my future and the prospect of having to go to court as well was very upsetting. I am very relieved and thankful that Unite Legal Services has been able to settle my claim.”
