Bakery Worker Gets £80,000 After Fall From Ladder

A bakery worker has won £80,000 in compensation after he fell from a ladder onto a concrete floor and broke his hip.

Jeffery Phillips, 59, worked as a cleaner at a bakery and was working on top of a machine in preparation for a client visit. To reach the top of the machine, he had to climb a 14ft ladder. The ladder slipped and he fell onto the concrete floor below.

In the fall, Mr Phillips broke his hip and fractured his elbow. He required a hip replacement and still suffers from pins and needles in his fingers. After the accident, he was forced to retire and is no longer able to work.

Mr Phillips brought a claim against the bakery as he had not been given any training in the correct use of the ladder. The company admitted liability and agreed to pay him £80,000 in compensation.

Falls from a height are the most common cause of deaths at work in the UK. Employers are obliged by law to protect their employees as far as is reasonably practicable. Simple precautions can often control risks and prevent serious injuries. Where a worker is expected to work at height, the employer must comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005, which specify that workers must be trained. Had Mr Phillips been provided with the correct training, the injury which forced him to retire might well have been prevented.

If you have been injured in a workplace accident because you have not been trained in the safe use of equipment, you could be entitled to compensation. However, claims must be brought within certain time limits – usually within three years of the original accident or when the full extent of the injury becomes clear – so it is important to act quickly.

Guidance on the Work at Height Regulations 2005 can be found on the website of the Health and Safety Executive.