Bottling Plant Employee Suffers Life-Threatening Personal Injury In Accident At Work
30th July 2013
An employee could have died when they severed an artery on unguarded machinery in an accident at work, Yeovil Magistrates’ Court heard.
The hearing against Brothers Drink Co Ltd on July 18th referred to an accident sustained by an unnamed worker on July 12th 2012.
The 52-year-old employee was investigating a problem with the depallitiser machine in the firm’s Anglo Trading Estate bottling plant in Shepton Mallet when he put his right arm into the machine.
It automatically restarted, caught his clothes and pulled his limb inside, severing an artery in his bicep and cutting him in several other places.
One of the three operations the workplace accident victim suffered was described as limb-saving and life-saving, and although he has been able to return to work, he has different duties, still suffers pain and has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
He also faces a heightened risk of suffering from blood clots and could require further operations in the future.
A Health and Safety Executive found a number of factors led to the accident at work – the company had modified the depallitiser’s access but had not put a guard in place. The victim of the workplace accident had not been trained on safe use of the machine and was unfamiliar with it, as he was covering for a colleague.
Brothers Drinks co Ltd admitted breaching health and safety regulations and was fined £10,000 with £12,859 costs.
Accident at work compensation claims
If you have been injured in a workplace accident that was caused by the negligence of your employer, you can make an accident at work claim. Speak to our personal injury solicitors to get started.
Make a workplace accident claim
Call Clearwater Solicitors today to start claiming accident at work compensation. Just dial 08000 430 430 to speak to us. Alternatively, request a call back by filling in our online enquiry form.