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20th April 2010
Factory worker receives damages after burn injury
Burned in Accident at Work
A factory worker who was seriously burned after being provided with inadequate protective gear at work has received £3,800 in compensation.Scott Harper, 33, from St Neots in Cambridgeshire was left with a six by three inch scar across his forearm after the accident while working as a shift leader for food packaging manufacturer Sealed Air Limited.
He was adjusting bolts on a machine when the allen key he was using slipped causing him to fall onto a hot part of the machine, burning his left bicep and forearm.
Fortunately he didn’t need to take any time off work but was left with an unsightly red scar which took months to heal. During that time he was unable to wear long sleeved tops because it was so painful.
Injury left large scar
Mr Harper said: “I’ve been left with a large scar on my arm which was extremely painful for many months before it healed. I now use Bio Oil to try to reduce the scarring but it is still very visible and people ask me about it. I decided to claim compensation because I felt strongly that had I been provided with proper work wear that this could have been avoided.”
Following the accident he contacted his union, the GMB, which instructed its lawyers Thompsons Solicitors.
Thompsons found Mr Harper was provided with inadequate heat resistant gloves. The gloves had protective sleeves but these were prone to fall down easily leaving employees’ arms exposed.
The law firm argued that he should have been given full protective clothing which would have guarded his body against the extremely hot machinery.
Employers admitted liability and settled claim
Sealed Air Limited admitted liability and settled the claim out of court.
Andy Worth from the GMB said: “Factories can be dangerous places and steps must be taken to protect workers from hazards. Mr Harper has been fortunate that he did not need to take time off as a result of his accident but he must now live with scarring on his arm for the rest of his life because of his employer’s lax health and safety procedures.”
Ranjit Sond from Thompsons Solicitors added: “Employers have a duty to ensure suitable personal protective equipment is provided to employees. In this case, although protective gloves were provided they were unsuitable to the job in hand.”
Burn Injury Compensation Claim Advice
If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury or scald injury due to someone else's negligence, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any personal injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online personal injury compensation claim forms.
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