Worker Gets ₤6,500 for Eye Damage Due to Wrong Safety Goggles
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009In an out-of-court settlement, the now-dissolved Fast Track Site Services, previously based in Walsall, admitted liability for an on-site accident in December 2005 and paid ₤6,500 as compensation to the worker.
The incident occurred when Ian Pearson, a steel erector was working on a girder at the Wembley football stadium. A piece of galvanized coating broke off from the pin he was hammering into a hole, and because he was not wearing the correct protective eye-gear, pierced his eye.
Laura Hadfield from Thompson Solicitors said that the company should have provided Pearson with goggles offering all-round protection, the appropriate eye-wear for such work. However, the company’s negligence had led to permanent damage in his eye, with blurred vision and other symptoms that were likely to persist for a long time. The responsibility for the damage rested solely on the company, she said.
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The East Midlands Region Unite Regional Secretary, Adrain Axtell added that no construction worker would ever walk onto a site without hard hat and safety goggles as they understood the importance of safety provided by these gears. However, the latter came in a wide variety, designed for different tasks and it was up to the employer to see that the right type of goggles were issued to workers.