Worker compensated for fall

A GMB member who title="Slips, Trips and Falls at Work Claims">fell down a flight of stairs after warning his employers how dangerous they were has received more than £9,000 compensation.

The member needed surgery on his shoulder following the fall in February 2006.

He was approaching the stairs down to his office when he slipped on the top step which had become smooth from wear and tear.

He fell to the bottom damaging his right shoulder and making a previous problem with it worse.

He was forced to take 13 weeks off work as a result of the accident and now suffers pain when using his arm for extended periods.

Employers had been informed of dangerous step

He had warned his employers about the dangers of the step on a number of occasions, but the problem was never addressed.

Following the accident he contacted his union, the GMB, which instructed its lawyers Thompsons Solicitors to pursue a claim for accident compensation. The claim was settled out of court.

He said: “I had warned my bosses about that step on a number of occasions. I was always careful when approaching it because I knew how slippery it could be, but this time my feet just slipped from under me and the next thing I knew I was in agony at the bottom of the stairs.

“I had to take three months off work because of this accident and as a result missed out on wages, so this compensation is important to me.”

Slips and trips are one of the most common causes of workplace accidents

Nick Hughes from the GMB said: “Slips and trips are one of the most common causes of workplace accidents. While this fall may seem innocuous it forced this member to take time off work and lose wages. His employers should have made sure the stairwell was fixed as soon as the problem was highlighted.”

Ian Bridgman from Thompsons Solicitors added: “It is unacceptable that our client had complained about this problem prior to his accident but nothing was done to fix it. A simple non slip tread would have been prevented his injury and the time he had to take off work.

“Employers must ensure that floor surfaces, including stairwells, are in a good state of repair.”