Forklift injury followed ignored near-misses
A Unite member who suffered multiple fractures to his foot after being hit and then run over by a forklift truck at work has received £35,000 in damages.
Paul Winter, who works for a magazine printing company whose name has not been disclosed, was collecting new reels to insert into large printers when the incident occurred. He was pulling a pallet truck loaded with reels when a forklift truck reversed from behind a wall, knocked him to the ground and ran over his right foot.
The 59-year-old suffered a blow to his head and multiple fractures to his foot. He needed surgery to fuse the bones in his foot and suffered a concussion and a temporary loss of memory. He had to take six months off work while he was on crutches and his foot healed. He subsequently returned to the same job but continues to suffer pain and has been warned by doctors that the injury might lead to him developing arthritis.
The compensation settlement came in a Unite-backed claim.
Paul said: “A few of my colleagues had complained that they had nearly been hit by a truck in the past, but nothing was done to make the factory safer for us.” Unite regional secretary Karen Reay said: “Any workplace with staff working near moving vehicles should ensure that there are clear boundaries that are enforced, had there been at this workplace Paul’s accident wouldn’t have happened. Even though there were previous reports of near-miss accidents the employer did nothing about it. Unacceptably, it took a nasty injury before they did.”
