Lawyer Urges Safety Improvements After Roofer Left Fighting For Life Following 45ft Fall
29/03/2011
A leading industrial injury lawyer has urged the construction business to improve procedures to ensure the safety of their employees after successfully securing an intensive rehabilitation and physiotherapy programme for a roofer who fell 45ft through a skylight.
David Urpeth, National Head of Workplace Injuries at Irwin Mitchell, has claimed that more needs to be done to protect workers in the construction injury after securing a £340,000 out of court settlement for Timothy Kirk, who suffered severe injuries and was left in a coma for 11 days.
Mr Kirk, 42, from High Green in Sheffield, was left with such severe injuries that his son was unable to recognise him after the incident in October 2000, which happened when Mr Kirk stepped on a concealed skylight that was unable to hold his weight.
Following the accident, Irwin Mitchell was able to secure a settlement to fund care and rehabilitation costs for Mr Kirk, who was left unable to walk without the aid of crutches for support, as well as compensation for lost earnings.
Mr Kirk also suffered a fractured pelvis, fractured femur and numerous head and facial injuries as a result of the fall. He also had to undergo a tracheotomy to aid his breathing, as well as three operations on his stomach to reduce internal injuries.
The law firm is now urging businesses to uphold their duty to protect workers and reduce the number of people injured at work. The latest Health and Safety Executive statistics show that in South Yorkshire in 2009/10 there were:
- four fatal injuries;
- 624 non-fatal major injuries;
- 2,257 injuries lasting over three days.
David Urpeth said: “This was a horrific accident. This has been an extremely distressing experience for Mr Kirk and his family, but there is also a wider issue that needs to be addressed.
“Far too many people are injured in South Yorkshire each year through no fault of their own while they are carrying out their normal duties at work.
“Many of these cases would have been avoided if businesses had followed simple health and safety procedures. More must be done to protect workers and make sure companies comply with regulations. We have repeatedly called for improvements in safety standards and will continue to campaign for the rights of the victims we represent.
“After the suffering Mr Kirk had gone through, it was crucial that he was able to access the care he needed in order to help him recover and rebuild his life.
“He has been left unable to work, and is only able to walk by using walking sticks and it was vitally important for his future life that he received the most comprehensive medical treatment possible for his many injuries.
“He has undergone extensive physiotherapy and is receiving specialist care and rehabilitation, and hopefully with this expert help will make a huge difference to his recovery and quality of life.”
Mr Kirk said: “The skylight was a very similar colour to the roof and was very difficult to see. It gave way when I stepped back onto it, causing me to fall 45 feet to the ground below.
“I was so seriously injured that while I was in hospital a month later my son couldn’t even recognise me. Aside from the obvious pain from my injuries, it was heartbreaking my own young son did not know who I was, but I’m just lucky to be alive after falling so far.
“This whole experience has been terrifying for the family and nothing can be done to put my life back to how it was before the accident.”
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