Worker wins £40k compensation for hand injury

Posted: August 28, 2014

Posted in: Faulty Work Equipment Hand Injuries Workplace Injuries 

A worker who injured his hand while operating an aluminium-rolling machine has won £40,000 in compensation.  Robert Gibbons, from Wallsend, had been operating a machine used to roll aluminium sheeting into shape when his hand became caught in the rollers. His right hand, which is also his dominant hand, was left seriously fractured and deformed.

Mr Gibbons worked for Alnmaritec, a boatbuilding company, when the accident happened. The machine he had been operating, a Flat Bar Pyramid Rolls machine, was controlled using a foot pedal. The machine was meant to stop when the foot pedal was released, however, a fault in the machine meant that it did not. As a result, Mr Gibbons reached towards the machine to straighten the aluminium sheet, yet when the machine didn’t stop, his hand was pulled into the rollers.

“A message out to all employers”

Mr Gibbons was left with a seriously deformed right hand after the accident. He fractured his right index finger and his right little finger, both of which will never heal properly. The accident caused Mr Gibbons to lose 20% of his overall hand function.

Mr Gibbons’ lawyer said: “This traumatic accident sends a message out to all employers and their workforces; faulty work equipment can cause serious injuries, basic maintenance is a must not an option.”

If you have suffered an injury at work, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us. 

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