After he was crushed by a reel of paper in a work accident claim one man has been left paralysed.
Mr Christopher Shaw had been working as an assistant winder for SCA Hygiene Products UK Ltd in July of 2007 when the accident claim occurred. Mr Shaw worked at a location where two tonne reels of paper were produced. The standard practise for the factory at the time was for workers to slow the paper reel’s descent from table to floor by using their shoulder and body weight.
Mr Shaw slipped and fell in the middle of lowering one of the giant reels. The two tonne reel fell upon him and crushed him underneath its bulk. As a result Mr Shaw suffered serious crushing injury claims to may parts of his body including his spinal cord. In the wake of his injuries the former factory worker suffers from paralysis from the chest downwards. Additionally his arms now have limited use as well.
In the wake of the incident the company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for being in breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act. After pleading guilty in court, the firm was slapped with a £120,000 fine. The Health and Safety Executive proved that the accident claim was both easily preventable and foreseeable.
Mr Shaw has since gone on to pursue a personal injury compensation claim against his former employer. It has been reported that he has been successful in his bid for recompense, though the amount of compensation he was awarded for his injuries has not been disclosed.
In the years following the accident the company has instituted safety measures for its factory workers that have proven to be more effective in preventing such debilitating injuries.