Yorkshire Water Ignore Safety Concerns

6 Nov 2010

Yorkshire Water Ltd has agreed to compensate a former employee for causing the injuries that forced him out of his job of nearly 30 years. The 60-year-old, whose name has not been released, sustained serious neck, back and shoulder injuries in December 2007 when his work vehicle hit a series of potholes he and his workmates had repeatedly asked management to fix.

When he hit one particularly deep pothole on the track leading to the Bolsover Sewage Treatment Works, his entire body jolted and he realised his back had been injured. Over the next few days the pain spread through his neck and shoulders. The pain became unmanageable and was a key reason behind his decision to take voluntary redundancy.

Faced with a compensation claim backed by his union, GMB, Yorkshire Water admitted liability and agreed an undisclosed compensation settlement. GMB Yorkshire regional secretary, Tim Roache commented: ‘Yorkshire Water was warned repeatedly by its employees that the track was a health and safety risk but the company did nothing. This kind of negligence is inexcusable and it’s only fair our member has been compensated.’