An injured man who had to take four months off work, and undergo knee surgery after slipping on a wet floor caused by a leaking tap has secured a £6,000 injury compensation settlement from his employer.
Colin Hillyard from Cheltenham was working at his company’s site in the town in September 2009 when he slipped on a toilet floor, which was wet because of a leaking tap.
Colin, 60, was unable to move his leg due to swelling the day after the accident which aggravated a pre-existing weakness in his right knee. He had to take three months off work while he waited for an operation and it took a further month for him to recover from his surgery.
He said: “It all happened so fast. I walked into the toilet, flicked on the light switch and the next thing I knew I was lying on the floor in a lot of pain.
“My employer was supportive after the injury, but that doesn’t change the fact that the accident could have been easily prevented by simply fixing or replacing the tap.”
Carl Banks, PCS health and safety officer, said: “Colin’s case highlights that seemingly small and easily sorted problems, such as a leaking tap, can have serious injury consequences. A lack of a system for proper maintenance resulted in a member of staff being unable to work for four months and having to undergo knee surgery.”
