Payout for injured school caretaker
A school caretaker has been awarded nearly £3,500 in compensation after he suffered a hernia, which needed corrective surgery, while lifting a heavy object at work.
Alan Thomas, 43, of South Kirkby, West Yorkshire, had to take two months off work to recover from the injury he incurred from picking up the room divider so he could clean a classroom floor at Common Road Infant School in November 2007.
He was later advised by the public sector trade union Unison to seek compensation, which he was then awarded by Wakefield Council.
The council, which is the school's local education authority, admitted negligence and settled the claim out of court for £3,471.
Cliff Williams, Unison's Yorkshire and Humberside regional secretary, said: "It is only right that Mr Thomas receives compensation for the pain and discomfort that he has suffered. This accident could so easily have been prevented.
"He should have received help from a colleague with moving the divider and he could have been provided with mechanical work equipment to assist with the manoeuvre."