The famous nursery rhyme about Dr Forster going to Gloucester in a shower of rain comes to mind for this week’s case of the week from Gloucester County Court.

Our client was working as a drayman delivering kegs to a local pub. It was pouring with rain and the ramp he was required to use was covered in rain.

As he continued to work he slipped on the water on the ramp and he fell, with the kegs landing on top of him.

At Court the Judge held that the accident could have easily been avoided had matting been used on the ramp. The Judge also dismissed the suggestion that our client should have realised the risk of slipping when the risk had not even been identified by his employer.

This is a case where had the employer taken very simple and relatively cheap measures it would have prevented the accident from happening at all. Unfortunately the employer had plainly failed to apply its mind to the risk at all. Employers should continually review work tasks and make sure they can be carried out safely

Jo Kneller Litigation Executive