This week’s case of the week concerns the actions of our client as a new employee who simply got on and did her job in the way she had been told, but suffered injury as a result.

When working a night shift in a hotel our client was required to clean a tiled floor by directly pouring boiling water on it as there was no suitable bucket available. In the course of doing so our client slipped and suffered injuries.

The employer denied they were at fault, and even tried to blame our client. At trial the Judge found that our client was doing the job as best as she could, having not been trained properly and having not received the appropriate equipment from the job. He found entirely in our client’s favour and dismissed the suggestion she had contributed to the accident.

"Our client was a new employee and did not want to rock the boat by challenging the instructions provided to her as to how the floor was to be cleaned; it was up to her employer to assess the risks and provide training, equipment and a safe system of working."

Karina Marriott Solicitor