Council faces £70,000 legal bill over warden health and safety sign injury

A council faces having to pay out tens of thousands of pounds after a park warden fell and injured himself while putting up health and safety signs. The Leicester City Council worker was erecting notices warning the public to be careful in the ice and snow when he slipped and hurt his back, neck, wrist and arms. He made a claim for compensation and the authority has agreed to settle the case out of court, after admitting the accident could have been prevented.

The final pay-out has yet to be determined but £70,000 has been set aside to compensate the unnamed warden and cover legal fees. The council has now ordered 150 pairs of special slip-on shoe soles with studs for winter weather, costing £13 each, to avoid similar injuries to outdoor workers in future.



Sir Peter Soulsby, the Mayor of Leicester, said: "It's important the council takes its responsibilities to staff and members of the public seriously, while not going health and safety mad. However, councils and other large organisations have increasingly found themselves targeted by lawyers who encourage people to make claims. The Government needs to look at the best way to give those with genuine injuries access to justice, while deterring lawyers who are out to make a quick buck."

Gary Garner, from the city branch of public sector union Unison, said compensation payments can help injured people to recover more quickly. He said: "Compensation can often help people get their lives back on track after an injury. It can be used to make up for lost income, or buy specialist equipment. The union offers assistance and legal advice to any member who has injured themselves at work, and our legal firm decides whether to pursue the case."