Construction worker receives £90,000 after being injured by falling drill

INCIDENT: The man was working in Kirk Ella when he was hurt

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

A construction worker has received an out of court settlement of £90,000 after being injured when a drill fell from a nine-metre ladder and damaged his leg.

The window and door fitter was working at the entrance of a detached house in Kirk Ella when he inadvertently bumped into the base of an extension ladder. This shunted a drill, which had been left unattended by a colleague, to fall to the floor, with its eight-millimetre-long bit puncturing his left calf.

The 34-year-old was employed by manufacturing and installation firm Conservatec Ltd, and said he had not been provided with basic personal protective equipment (PPE). The company went into liquidation six months after the incident in June 2024.

He said: “They let me go on site in shorts, and that was wrong, but I didn’t really know about that at the time.

“If I’d have had thick working trousers on, or anything like that, the drill bit might not even have gone into my leg.

“They didn’t give me any PPE – I think they wanted us to pay for it – and I wasn’t given a hard hat, so it was all a mess.

“I didn’t know that then as they didn’t even make an effort, but they obviously showed an appalling attitude when it came to health and safety.”

The man was taken to A&E but his wounds became infected and he had to spend three nights in Hull Royal Infirmary.

He said: “When you think about it, I was really, really lucky. Imagine if it (the drill bit) had gone into my head? I wouldn’t be here now, would I?

“It wasn’t like it was small drill bit, either. There was blood squirting out of my calf for about ten minutes.”

The man, who sought legal advice from Hudgell Solicitors, was awarded £90,000 in damages after his lawyers negotiated an out of court settlement with Conservatec after it accepted it had failed in its duty of care by not providing him with a safe place of work.

Samantha Thompson, a litigation executive at Hudgell Solicitors, who worked on the case, said: “Had the drill bit landed even a few centimetres away from his left calf, the consequences could have been imaginable.

“Under Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, it was clear that our client’s injuries were caused by Conservatec’s failure to meet the basic standards required in the workplace.

“Conservatec also failed to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety on behalf of our client, who was clearly exposed to a working environment that was clearly not fit for purpose.

“This is yet another timely reminder that, when it comes to PPE and basic health and safety regulations, no stone should be left unturned.

“If not, and as our client’s case proved, the consequences can be far-reaching for both employees and employers.”

The man now lives with his mother as he requires daily support due to his injuries. He still feels nerve damage, walks with a limp, and remains psychologically affected by the incident.

“I’m getting there,” he said. “I get the odd pain that often leads a lack of movement, but the medical reports say that I won’t be right for quite a while – if ever.

“I still can’t face going to work and my mum is helping out as I’d struggle on my own. It’s upsetting, sitting on the sofa not being able to do much, but there’s nothing I can do.”