Park Warden Wins Compensation for Ice Fall

A park warden who slipped on ice while trying to put up a sign warning users of the park of the danger posed by those very same slippery conditions has won compensation for his injuries.

The warden had been sent to put up the signs by Leicester County Council. He injured his back, neck, wrist and arm in the fall.

He brought a personal injury claim against the Council, which admitted liability and agreed to pay him compensation. Whilst the amount of the award has yet to be decided, the Council has set aside the sum of £70,000 to cover the cost of the claim.

Whilst the law recognises that it is not always reasonably practicable to eliminate transient risks such as snow and ice, employers have a duty to take all reasonably practicable steps to manage potential hazards in the working environment. In addition, every employer must provide employees with suitable personal protective equipment to guard against exposure to health and safety hazards while they are at work.

Since the accident occurred, Leicester County Council has reviewed its health and safety policy and purchased 150 pairs of studded snow shoes for its workers in order to prevent such accidents happening in future.

In addition, the Council has spent £7,500 on tracking devices for its gritting lorries, so that it can monitor which roads have been gritted. This move came after the Council was unable to prove that a particular road had been treated when attempting to defend a personal injury claim brought by a member of the public.