Posted on 04/18/2010 11:00:32 PM PDT by george76
A handyman who was injured in a "Laurel and Hardy moment" after propping his ladder against the tree branch he then sawed off is suing his employers.
Peter Aspinall, 64, had been asked to prune a sycamore tree in the grounds of a hotel, but instead of leaning his ladder against the trunk he placed it against the branch he was hacking down.
When the branch fell it took Mr Aspinall with it, 14ft to the ground below. He broke his heel, damaged his ligaments and had to spend ten days in hospital recovering from surgery on his injuries.
Now Mr Aspinall, who had worked at the Egerton House Hotel near Bolton, Lancashire, for just two weeks, is suing them for compensation.
He took the action after health and safety inspectors concluded the hotel failed to carry out a risk assessment on the dangers of pruning.
They also said that his employer should have given him training on where to place the ladder.
The hotel owners have now been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 council costs and a £15 victim surcharge...
Mr Aspinall is now pursuing a civil claim for his injuries.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
don’t like to be unsympathetic to someone’s injuries, but anyone this stooopid ought to be required to repay their employer and medical facilities (I know, it’s the NHS) for all associated costs.....
also, anyone this stooopid ought to be unwilling to talk about it, never mind launch a lawsuit
finally, anyone this stooopid ought to be told never to go near a ladder, stairs, machinery, tools, or anything at all “dangerous”
That guy is lucky he cut the tree limb instead of one of his own.
“The hotel owners have now been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,000 council costs and a £15 victim surcharge... “
Can a country be a Darwin Award candidate? Can the U.S. be far behind?
We have OSHA. We shouldn’t feel so superior in this case.
The handyman’s secret weapon - duct tape.
Hence my second sentence.
We have to face facts - there really are people who have never cut down a tree, don’t know how to handle a screwdriver or a hammer and should never be let near any sort of power tool or sharp impliment. Never fear though they are usually the first to die in an disaster!
Mel
Mr Aspinall is the poster child for liberals everywhere.
They probably call him Dad!
LOL
On Saturday in Mesa, AZ a man trimming a palm tree was killed when about 500 lbs of fronds trapped him up the tree.
The man seemed to be fine when his partner on the ground asked the homeowner to call for help. The homeowner didn’t speak Spanish and couldn’t understand what was wrong, but a passer-by helped call the cops.
The man died when the fronds shifted and stopped him from breathing.
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I love to press wild flow’rs
I put on women’s clothing
And hang around in bars
He cuts down trees...
He’s a lumberjack...
Were pulling for ya.Red Green show was just to funny.
So here's to you, Mr. lean-your-ladder-against-the-branch-you're-sawing-off, we salute you.
Loved the red green show. My favorite saying of his was “Spare the duct tape, spoil the job.” lol - too funny.
AFAIK, the UK civil courts are still set up on a loser pay basis to limit frivolous suits. It would suck to get injured on the job (due to your own stupidity), then have to pay your employer’s court cousts (again, due to your own stupidity...)
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