Our client was working in a supermarket on a fresh fish counter when the sharp fin of a fish caused a deep cut to her thumb. A first aider attended to her and a plaster was placed over the cut but it had to be repeatedly replaced during the course of her shift as she continued to handle raw fish, cleaning and gutting them.

The following day, with her thumb changing colour, her employer still made her continue to work in the area and even required her to remove the surgical glove she wore for protecting the wound.

This case highlights how poor health and safety practices can have serious consequences for employees. We hope that this incident will spur changes to the health and safety policy at the store.

Kam Singh Senior Serious Injury Lawyer

Upon visiting her GP she was diagnosed with a serious infection which had been caused by bacteria in the stomach of the fish she had been handling. The infection was so bad that our client need almost a year off work during which she was required numerous oral and intravenous antibiotics and hospital admissions.

Kam Singh, of Thompsons Solicitors and who represented our client, said: “This is an unusual case, but highlights how poor health and safety practices can have serious consequences for employees. If our client’s wound had been protected after her initial injury, the likelihood of her developing the infection would have been significantly lower. Instead, she was told to rely on small plasters that did little to protect her open wound.

“We hope that this incident will spur changes to the health and safety policy at the store.”