Safe system of work

The claimant was employed in the despatch department where his job was to get items off shelves. On November 11, 2003 he was required to collect a pamphlet from a box just out of his reach. He jumped to try to reach it, without success. He then noticed a plastic box and stood on this. He was reaching for the pamphlet when the box moved under him and he fell, breaking his ankle. He contended that the company should not have told him to use the boxes in this way. The company admitted that the use of the box was unsafe but said that the claimant had failed to follow available and approved methods of accessing upper shelves.