Compensation of £5,500 for back injury

An engineer who took a substantial pay cut after he damaged his back at work has received compensation of £5,500. He damaged muscles in his lower back when he slipped on spilt coolant while moving a heavy drum full of scrap metal. He has been left unable to move large weights so had to give up working in the well-paid aerospace industry. He had to take four weeks off work and can no longer lift heavy items. He had raised concerns about the number of machines which leaked coolant and the lack of sawdust or sand to soak up the spillages. His employer did not admit liability but settled the claim out of court.