College kitchen assistant awarded more than £60,000 compensation for fall caused by faulty machinery

A kitchen assistant who fell after being distracted by a faulty hot drinks machine has been awarded more than £60,000 in compensation.

Helen Given said she heard hissing from and saw a flashing light on a vending machine at James Watt College in Greenock, Scotland, in May 2003. The noise and lights disturbed her and she fell and injured her right hip and wrist.

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Given raised a civil action was awarded £60,426 in compensation after an Edinburgh court found that the college had been at fault for breaching health and safety operations by operating faulty machinery.

James Watt College agreed that the drinks machine was prone to malfunctioning but said they could not take responsibility for Given’s fall.