Caretaker suing over ladder fall

Anthony Gower-Smith claims he was not shown how to use the ladder

A school caretaker is suing Hampshire County Council for £50,000 after he fell off a stepladder, which he says he was not trained to use.

Anthony Gower-Smith, 73, fell off the 6ft stepladder in 2004 as he took down a card display at Awbridge Primary School in Romsey.

In court, he claimed that his employer, Hampshire County Council, did not show him how to use the ladder.

The council has denied negligence and a judgement is expected later this week.

Mr Gower-Smith, from North Baddesley, suffered a fractured skull, fractured cheek bone and kidney trauma in the fall, leading to treatment in intensive care.

He has not been able to work since the accident.

He told Winchester County Court that he was only told not to stand on the ladder's top platform and not to work at higher than 10ft (3m).

'Perfect condition'

Hampshire County Council said the caretaker was given adequate training and equipment to do the job.

The authority said Mr Gower-Smith signed an induction training sheet in 2002 on starting the job to show he had received training to use stepladders.

At the time a health and safety report said the council was not at fault and the council claimed that Mr Gower-Smith had positioned the ladder improperly before overbalancing.

In a defence statement, the council said: "The stepladder was in perfect condition and was easily large enough to enable the claimant to reach all parts of the display without overreaching."

The case continues.