Stephen Blackshaw, Bundaberg, sues Woolworths Group for fall at Emerald store

A former night manager of a Central Queensland Woolworths store has lodged a claim against his employer, after he claims he fell over on the job leading to a ‘serious injury’.

A simple slip on a yellow chain on the floor of the back dock at a Central Queensland Woolworths store left former employee Stephen Blackshaw with what he claims to be lifelong effects.

The man, who now lives in the Bundaberg region, has filed a $330,000 lawsuit against the Woolworths Group for the accident which took place when he was on shift at the Emerald Woolworths store in the Central Highlands Marketplace.

Mr Blackshaw was employed as a night manager and was working in the back dock area on the day of the accident, December 19, 2018.

According to a Statement of Claim filed by Mr Blackshaw in the Rockhampton District Court, he was pushing a trolley of stock when he stepped on a yellow chain that had been left on the ground, causing him to slip.

As he fell, Mr Blackshaw said his shin hit “baling equipment” in the loading dock.

Mr Blackshaw claims he fell and sustained a disc protrusion with nerve compression.

Mr Blackshaw claims to have suffered much pain and discomfort and has required medical, pharmaceutical and physiotherapy treatment and he has been left with a “permanent/partial disability”.

Part of the lawsuit claims compensation for wage loss as he lost his job with Woolworths in October 2020.

Representing the case is Maurice Blackburn Lawyers special counsel Darren Moore.

“This injury has had a significant impact on our client and his ability to continue working and to earn a living,” he said.

“He is hopeful that through this claim he can recover some measure of what he has lost, particularly to help meet his ongoing medical expenses as his injury was serious and will require continuing treatment.”

The Statement of Claim alleges Woolworths was negligent as an employer as it failed to provide a safe workplace, provide training to secure the chain when not in use, failed to ensure there were no slip hazards and didn’t carry out an adequate risk assessment of the chain being on the floor.

“Mr Blackshaw also hopes his case can help to ensure safer workplaces for all workers,” Mr Moore said.

The Woolworths Group has rebutted Mr Blackshaw’s claims with its defence and state he slipped on the yellow chain but did not fall.

It also alleges Mr Blackshaw failed to observe the yellow chain on the floor and he would have been aware it was there.

It further claims the back injury was sustained on another date and Mr Blackshaw did not report the incident until December 28, 10 days after the incident.

The lawsuit was filed by Maurice Blackburn’s Rockhampton office in the Rockhampton District Court for $337,398.15 for personal injuries.

Woolworths has submitted a final offer.

Woolworths declined to comment as the matter is before the courts.