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Six-figure sum for injured plumber

A plumber has received hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation after he sustained life - threatening burns when a boiler exploded.

Survey highlights interest in heating improvements

Many UK householders have a strong appetite for investing in more sustainable forms of home heating that will reduce energy bills and be better for the environment, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by Wolseley.

The survey of 1000 homeowners and tenants found that more people (34%) intend to spend their money changing their heating system over holidays or other experiences (31%) this year. Almost half (48%) believe it is important for their energy source to be environmentally friendly, while 52% will consider the environment when they next renew their heating system.

When asked about the type of heating system they would be interested in, 72% of people said that they would seek a heat pump, hydrogen or other non - gas/oil boiler to deliver cheaper long-term energy costs.

However, the survey also identified challenges that need to be overcome to make sustainable forms of heating more accessible:

55% cite high expense as the main barrier to installing more sustainable forms of home heating, while 60% admitted that they had a lack of knowledge on the issue.

36% want to wait until government funding/subsidies become clearer before switching to more sustainable heat sources, and 24% said that they did not understand the benefits/advantages at all. Only 14% of people trust the government to provide clear and fair advice about their future heating options

The extent to which homeowners depend upon specialist heating engineers and merchants to advise them on their heating options and system costs was also clear (74%).

Across the UK, 23% of people had already discussed options for a heat pump or a hydrogen/hybrid boiler as a more sustainable alternative, rising to 28% in Scotland, but with the south coast region seeing a far lower figure of 10%.

“Transforming the way that UK homes are heated to reduce environmental impact will take time,” says Wolseley group CEO Simon Oakland. “There are big hurdles to overcome around cost and reskilling of existing heating engineers. Specialist merchants, like Wolseley, will be critical in providing the support, training and advice needed to increase the number of installers able to provide these new technologies.

“It is clear that the government and the home heating sector need to be working together more closely to accelerate this transition by making the available grants and subsidies clearer, and the options more understandable,” he adds. “The appetite for more sustainable home heating is clearly there across the country.”

The unnamed employee, who was in his early 20s, was working at a house in Essex when, without warning, the boiler exploded, filling the enclosed space with jets of super-heated steam, causing lifechanging injuries to the plumber.

Ellisons Solicitors was appointed to act on his behalf with the case proceeding to trial late last year.

Bernice Spurgeon, senior associate at Ellisons Solicitors, says:

“The claimant suffered horrific injuries. He was an in-patient in hospital for four weeks and required wide-ranging care when he was eventually discharged.

“He was unable to return to work due to not being able to tolerate steam and the effects this would have on his scarring. The claimant has required extensive laser treatment for burns, as well as counselling to deal with the longlasting psychological effects of the

Trades working longer hours

Almost two in five (39%) UK tradespeople are working extra shifts or doing longer hours because of the cost of living crisis, and nearly a quarter (23%) say they can’t afford to take any days off.

The new research by ElectricalDirect surveyed workers across the nation to reveal how many are at risk of burnout, and found that almost two in five (39%) have upped their hours in recent months. A similar number (43%) now regularly work more than eight-hour days, nearly a fifth (18%) do more than five days a week, and over a quarter (26%) even work while feeling unwell.

Furthermore, tradespeople are taking very few days of annual leave, largely for financial reasons. On average, they take just 11 days off a year, but almost a third (32%) take less than a week of holiday every 12 months. In fact, a staggering 92% take less than 28 days off a year, which is the statutory annual leave requirement.

Plumbers were found to take just 12 days holiday per year, which is one day more than the average builder or electrician.

Self - employed tradespeople are considerably more likely than employed individuals to work long days (51% vs 40%), work while ill (34% vs 23%) and work at weekends (38% vs 18%). They are also nearly twice as likely to work over five days a week (27% vs 14%).

To help tradespeople avoid or deal with burnout, ElectricalDirect has partnered with Liz SebagMontefiore, co - founder of HR consultancy 10Eighty, to share some expert advice:

Prioritise – “Take a hard look at your priorities. Get clarity on what really matters. Is there a real deadline? Is it urgent because of who is asking for it? Will it impact productivity or profitability? Where can you adjust, what can you decline, who can help?”

Take breaks – “Take breaks from work. Be sure to use any annual permanent injuries and trauma of the incident.

“During the case, the owner of the company received a criminal prosecution and the insurers admitted liability but not until over two years after the accident had occurred.” leave and leave work behind when you’re off – don’t work in your downtime! Try not to check work emails when you are off and say if you are not contactable.”

Despite no settlement offers being made the solicitors obtained interim payments in order to assist with the claimant’s loss of earnings, his treatment and much needed expert support from a specialist case manager.

The case proceeded to a Joint Settlement Meeting (JSM), but agreement was not reached as the defendant’s solicitors continually sought to discredit the integrity of the claimant, including allegations of fraud. The case was resolved a few weeks after the JSM, and the defendant’s solicitors agreed to a six-figure sum, which also factored in the claimant’s ongoing treatment needs.

Pace yourself and relax – “Try to pace yourself and reward yourself for what you can do. You could try mindfulness to relax and reconnect with self, purpose and wellbeing.”

For more expert advice on how to deal with burnout, see the online reader link below:

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