Malta Shipyards Ltd condemned to pay €38,000 in damages for workplace injury

A court has ordered Malta Shipyards Ltd to pay €38,214 by way of damages to a former employee who was left permanently disabled after a crane dropped an iron beam on top of him at the shipyard.

Mark Grech Mallia had been working at the Marsa Site Workshop, in what was previously known as the Malta Shipbuilding Company Ltd on 5 May 2005, when a crane being operated by a colleague accidentally dropped an iron beam onto Grech Mallia.

Grech Mallia,who had been employed as a shipwright for 25 years, suffered a permanent disability affecting his left leg as a result.

He claimed that his employer had failed to provide a safe workplace, and that the other employee involved had been negligent. Grech Mallia asked the courts to order the company and the other employee to pay damages.

Malta Shipyards Ltd argued that Grech Mallia and the other employees had the necessary training, facilities and tools and were duty bound to take precautions to ensure employee safety. 

“Consequently, they need to personally answer for any possible negligence or failure that can result from their actions,” argued Malta Shipyards Ltd, adding that it could not be held responsible for any damages.

The court noted that no evidence was brought forward to show that the other employee was to blame for the incident.

The court ruled that the company had not taken sufficient precautions to protect workers from being injured by either the overhead crane or the unsecured beam.