In Sharon Walsh v Juniper Orthodontics Ltd [2026], a dental assistant injured her ankle after tripping on a hoover hose while cleaning stairs at work, a task part of her normal duties. She had left the hoover on the stairs while checking the phone and fell on her return. Issues arose regarding missing CCTV and inconsistencies in medical records. While the the plaintiff called supporting evidence by an engineer which pointed out the unsuitability of the area for safe cleaning to be carried out the court affirmed that the workplace was not unsafe. It was held to be an unfortunate accident, not caused by employer negligence. Employers are only required to guard against foreseeable risks.
Key takeaway: an accident alone is not enough negligence must be proven.
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