£180,000 paid in injury compensation to Scottish teachers

12:28:00 Wednesday 24th December 2008

Scottish teachers union, the EIS, has revealed that a total of £180,000 has been paid out in personal injury compensation to teachers who suffered injury at work this year.

Along with legal costs, the total spend by educational establishments and local authorities has been £250,000. The largest payout, of £35,000, was awarded to a teacher who fell off a step ladder, while £15,550 has been paid out in compensation to teachers who have been injured while intervening in pupils’ fights or from assault by a pupil.

An EIS spokesperson said, “sadly, yet again the EIS is drawing public attention to failures of employers to take health and safety seriously. The fact we are dealing with more incidents is cause for concern...A number of cases illustrate the threat to teachers from violence, either the result of a direct assault or from restraining pupils intent on physical violence. Teachers, in common with other public-sector workers, are entitled to have safe places to work."

Among the injuries suffered by teachers, as a result of assaults by pupils or from fights between pupils, include back injuries, broken ribs and finger injuries. Other claims came from staff who had slipped on ice in the car park, slipped on food in the corridors and were injured by falling items.

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