Sharon Kerry, who worked as a hostel duty officer for Leicester City Council, has been awarded £10,250 in compensation following an injury at work. The accident occurred in October 2007 – Ms Kerry has been an employee with the council for six years. She was required to access a safe to deposit money which was positioned on the floor. Other employees had complained about it being there because it required them to kneel or bend down every time they wanted to use it.

Ms Kerry, who had a pre- existing back problem, suffered injury doing this task and now suffers from chronic back pain. The use by her of the poorly located safe is thought to have exacerbated her condition which may now require surgery to fix. The surgery may, if she chooses to accept, make her condition worse. The council admitted liability and settled the claim out of court. They also moved the safe to avoid any future injury.