Wind farm worker seeking £500,000 at High Court after falling into North Sea
Mr Chapman said his resulting brain injury causes him “ongoing cognitive problems”, while he has suffered further injuries to his face, neck, back, legs and wrists
A wind farm worker who fell 25 metres into the North Sea and suffered a “traumatic brain injury” is seeking £500,000 in damages from his employer.
Listen to this article
Ben Thompson, 31, fell in August 2023 while crossing a gangway between a ship and a column to which wind turbines would be fitted, as part of the Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm east of England.
He is bringing legal action at the High Court against GE Energy UK, saying the company was negligent and had breached its contract and its duty towards Mr Thompson.
GE Energy UK is defending the claim and denies the breaches or that it was negligent.
In court documents seen by the Press Association, Matthew Chapman KC, for Mr Thompson, said the technician crossed the gangway after seeing a green light, indicating that it was safe.
He said Mr Thompson was told not to clip on by his colleague and, while walking towards the other side, began to feel the gangway move.
Mr Chapman said: “His top half was still, but his lower half was moving.
“The gangway was suddenly and unexpectedly retracting and, while the claimant tried to move back, he lost balance as a result of the movement and fell approximately 25 metres into the sea.”
Mr Thompson believes he momentarily lost consciousness when he hit the water and was there for just over five minutes before a rescue boat pulled him out.
He also maintains that he did not see any red light or hear an emergency alarm, or someone shouting that would have warned him of the danger.
Mr Chapman said his resulting brain injury causes him “ongoing cognitive problems”, while he has suffered further injuries to his face, neck, back, legs and wrists and also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.
The technician said these injuries cause him continuing pain and damage his opportunities for employment.
Lawyers for GE Energy UK said in court documents that the emergency system on the gangway was activated and there was a red light signal and an alarm, but “contrary to his training”, Mr Thompson took another 19 steps forward.
They said they have seen CCTV footage which captured the incident but it is currently held by the Norwegian company that owns the ship from which Mr Thompson crossed.
They also said that safe access was controlled by a gangway operator and an able seafarer, both employed by Ostensjo/Edda Wind, the Norwegian company.
Communication between these two was “inadequate” and the able seafarer “failed to respond to the alarm in a timely manner by shouting” to Mr Thompson, they added.
Ostensjo/Edda Wind therefore breached its duty, the lawyers said, but GE Energy UK did not.
The lawyers also said Mr Thompson “failed to take any or any adequate care for his own safety”.
They continued: “The accident occurred because the claimant failed to follow his training.
“Had the claimant adhered to his training, when the lights turned to red and the alarm sounded he would have stopped immediately, held on to the side of the gangway with both hands and awaited further instructions.
“In those circumstances the claimant would not have fallen from the gangway and would not have sustained injury loss or damage.”
Ostensjo/Edda Wind has been contacted for comment.