Ministry of Defence paid out staggering £107.2m in compensation for accidents last year
THE Ministry of Defence paid out £107.2million in compensation for accidents in the last year, it has been revealed.
They include one employee who suffered a broken arm while wrestling with a wheelie bin in a gale at an airfield.
Another worker got a payout after he suffered a strained arm and elbow trying to pull a boot on.
And another broke a foot by dropping a basketball on it.
The MoD paid out £83.6million to service personnel and £23.6million to civilian staff.
The details were revealed by safety officers who record all serious incidents for the Health and Safety Executive.
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Professor Bill Durodie, Chair of Risk and Security at the University of Bath, said: “Sadly, the list of injuries reported here – and the pursuit of compensation – is not peculiar to the military.
“Stories such as these are replicated across countless public and private sector workplaces today.
“In the past, the military in particular would frame misfortune as a test of moral fibre in the pursuit of a broader mission for society. The inability to do so now points to a crisis of purpose and authority.”
The MoD said: “We have robust policies and processes in place to safely manage activities.
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“Where there is a proven legal liability, compensation is paid.”