Port worker wins over €68,000 in compensation

A port worker was yesterday awarded €68,308 in compensation after a court held Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd responsible for injuries that caused him a 10 per cent disability.

Louis Spiteri testified he had been asked by a Freeport clerk to work aboard the MV Tama on August 19, 2004. The clerk told him to get four cones that were placed at the four corners of a container so as to allow the containers to be stacked. Unable to find any cones, the clerk told him to look for them on the ship and, on spotting the cones, Mr Spiteri proceeded to pick them up.

As Mr Spiteri was walking, the floor beneath him gave way. His right leg disappeared down a hole and he managed to stop himself from falling any further.

Mr Spiteri told the court that the floor was rusty and corroded but only found this out later because the rust had been painted over and, therefore, the danger was not apparent.

"No officials had been onboard to inspect the safety hazards," he said.

The court heard that Mr Spiteri had been out of work from August 19, 2004 until January 17, 2005 and lost €15,727 in earnings. After noting that Mr Spiteri had earned between €51,234.65 and €46,400.38 a year in the period 2003-2005, the court moved on to estimate the compensation.

When considering the amount to be awarded, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco took into consideration the injury caused, the costs incurred by the injured party, the loss of salary due to the incident and the loss of earnings in the future because of the injury.

The court held Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd responsible for the incident on grounds that the company did not provide a safe place of work.