Grouse Shoot Flanker Blinded At Work

A 61-year-old man who served as a flanker for grouse shooting, funneling the birds towards the line of guns and stopping them from flying out of the side of the drive, has been blinded in his left eye after being hit by shotgun pellets.

The Danby Moor Settlement sporting and country estate pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches, and was consequently fined £2,250 and ordered to pay £4,486.72 in costs at Scarborough Magistrates Court. 

The member of staff in question was not in the correct position before shooting began and as such had not yet put his safety glasses on. He was right in front of the line of guns when he was shot but the shooters were unable to see him. One of the pellets severed the optic nerve in his left eye, leaving him permanently blind in that eye. 

Health and Safety Executive inspector Julian Franklin said: "Had the estate carried out an effective risk assessment, they could have taken some simple precautions to prevent this injury. The simple fact is that you should never stand in front of a man with a gun, especially if he can't see you."

Those simple precautions could have included the wearing of hivis clothing such as vests, trousers, jackets or shirts. These instantly make it far easier for people to be seen thanks to the reflective nature of the material. If you'd like to find out how you could benefit at work by investing in such items of clothing, get in touch with us at The Site Supply Company today.