A toddler is recovering after a wall collapsed on top of him in a flooring shop in County Durham.
The three-year-old boy was in Frank’s Flooring in Darlington when the wall, made from MDF, fell down. The boy was airlifted to hospital in Middlesbrough by the Great North Air Ambulance Service, where he was treated for pelvis, chest and abdominal injuries.
Although public liability insurance is not something that all businesses are legally required to have, if you have premises open to the public, it makes sense to take out an adequate policy. Accidents can happen at any time, and if the issue is found to be the fault of your business, you could face a hefty fine which could put you out of business.
In the case of the Darlington accident, the child was not as badly injured as initially thought and he was allowed to go home after spending the night at the James Cook University Hospital for observation.
A Durham Police spokesman said that there were “no concerns” over his health and that the incident would now be referred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The HSE said that it has passed the information on to the health and safety team at Darlington Borough Council. An investigation into the incident, including what caused the wall to fall down, will now be carried out.
A spokesman from Frank’s Flooring told the Northern Echo: “Our thoughts are with the child and their family and our staff our shocked and concerned by this accident.
“We would also like to thank the emergency services for their speedy response.”
