A Dundee waitress whose skin was “melted” by industrial cleaning fluid while working in a Nando’s restaurant has received a compensation payout from the company.
Mairi Espie, 21, was left permanently scarred after being splashed while emptying a container of dishwater detergent at the Nando’s branch in the Nethergate in December 2019.
Ms Espie claimed she was not provided with PPE when emptying the container and the liquid splashed on to her jeans and severely burned her right thigh.
Nando’s had denied the claim but has now agreed to pay an undisclosed sum of damages.
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Following confirmation of the damages payout, she said: “It shouldn’t have needed to go as far as a legal action but at the same time I also shouldn’t have been burned in the first place.
“This was never about the money for me, just recognition, because at the time it felt like people didn’t believe it was that bad or anything was wrong.
“But to be fair to Nando’s I think they’ve now done the right thing – they settled the case pretty quickly, the staff have been supportive and the issues that led to me getting hurt seem to have been addressed now so hopefully it means others will be safe too.
“I’m glad things are over now and I can just focus on getting on with things.”
Simon Hammond, partner at Digby Brown, who acted for her added: “Mairi was only in contact with this industrial cleaner fluid for a short time so the extent of her burns shows you just how corrosive that substance is – and how much worse it could have been.
“We are happy to have helped Mairi get the recognition she wanted and we hope the successful end to her case sends an important reminder to employers everywhere to not be complacent on staff safety.”
Ms Espie, who graduated from Abertay University in July with a degree in criminology, previously described being left with scarring on both legs following the incident.
She said: “It was absolutely agony – it felt like my leg was on fire.
“I’m now left with a permanent scar in a really prominent place on my body.”
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