Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd has been ordered to pay over $55,000 in damages to one of its employees who was injured while working on a ship in 2012.

Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff presiding over the First Hall of the Civil Court delivered this judgment following an action filed by employee Philip Vassallo against the company.

Mr Vassallo told the court that he was a registered port worker and that on November 6, 2012 he had been assigned by the company to carry out works on the vessel MV Karina which was berthed at Malta Freeport.

He had been ordered to lash together containers on board the vessel. He was working in cramped conditions with no barriers when he fell backwards from a height of almost three metres and was seriously injured to the extent that he was not fit to return to work for 14 months from the date of the accident.

Mr Vassallo asked the court to order the company to make good the damages he had suffered, including those of loss of earnings.

Mr Justice Mintoff pointed out that the company had failed to file its reply within the legal time limit. This notwithstanding the court proceeded to examine the evidence produced by Mr Vassallo.

It resulted from Mr Vassallo's testimony, corroborated by a co-worker, that the company had not provided him with a safe place of work. There were no barriers along the sides of the platform where he was working and the floor was slippery due to oil spill. The company had also failed to inspect the vessel before ordering Mr Vassallo to work there, and no risk assessment had been carried out.

The court concluded by finding the company liable for the damages suffered by Mr Vassallo and ordered it to pay him €55,580 in damages