Border staff in injury claim

DOZENS of UK border staff who claim they were injured leaning out of windows to check passports in France are suing the Home Office.

Many are seeking huge compensation sums after insisting they suffered what has been dubbed ‘Calais shoulder’ while working at the busy port.

It is claimed they have been left with shoulder problems and repetitive strain injury after performing the checks for hours on end. Two workers have already been awarded £20,000.

Michelle Rhodes, of Simpson Millar solicitors, warned that the number of claims could run into hundreds. ‘With successive cuts in staffing levels by governments, the workload has increased greatly,’ she said.

‘Officers have been forced to work for hours on end doing repetitive tasks, leading to damage to their arms and shoulders. This problem has then been compounded by management.’

Some of the border staff who are taking legal action worked at other French ports but most were employed at Calais, the busiest.

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said: ‘Managers must address the issues rather than sweeping them under the carpet.’

The Home Office said it did not routinely comment on individual cases but added that it takes the welfare of staff ‘extremely seriously’.

The ruling is the latest example of the compensation culture sweeping the public sector. Last year the Mail revealed that police officers are pocketing more than £20million a year in injury claims.