CCTV shows pregnant barmaid fall 8ft through trapdoor

Bamboogy

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CCTV footage shows the horrific moment a pregnant barmaid fell 8ft through an open trap door at an Oldham town centre nightclub and was knocked unconscious.

Bamboogy, on Yorkshire Street, has been hit with a £14,000 fine after Oldham Council - which had previously issued warnings about the trap door behind the bar - prosecuted the owners.

The 23-year-old, who was around seven weeks pregnant when she was working behind the main bar of Bamboogy on February 8, last year, took a step back and tumbled through the open trap door, down the stairs and into the cellar.

She hit her head hard during the fall, knocking her unconscious and when she came round she was convinced she had lost her baby.

The member of staff involved, who does not wish to be named, has spoken exclusively to the Evening Chronicle about her ordeal.

She said: "I was serving a girl when I took a step back to get the card machine, I remember slipping but the next thing I knew I was at the bottom of the stairs. I remember rolling out of the way so the customers couldn't see me.

"I must have been knocked out for only a few seconds. The first thing going through my head was that I had lost my baby. I was terrified.

"I was in a lot of pain but all I could think about was my baby."

She told the Chronicle that there was a system in place behind the bar whereby if a member of staff opened the trap door they would tell the others by tapping them on the back.

However, the Chronicle understands that in this instance that was not the case.

The bar woman's manager rushed her to the Royal Oldham Hospital where she was treated for bruising but they were unable to tell her if she would lose her baby or not.

A week from hell followed.

She said: "I did not have a CT scan. I was told at the hospital that the baby could be fine now but within a week I could lose it.

"All I could do then was wait for my check up the next week. It was horrible, I couldn't work. I was off sick from my full-time weekday job because I was in so much pain from the fall so I was just sat at home worrying.

"I couldn't relax, I was on edge constantly. If I felt something, I was constantly thinking I had lost the baby."

She is now doing well and gave birth to a healthy girl at the end of last year.

However, she was unhappy with the treatment she recieved from her former employer as she was not offered sick pay for the shifts she had to miss due to her injuries.

She says one side of her body was completely covered in bruising and left her in agony.

She added: "I couldn't work due to the pain. I was paid for the rest of the night but I did not recieve any sick pay. I was on a zero hours contract.

"I worked there two years, I thought they weren't just colleagues, I thought they were my friends. It left me very disappointed.

"I worked full-time at a supermarket and they gave me sick pay."

She soon resigned from her job at Bamboogy.

Goodfella's Leisure Ltd, trading as Bamboogy, pleaded guilty at Oldham Magistrates Court on February 24, this year to one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act and two offences under the Management Regulations.

The firm was fined £14,000 with £150 victim surcharge and costs of £3,100.

The court was shown CCTV footage of the accident with several members of staff walking around the open hatch.

The incident was investigated by Oldham Council's Environmental Health officers.

The young lady involved in the incident added: "I'm really happy with the size of the fine to be honest. Hopefully now they see that they were doing something wrong."

Since the incident, officers have made health and safety recommendations, which the company has complied with.

Councillor Barbara Brownridge, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and co-operatives, said: "This was an extremely serious incident which could have had far more tragic consequences for the lady and her baby.

"From the CCTV footage you can clearly see this was unsafe for members of staff to be working around.

"It was unacceptable and an accident waiting to happen. That's why we did not hesitate to take legal action against the nightclub owners.

"This accident could have been easily prevented if proper protective measures had been put in place and I'd urge businesses, if they don't already, to check that they have correct health and safety policies and procedures in place or visit our website for further advice and support.

"It's also important that employees feel safe in the workplace and if they don't they should report their concerns.

"I'm relieved to hear that mum is doing well and delighted she later gave birth to a healthy girl."