Going green makes fishermen stop seeing red

I'm not entirely sure what the personal injury compensation claim implications surrounding fishermen being outwitted by a change of lighting arrangements for a hotel near Southend-on-Sea are, but it does make for a colourful story and one which could see a fishing-related work accident if the plucky seamen don't quickly learn a new navigation method for their night time sailing excursions.

The Camelia Hotel in Thorpe Bay, Essex had for many years sported red neon lights on its exterior and these had unwittingly become a major navigational tool for local fishermen as they sailed back to their moorings after night time fishing trips. However, in attempts to be a leaner, greener business the hotel owner gave the establishment's frontage a makeover and replaced the red lights with cheaper-to-run, more efficient, white LED lights.

But, the owner had no idea that the red lights, put up in 1989, were so bright they were visible from the Kent coastline and could be seen from distances of up to five miles away.

A local fisherman described how, when sailing back to shore in the pitch black everything in the area blended into one.

"But the hotel signs really stood out," he said.

"They looked like the devil, two eyes and a mouth, and they stuck out like a sore thumb. You could come straight towards it, and then the mooring would be just there."

No one has, as of yet, reported a work accident as a result of the new lighting sensation, but an alternative marker had to be found and the Halfway House pub has now become the beacon for this particular seaman after several trips without his more favoured guiding lights resulted in erroneous landings and frantic searching for his boat's mooring spot.

Luckily, the fisherman can see that needs must and things do change.

"Everyone misses the old red lights," he said.

"I have had a lot of lads say to me it's a bit of a job coming in now they have gone, but everyone knows the hotel has to move forward."

Should a seafarer have an accident as a result of the new lights on the shorefront it is unlikely they would be able to pursue a personal injury compensation claim unless they were employed by the owner of the boat and as a result of his misnavigation they were then involved in a boating accident. Still, I'm hoping this does not occur as the installation of the eco-friendly white lights can only be a greener illumination for the planet.



Can I claim?