Broken chair caused slipped disk

Kay Fagg, a member of UNISON public services’ union, nearly died while undergoing a back operation after Southend Borough Council failed to replace her chair when it broke in 2003. She slipped a disk and now has long-term back pain and has been forced to retire.

Fagg was working as a sheltered housing officer when the chair’s wheels stopped working, so it could no longer be moved easily. Despite complaining to her employer, she was never given a replacement. It wasn’t until she returned to work after the operation that she was finally given correct seating.