Craze v Meyer-Dumore Bottlers’ Equipment Co Ltd    Factories and Shops – Dangerous machinery – Breach of statutory duty – Liability of
employer in negligence – Defence of contributory negligence.
The defendants installed in their factory a circular saw, which in breach of a statutory duty
was improperly fenced. A workman was injured while testing the machinery of the saw in a
manner which was held to be the direct cause of the accident. In an action for damages for
personal injuries, it was argued on behalf of the workman that, in order to prevent him from
obtaining compensation based upon a breach of a statutory duty, there must be contributory
negligence on the part of the workman limited to acts done in breach of some order or done
outside the ambit of his employment:—