Employer Liability for Workplace Accidents: Obligation of Means vs. Result

A worker, injured due to the failure of safety equipment provided by the employer, sued for damages, arguing the employer breached their obligation to ensure safety. The Court of Cassation quashed the lower court's decision, reasoning that while the employer has a general obligation to ensure the safety of their employees, this obligation is one of *means* (diligence) and not one of *result*, meaning liability requires proof that the employer failed to take all necessary precautions, and the mere fact of the accident, caused by defective equipment, did not automatically establish fault if the employer demonstrated they had implemented the required safety measures.