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Electrical contractor responsible for groundworker cable contact

Electrical contractor South Eastern Electrical Plc (SEE), based in Hainault, has been ordered to pay £70k in fines and prosecution costs following an incident at a supermarket in Southend when a subcontract groundworker suffered an electric shock. The injured man came into contact with a live cable during replacement of car park lighting columns.

HSE Inspector Dominic Elliss said: ”The risks of working with electricity are well known and this incident could easily have been avoided. Effective identification and isolation of the electrical supply, together with clear instruction and supervision from the very beginning and throughout such work, are essential in preventing such incidents from occurring. By failing to implement simple and well documented controls over such work, electrical contractors place not only themselves, but others who may come into contact with their work, at risk of very serious injury.”

This article was posted on 9th March 2009 in ALL LATEST NEWS, PROSECUTIONS, electricity.
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