![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](https://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
UNDERGROUND CABLE STRIKE CAUSES 50% BURNS
Workman seriously injured using hand-held breaker to excavate post holes
A groundworks contractor has been prosecuted after a hand-held breaker struck an underground electricity cable resulting in multiple serious burn injuries to the user in October 2018.
Folkestone Magistrates heard that workmen were using the electric ground breaker to excavate fence post holes for a car park perimeter fence at a Cummins Power Generation site in Ramsgate, Kent.
During this work the hand-held tool struck an 11kv electricity cable causing a large flash and engulfing the workman in flames. He sustained serious burns to his face, chest, abdomen, groin, both arms and both legs, amounting to approximately 50% total body surface area burns.
Plans absent and cable locator not used
HSE investigators found that the company failed to obtain and refer to the underground services plans prior to breaking the ground so as to determine the location of any cables within the planned working area.
The company failed to provide and use cable identification equipment to further locate any cables within that area.
- G&R Groundworks (South East) Ltd – of St Lawrence Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 25 (4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and was fined £32,400 and ordered to pay costs of £2,657.18.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Ross Carter said
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.
If a suitable safe system of work was followed prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the operative would have been prevented.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NEWS – END OF NEW CONTENT
The addition of content on this website ceased on 17th April 2020.
Material posted before this date can be found by clicking on our SEARCH NEWS DATABASE function.
HSE WARN OF NEED FOR RPE FACE FIT TEST AND CHECK
Incorrectly fitted RPE will not protect the wearer from dangers to health
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 16th April 2020CORONA VIRUS: LATEST SITE OPERATING PROCEDURES
Industry Bodies publish risk management guidance Version 3
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 15th April 2020TOWER CRANE OUT OF SERVICE SAFETY ALERT
Important advice from Construction Plant-hire Association and HSE
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020FRAGILE ROOF REPLACEMENT PUT WORKERS IN DANGER
Measures to prevent falling from or through the roof were missing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020WORKMAN FELL FROM EDGE OF MEZZANINE FLOOR
Edge protection was absent and workman untrained for the task
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020HSE PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES 2020/21
Appointed CDM 2015 Principal Designers remain focus of HSE inspections
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020COVID-19 ADVICE & GUIDANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
BuildUK support industry with advice, guidance and information
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020LATEST HSE CONVICTIONS AND NOTICES REGISTERS
View current online HSE registers of prosecution convictions and notices
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020POORLY DESIGNED SCHOOL GATE CRUSHED CHILD
Sliding gate over-run mechanism proved insufficiently robust
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 9th March 2020POWER GENERATOR PROSECUTED OVER UNSAFE SYSTEM
Maintenance workers seriously injured when energy suddenly released
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 2nd March 2020CEILING BELOW SAVES WORKMAN IN ROOFLIGHT FALL
Roofworker fell through roof after stepping on fragile rooflight
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 2nd March 2020INEXPERIENCED WORKER FELL THROUGH OPENING
No physical protection or warning of opening and fragile covering
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th February 2020CDM PRINCIPAL DESIGNER IN COURT OVER FIRE RISK
Designers and contractor prosecuted for risk management failings
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th February 2020PRISON SENTENCE FOR RECALCITRANT DIRECTOR
Prohibition and improvement notices ignored and danger persisted
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020TEMPORARY WORKS HOARDING FELL ON PEDESTRIAN
Member of the public struck when site fence collapsed suddenly
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020CHILD FATALLY INJURED BY UNSECURED POLE
Pole stored on embankment moved and trapped boy against fencing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020OWNER RESPONSE TO HSE INSPECTION ENDED IN COURT
Police uphold HSE right to inspect without threats, aggression or abuse
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020HSE TARGETING WELDING FUME CANCER RISK
Inspections to enforce improved controls required by new risk evidence
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020CONTRACTOR FAILED TO REPLACE MISSING PROTECTION
Painter and decorator fractured hip in fall from landing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020RISK OF DERMATITIS SUFFICIENT FOR PROSECUTION
Company failed to implement controls and surveillance required by COSHH
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020COSHH FAILINGS CAUSE ASTHMA AND PROVE COSTLY
Uncontrolled exposure to isocyanates during paint spraying operations
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020POLICE EMPLOYEE SHOCKED BY DATA CABLE WORK
South Wales Force fined over electric shock from ceiling void cable
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020COLLAPSE OF PUMP SET TRAPPED WORKMAN
Unsafe system of work transferring from pallet to a raised platform
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020MODIFIED PODIUM STEPS CAUSE FALL FROM HEIGHT
Firm failed to select and correctly assemble with necessary training
Posted on 14th February 2020
