HSE ISSUES ELECTRICAL SAFETY WARNING AFTER
FIRM FINED OVER BURNS INCIDENT

HSE press release E025:03 - 17 February 2003

KYE Ltd, of Lowestoft, were fined £3,000 at Lowestoft Magistrates Court on Thursday 13 February 2003 following an accident in which their site electrician sustained serious thermal burns.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 following the accident on 15 April 2002. William Dawes, aged 63, of Lowestoft, sustained burns to his face and right arm when testing a welding set. A cable within a switch fuse failed when the electrician attempted to energise the circuit, resulting in a short circuit and electrical flashover. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector who investigated found that the company did not have in place a preventative maintenance procedure for the fixed installation, despite the potential for failure of components due to deterioration.

The inspector also discovered other electrical problems, including a lack of local isolation on the socket outlet, and a very poor quality test instrument which could have led to Mr Dawes suffering a fatal electric shock.

HSE inspector Matthew Clay said:

"Electricity is present in almost every workplace and has the potential to cause death or serious injury. There are well-established measures to reduce risk, and HSE and others provide a wealth of information to help employers implement them."

"This case highlights the importance of carrying out preventative maintenance. Had an "inspect and test" been carried out by a competent electrical contractor the deterioration could have been identified, and the injury prevented. It is also very important that employers assess the suitability of their electrical test equipment."

"I would encourage employers to take a fresh look at their workplaces and existing electrical procedures to see if they can make them safer."

KYE Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 4(2) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 in that electrical systems under the company's control were not maintained to prevent danger, and of Regulation 7 in that electrical systems under the company's control were not suitably covered with insulating material. The company was ordered to pay full costs of £1,223.98

Guidance on electrical safety is available on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/elecindx.htm

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 4(2) of the Electricity at Work Regulations states: "As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger"

2. Regulation 7 of the Electricity at Work Regulations states: "All conductors in a system which may give rise to danger shall either-

(a) be suitably covered with insulating material and as necessary protected so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger; or

(b) have such precautions taken in respect of them (including, where appropriate, their being suitably placed) as will prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger.

Press enquiries

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the HSE Press Office