Fine after farm worker suffers severe electrical burns

Date:

23 November 2010

Release No:

HSE-E-44

A farm worker sustained severe injuries after getting an electric shock while working for one of the largest potato growers in the UK.

David McMullan was working with irrigation equipment at Crouchmoor Farm in Littleport, Cambridgeshire in October 2009. As he lifted one of the irrigation pipes it made contact with the 33,000 volt overhead power line.

The resulting electric shock meant Mr McMullan, 20, from Armoy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, suffered internal injuries and severe burns which led to his big toe being amputated. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted his employers Waldersley Farms Limited, after an investigation.

Ely Magistrates Court heard Waldersley Farms has working premises covering 11,000 acres across Norfolk and Cambridgeshire but the HSE probe found a lack of training and information given to employees and contractors. There had also been no assessment on how to carry out the work safely.

The farming firm based at Lynn Road, Southery, Downham Market, admitted breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.and was fined £10,000 with £2,223.38 costs.

HSE inspector, Stephen Faulkner, said:

"This was a horrible incident which was entirely preventable had his employers made Mr McMullan aware of the overhead power lines and the risk they posed to the working environment.

"Mr McMullan is lucky to be alive. However, that doesn't deflect from the severity of the injuries he suffered and the nine weeks he spent in hospital.

"Between ten and fifteen people are killed each year by inadvertent contact with overhead power lines, and on average two of these work in agriculture. Employers must ensure that appropriate training and supervision is provided to employees and contractors and a sufficient risk assessment must also be carried out."

Notes to editors

1. Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
2. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement.

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