HSE calls for work safety
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is calling for employers to ensure they take adequate safety measures to make sure staff are safe at work after a local authority was prosecuted when an employee suffered from an electric shock in work accident.
The Street Care Department for the London Borough of Havering was fined when a council worker was struck by an 11,000 volt cable that had been buried in the pavement in 2007.
The worker, who was untrained at the time of the incident, had been fitting a bench on a road using a hydraulic breaker to dig the holes. However, the device struck the 11,000 volt cable causing the worker to suffer severe burns and electric shock.
The East London borough admitted liability for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and received a £10,000 fine with an additional £9,810.
The HSE is now urging employers to carry out suitable safety measures to ensure staff are kept safe during work.
Commenting on the accident, John Crookes, HSE Inspector, said, “This incident could have been fatal. London Borough of Havering failed to provide a safe system of work as a result of which a temporary council worker was injured.”
Updated on 05/06/2009