Worker Suffers Electric Shock Fitting Play Area Fence
A worker suffered an electric shock whilst securing a fence in a child’s play area.
The unnamed man was an employee for Swindon Commercial Services, which is a subsidiary of Swindon Borough Council. The worker had carried out work for Swindon Commercial Services for a number of years before the accident occurred in April 2010.
The incident happened when he was tasked with putting up a temporary fencing at the Shaw Ridge Play Park in Swindon. To do this, he was hitting metal pins into the ground. One of the pins however hit an electricity cable that was underground, causing him to suffer burn injuries. His hands and his chest were both burnt by the electric shock he received.
Swindon Commercial Services were in front of Swindon Magistrates’ Court this week charged with breaking construction regulations in regards to the accident. The HSE discovered that they had not undertaken a risk assessment for the work, or looked at plans marking underground utility services. They also failed to provide tools to detect underground cables.
Swindon Commercial Services pleaded guilty and were fined £12,000.
