Two construction firms have been fined after a worker received an electric shock while carrying out cable laying work at a solar farm in Devon.

Principal Contractor British Solar Renewables Limited of Higher Hill Farm, Butleigh Hill, Butleigh, Glastonbury, Somerset, was charged with breaching Regulation 34(2) of the CDM Regulations 2007.

It was fined £250,000 with over £72,400 in costs.

Subcontractor Pascon Limited, of Unit 1 Hayhead Farm, Longwood Lane, Walsall, West Midlands admitted to a breach of Regulation 13(2) of the CDM 2007.

It received a £35,000 fine as well as £25,000 in costs.

Exeter Crown Court heard that Ashley Coe, an agency worker, was working for Pascon Limited on the British Solar Renewables (BSR) site at Knockworthy Farm in Great Torrington.

He was part of a group of workers laying cables in a trench when the incident happened on the 13 March 2013.


An excavator, which Mr Coe was helping to control, struck a 33kV overhead power line as the machine tracked underneath it.

As a result of the shock, Mr Coe suffered life changing brain injuries and had to be resuscitated by paramedics.

He now suffers from short term memory loss, he has some mobility issues and now no longer feels pain.

In addition, his speech has been affected and he has lost much of his independence. It is understood he is unlikely to ever work again.

Two other workers also received shocks but escaped serious injury.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the subcontractor Pascon Limited had failed to assess the risks of working under the overhead power lines, and subsequently had not appropriately planned, managed and monitored the work in order that it could be carried out safely.

This led to them using an unsafe method of installing the cables in the trench.

HSE Inspector James Lucas said: "This incident was entirely preventable and arose from clear failures to plan, manage and monitor the work and to ensure that the construction site was set up with appropriate measures to control the risks of working under overhead power lines.

"Luckily Mr Coe was resuscitated, but he now suffers from life changing complications due the electric shock he received. He was extremely close to losing his life and this is down to the failure of both construction companies involved in the work."

(LM/MH)