A company has been prosecuted after a sub-contractor was electrocuted when he cut through a live cable during work to remove industrial equipment in Wallsend, North Tyneside.

Green North East Trading Bidco Limited (in administration) of Cowpen Bewley, Billingham, Cleveland, were found guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It has been fined £900,000 with £5,390 in costs.

South Tyneside Magistrates' Court heard how the sub-contractor was working to remove an item of industrial equipment at the site in Davy Bank on 20 March 2016.

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As he believed the equipment to be electrically isolated, he cut through an electricity supply cable. However, the cable was live and the contractor suffered an electric shock which resulted in hospital treatment.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Green North East Trading Bidco, which traded as Impetus Waste Management, had failed to adequately plan and manage the work carried out by its contractors who were removing equipment. After the incident, it was found that there were several pieces of equipment that had not been electrically isolated.

HSE Inspector Shuna Rank said "This incident could so easily have been avoided if the work had been properly planned, the risks identified and steps taken to ensure that all equipment was electrically safe before the contractors started work at the site.

"Fortunately, in this case, the injured person has made a full recovery, however the outcome could have been fatal."

(LM)