The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning construction firms of the need to plan work around underground services carefully after a worker received a serious electric shock when he came in contact with live cabling.

The warning follows HSE's prosecution in Beverley Crown Court today of Hogarth (Construction) Ltd of South Cave, East Yorkshire. The company were fined a total of £4,000 plus £1,616 costs for failing to ensure the safety of one of their employees, Mark Dougherty, who suffered burns to his hand and face after making contact with a live underground 400v cable whilst working on a construction site at North Ferriby, East Yorkshire.

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Hogarth (Construction) Ltd pleaded guilty to charges under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 relating to the company's failure to make an adequate assessment of the risks posed to workers on the site due to the presence of live underground cables, and under Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 for its failure to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of persons working in close proximity to live underground cables.

The company was aware that live underground cables were present on site but had not instructed the workforce. On 7 September 2006, while clearing an area, Mr Dougherty picked up what he thought was a piece of rubbish that was actually a termination box on a live three phase 400 volt cable. This had been uncovered during work on the site, and subsequently damaged by construction traffic so as to expose live wiring. As he touched the box Mr Dougherty received a shock that burned his hand and face.

(JM)