The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is demanding that companies follow safe working practices when using mechanical equipment.

The call follows HSE's prosecution of Trains (Rochdale) Limited after a worker received burns to his left hand and arm when he hit a live electrical cable.

The company was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,000 at Trafford Magistrates Court after being found guilty of breaching section 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.


On 8 August 2007 an employee of Trains (Rochdale) Ltd, was operating a mechanical breaker (which breaks up concrete), at Nuttall Street, Rochdale. He was attempting to install a post and rail fence around a car park owned by Trains (Rochdale) Limited, located on the site of a row of demolished terrace houses. While breaking up the concrete he struck a buried live electrical cable receiving burns to his left hand and arm.

HSE Investigating Inspector Rosemary Leese-Weller said: "This incident was easily avoidable. The employer had failed to provide plans of underground electrical cables and did not carry out scans of the area to locate any buried services.

"If the company had simply provided the plans, undertaken the scans and located the cable, digging in the area could have been avoided and this incident would never have occurred."

(CD/JM)