Trailer touched overhead live power line
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A BEDFORDSHIRE agricultural haulier has been fined £1,500 for failing to complete legally required documentation in relation to safe working near overhead power cables.
In a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution, Bedford Magistrates’ Court was told that in June 2010 an employee of Davison & Co (Barford), the owners of College Farm in Great Barford, was tipping compost from a lorry trailer into a field when the trailer came into contact with an overhead live 33kV power line.
No-one was injured, but a subsequent HSE investigation found that the company had neglected to complete essential, legal documentation relating to the line.
This is required to inform both employees and regulators of the existence of the hazard so that appropriate steps and controls can be put in place to keep workers safe.
Davison & Co (Barford) admitted breaching Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 in relation to the offence, and was ordered to pay £500 in costs.
The company was found not guilty of breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 in connection to the tipper lorry incident.
Legal requirement
It is an employer’s duty to complete all legally required documentation to ensure that the necessary steps to protect workers from risk are communicated formally to all relevant parties, including the workers.