28/02/10

Reports of an extremely dangerous situation being narrowly avoided were published last week when the driver of a tipper truck on a road surfacing project escaped with minor burns following a 66,000 volt shock passing through his vehicle. The driver's burns, received through contact with the steering wheel, were the result of the vehicle's flat bed coming into contact with overhead power lines whilst in an elevated position.

Saxby Surfacing Contractors Ltd had been sub-contracted to the construction project to build a private road at First Point Business Park in Doncaster. Sheffield-based contractor JF Finnegan was the principal contractor.

SHPOnline reports that when the vehicle came to the end of the road, the driver disengaged the surfacing machine, and drove away while lowering the flat bed. As the vehicle moved forward, the flat bed touched an overhead power cable and received a 66,000 volt charge. The electrical shock destroyed the vehicle's hydraulics, and jolted the flat bed down into its rest position. The driver received minor burns to his hands from the steering wheel.

Doncaster Magistrates' Court fined JF Finnegan £17,500 on 19 February following a guilty plea under section 3 of the HSWA 1974. They were also ordered to pay £2126 in costs. Saxby Surfacing Contractors pleaded guilty and was fined $5000 under regulation 34 of the CDM Regulations 2007, for failing to put safety measures in place to prevent access to electricity.

HSE inspector Stephen Hargreaves said: "In this instance, had the driver of the tipper wagon left the vehicle when contact was made with the power line, it would almost certainly have proved fatal. Luckily, he remained in the vehicle and he escaped without injury. It wasn't only the driver who had been put at risk - anyone else standing in close proximity could also have been killed, or seriously injured. Had there been appropriate signage in place, as well as height-restricting goal posts, this incident could easily have been avoided."