Connop and Son Limited and two workers have been sentenced after an employee suffered an electric shock whilst working on a farm
On 30 September 2019, an employee of Connop and Son Limited received an 11,000-volt electric shock, causing him to lose consciousness when working on Worton Grounds Farm, Deddington, Banbury, Oxon.
His colleagues had to perform CPR to resuscitate him at the scene.
The worker was pouring concrete when the floating arm of a mobile concrete pump came into contact with an overhead powerline.
He was taken to Oxford Hospital where he was in a coma for six days and hospitalised for 10 days.
Connop & Son Limited fell below the required standards of safety
An investigation by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Connop & Son Limited did not meet the requirements of regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 having failed to implement control measures documented within its risk assessment.
On 28 October 2022, at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, Connop and Son Limited, of Folly Farm, Eardisland, Leominster pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. The company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5425 plus a victim surcharge of £181.
Two workers pleaded guilty and were fined
The HSE investigation also found that sole trader Alexander Maddan, of Deddington, Banbury, Oxon, failed to plan, manage and monitor the construction phase and failed to ensure reasonably practicable control measures were in place.
Alexander Maddan pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 13 (1) of Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015. Mr Maddan was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £525 plus a victim surcharge of £181.
Concrete pump operator Shaun Walker, of Swinford Leys, Wombourne, Wolverhampton, was also found to have failed to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and others.
Mr Walker pleaded guilty to breaching section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. He was handed a 12-month community order with a requirement to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £2,000 plus a victim surcharge of £90.
HSE inspector Steve Hull commented: “Connop and Son Limited, Alexander Maddan and Shaun Walker could have ensured that the mobile concrete pump lorry was positioned outside an exclusion zone to prevent contact with the overhead powerline.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
