Britton Housemovers Ltd

Energy

18 December 2013

The Defendant company is a business that relocates buildings all over the North Island. The director, Arthur Ernest Britton and several employees were transporting a house when it came to a low voltage power line that spanned the road. The power line snapped off and fell onto the roof of the house. The director sent an employee to move the power line with a wooden stick into a roadside drain. No safety protection gear was provided or worn. The transport convoy continued and some local farmers were moving stock via the road and saw the convoy pass.

Neither the defendant nor its employees alerted the farmers about the downed power line. This resulted in multiple sheep and dogs being electrocuted and killed when they passed the downed line. Also around this time, a school bus carrying children were being dropped off further up the road. The farmers chased after the transport convoy and notified them of what had happened but even after this, the convoy failed to call the appropriate authorities.

Arthur Ernest Britton

Ss 6 and 15 Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

S20 Electricity Act 1992 and Reg 16 Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010

Hastings - District Court

Guilty

Convicted

$60,000 apportioned evenly across the 4 charges

$500,000 for Health and Safety in Employment Act charge. $50,000 for each Electrical (Safety) Regulations offence. Imprisonment of up to 2 years and $500,000 for Electricity Act offence

Not applicable