Court Summary - at a glance
Date of offence:
31 October 2017
Plea:
Guilty
Decision:
Convicted
Final decision date:
Fine imposed:
$150,000
Safety lessons learned:
- Identify the site specific risk related to the switchboard upgrade project at Myers Reserve
- Complete an assessment of the risks related to working near energised conductors and implemented appropriate controls
- Provide, maintain, implement and monitor a safe system of work
- Ensure the switchboard was isolated/de-energised prior to the work commencing
- Ensure a safe work procedure included a requirement to use insulating matting to cover any live components if not reasonably practicable to de-energise.
Defendant name:
Wallace Murray Electrical Limited
Industry:
Energy
Date of offence:
31 October 2017
Facts in brief:
The Defendant had a contract to maintain the Invercargill City Council Three Waters Project. This included all electrical and engineering services for the projects installations. One particular job was to install a new switchboard in a pumping station.
The electricity was turned off at the main switch but electricity was not isolated to the incoming side of the main switch. The only way to do this was by isolate the electrical supply to the transformer outside of the building. This required high voltage fuses to be opened on the power pole.
The victim was a very experienced and trusted employee, and had a less experienced co-worker with him on the day. The victim was drilling into bus bars and an arc flash occurred. This was most likely caused by copper swarf contacting the main switch.
The victim sustained first degree burns to his face, including singeing of his beared, eyelashes and eyebrows, and second degree burns to his hands and fingers. The co-worker was unharmed.
The electricity was turned off at the main switch but electricity was not isolated to the incoming side of the main switch. The only way to do this was by isolate the electrical supply to the transformer outside of the building. This required high voltage fuses to be opened on the power pole.
The victim was a very experienced and trusted employee, and had a less experienced co-worker with him on the day. The victim was drilling into bus bars and an arc flash occurred. This was most likely caused by copper swarf contacting the main switch.
The victim sustained first degree burns to his face, including singeing of his beared, eyelashes and eyebrows, and second degree burns to his hands and fingers. The co-worker was unharmed.
Offence section:
Sections 48(1) and (2)(c), and 36(2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Date(s) charged:
Court:
Invercargill - District Court
Plea:
Guilty
Final decision date:
Decision:
Convicted
Fine imposed:
$150,000
Maximum fine available:
$1.5 million
Reparation:
$8,000 already paid prior to sentencing
Related Documents:
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