Jail Term Given for UK Electrical Injury
An HSE investigation found the electrical installation at the unit in Carew Airfield operated by George W.E. Jones as part of his scrap metal business was unsafe and was more suited to home than a commercial business.
A business owner has been sentenced to 18 weeks in prison after a worker received serious injuries from an electric shock, England's Health and Safety Executive announced June 7.
Swansea Crown Court heard that, on March 12, 2014, an employee, under instruction from George W.E. Jones, sustained serious injuries when he plugged a tire stripping machine into a wall socket. The incident, which took place at Carew Cars, Carew Airfield, Pembrokeshire, could easily have led to a fatality. An investigation by HSE found the electrical installation at the unit in Carew Airfield operated by Jones as part of his scrap metal business was unsafe and was more suited to a home than a commercial business; the socket in use was in poor condition with exposed wires, the roof of the building had holes in it, and there was evidence of water ingress on the wall behind the socket, which contributed to the incident.
Jones pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison to run concurrently with his existing sentence.
"This case highlights the importance of regular proactive maintenance and inspection of work equipment, including electrical installations, to ensure that they do not deteriorate to the extent that it puts people at risk," said HSE Inspector Anne Marie Orrells. "In this case, George Jones failed to effectively maintain equipment, and it could have resulted in a fatal injury."