Farm worker suffered severe burns after horror accident
A FARM worker spent nine weeks in hospital with severe burns after getting an electric shock while working for a potato grower in Littleport.
A FARM worker spent nine weeks in hospital with severe burns after getting an electric shock while working for a potato grower in Littleport.
David McMullan was working with irrigation equipment at Crouchmoor Farm in the village in October 2009 when he lifted one of the irrigation pipes and made contact with a 33,000 volt overhead power line.
The resulting electric shock meant Mr McMullan, 20, from County Antrim in Northern Ireland, suffered internal injuries and severe burns which led to his big toe being amputated. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted his employers Waldersley Farms Limited, after an investigation.
Ely Magistrates Court heard Waldersley Farms has working premises covering 11,000 acres across Norfolk and Cambridgeshire but the HSE probe found a lack of training and information given to employees and contractors. There had also been no assessment on how to carry out the work safely.
You may also want to watch:
The farming firm based at Lynn Road, Southery, Downham Market, admitted breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and was fined �10,000 with �2,223.38 costs.
HSE inspector, Stephen Faulkner, said: “This was a horrible incident which was entirely preventable had his employers made Mr McMullan aware of the overhead power lines and the risk they posed to the working environment.
Most Read
- 1 NHS worker breaks ribs, ankle and fractures leg in four car pile-up
- 2 Potamogeton Trichoides has the last word on £6.5m Mepal crematorium
- 3 Theatre group stream panto online for those who missed it due to lockdown
- 4 Gin could be just the tonic needed for dilapidated farm buildings
- 5 Spat at police officer tests positive for Covid-19
- 6 Vaccine roll-out begins, 12 hours a day, seven days a week
- 7 Artist impressions of how Mepal will be transformed into a £6.5m crematorium
- 8 Company ‘paralysed by Brexit’ forced to open warehouse in Holland
- 9 Cambs city voted ‘most likely to survive zombie apocalypse’
- 10 Dad of two killed on Fen road
“Mr McMullan is lucky to be alive. However, that doesn’t deflect from the severity of the injuries he suffered and the nine weeks he spent in hospital.
“Between 10 and 15 people are killed each year by inadvertent contact with overhead power lines, and on average two of these work in agriculture. Employers must ensure that appropriate training and supervision is provided to employees and contractors and a sufficient risk assessment must also be carried out.”
