Industry news
Company fined over electric shock
Posted Fri, 04 May 2012
A Cambridgeshire firm has been fined £3,500 after an employee was left unable to work for four months when he suffered an electric shock.
Tecvac pleaded guilty at Cambridge Magistrates' Court to having neglected sufficient working safety standards.
Derek Offord, 45, was conducting a machinery operation at the company's plant in Buckingway Business Park when he was shocked by electric volts from cables.
Mr Offord suffered gashes to parts of his arm and hands as well as burns to his left arm and knee. He remained in hospital for almost two weeks and was out of work for a further four months while his injuries healed.
An inquiry was held by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which took place on 28 July last year, and it was concluded that Tecvac failed to supply a necessary safe working environment and failed to maintain a safe electrical system.
Tecvac Limited, pleaded guilty to infringement of Regulation 4 (3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations and the company was charged £3,500 with costs of £5,380.
Copyright Press Association 2012