Potato producer fined following work accident burns

14:17:00 Wednesday 25th August 2010

A male employee from Northern Ireland has been seriously injured in a work accident which occurred on a Cambridgeshire farm.

The man, from County Antrim, was employed by Waldersley Farms Limited and was working on an irrigation pipe at Crouchmoor Farm in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, when the accident happened.

He was lifting the metal pipe when it accidentally struck a 33,000 volt power cable which was running overhead. When the two items came into contact, the man was dealt a massive electric shock and suffered severe burns, damage to his internal organs and had to have his big toe amputated.

Waldersley Farms Limited, who is a major producer of potatoes, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident.

HSE discovered that, despite the company being such a large-scale producer, with 11,000 acres of land, it offered insufficient training in safety to its employees and contractors.

An HSE inspector said, "The accident was totally preventable, had [the worker] been made aware of the dangers the overhead cables posed.

“All employers that they must provide adequate training to employees and ensure they are properly supervised,” added the inspector.

Waldersley Farms Limited were fined £10,000 with £2,223.38 costs at Ely Magistrates Court.

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