Company and Director fined for unsafe work near power lines
Issue Date: - Tuesday, 18 December 2007
A company engaged in water supply services and a Director of that company have been fined a total of $7500 for unsafe work near power lines after a worker was hospitalised with electrical burns.
K.S. Black Pty Ltd was fined $5000 and Director Kim Scott Black was fined $2500 in the Midland Magistrates Court last week after they pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that employees or equipment did not enter the danger zone of an overhead power line.
In October 2006, Mr Black and an employee of K.S. Black Pty Ltd were carrying out work under contract at an olive grove in Mogumber, north of Perth. They were removing, repairing and re-installing a damaged pump and riser in a bore with the aid of a crane.
The bore was located near 33kV power lines belonging to Western Power, and K.S. Black Pty Ltd was responsible for ensuring that employees and plant did not enter within the danger zone of three metres from the power lines.
The two men removed the pump and riser without incident and brought them back to Perth to be repaired, and later two employees (not including Mr Black) traveled to Mogumber to re-install the pump and riser.
No steps were taken at any stage to isolate or insulate the power lines, and in the course of re-installation of the pump and riser, the crane’s hoisting rope came into contact with the high-voltage overhead power lines.
The contact resulted in one of the employees receiving electrical burns requiring hospitalisation.
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said today that the court case should serve as a reminder that WA’s workplace safety laws contain specific laws relating to working in the vicinity of power lines.
“The regulations specify danger zones that must be avoided when working near power lines, and there are very good reasons for complying with these laws,” Ms Lyhne said.
“The sad fact is that 15 workers have died in WA since 1988 in incidents that involved either workers or plant coming into contact with overhead power lines, and many more have been seriously injured.
“In this case it was obvious that the work was to be done in close proximity to the high-voltage power lines, and neither Mr Black nor the company took any preventative steps such as contacting Western Power to arrange for the isolation or insulation of the lines.
“It goes without saying that electricity is a very serious hazard, and the employee involved in this incident was very fortunate to have survived such an event.
“The job was completed a week later following arrangements made with Western Power to have the power at the site isolated.
“This could have been done at the beginning of the job without too much inconvenience and at a modest cost, sparing this employee considerable suffering.
“I encourage anyone who may be arranging or performing work in the vicinity of power lines to ensure that arrangements are made to either stay outside danger zones or to have the power lines isolated or insulated.”
Further information on working in the vicinity of power lines can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe on 9328 8777 or on the website at www.worksafe.wa.gov.au.