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Electric shock causes severe injuries to employee
An employer has been fined $92,400 and ordered to pay $60,000 in reparation after an employee was electrocuted at work. The equipment the employee was working on was supposed to have been isolated from the power and this was done. However, the employee had trouble isolating parts of the system and against instructions moved too close to the equipment on the live side of the isolation. The employee suffered serious burns on multiple areas of the body along with internal injuries to various organs requiring surgery and ongoing dialysis.
In this case the employer had failed to give adequate training to employees on when they should cease work and re-plan jobs if the original work plan proved inadequate. The employees also required further training on the minimum approach distance to live electrical equipment.
Alan Knowsley
Health & Safety Lawyer
Wellington
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