'Unacceptable management failure' led to rail worker's injuries

摘要

Balfour beatty rail Projects Ltd has been fined £350,000 and ordered to pay costs of £50,000 after a rail worker suffered serious burns when he came into contact with high voltage overhead power lines. Harrow Crown Court heard how on 27 March 2011, rail workers subcontracted by Balfour Beatty as part of the Thameslink project were installing high voltage cable next to overhead lines near Crick-lewood, London. They were working at height on cherry-pickers, moving along the track and installing the cable alongside an existing overhead wire. However, one of the high voltage overhead lines which crossed the site had not been isolated. Those working on the site were unaware of this and the risk to their safety. As a worker checked the distance between the newly installed cable and overhead wire, he made contact with the live wire, carrying 25,000 volts, and suffered 45% burns which required extensive skin graft surgery.