A construction and services contracting company was fined $65,000 and ordered to pay nearly $8000 in costs following an incident in which a street light came too close to high-voltage power lines.
The company was contracted to install two assembled streetlights. A crane was hoisting one of the streetlights into place, and the operator believed the power line was not in service. However the power line was live and the streetlight swung too close, causing a flashover.
The electricity travelled through the streetlight and the crane before entering the earth, causing one of the crane’s tyres to blow out. The incident caused damage to pipework. Fortunately there were no injuries, however there was a high potential for serious injury or death from electrocution or explosion.
The company had failed to perform an adequate pre-job onsite inspection, and they did not test the line before starting work or adhere to safe working distances. The company pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe workplace.
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch said:
“Working in the vicinity of power lines is extremely hazardous, and it is vital that every possible measure is taken to ensure the safety of the job, especially in ensuring that everyone on the site is fully briefed on the issues.”
For more information on this workplace safety news, visit: Department of Commerce - WA
Vocam Training Videos
Electrical Safety Essentials
Leadership : Being Proactive in Safety
Safety Awareness
E-learning Courses
Electrical Safety Essentials - E-Learning
Leadership: Being Proactive in Safety - E-Learning
Safety Awareness - E-Learning
Available as part of TrainNOW.
For more information, contact us or
visit our website.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment