Council fined after power line collisions endangered lives

Council employees, agency workers and passers-by narrowly avoided electrocution or injury on two separate occasions when vehicles collecting recycled material struck overhead power lines, a court heard today.

On both occasions workers for Powys County Council were using kerb side collection vehicles that tip in order to empty material into the body of the lorries. The incidents occurred when the vehicles struck low voltage lines during tipping and sent them crashing to the ground.

Brecon Magistrates' Court heard today (12 September) that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated both incidents on 3 June 2010 and 25 October 2010 at Lluest and Tudor Street in Ystradgynlais and identified issues with the method of work.

Powys County Council, based in Llandridod Wells, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety Act 1974, and was fined a total of £9,300 and ordered to pay £15,990 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Helen Jones, said:

"Powys County Council failed to take all reasonably practicable measures to avoid the vehicles coming into contact with overhead lines, which could have had tragic consequences.

"Lessons should have been learned after the first incident, but they clearly weren't and it is disappointing that it took a further near-miss for appropriate action to be taken.

"Following the second incident the council stopped using the vehicles in question and introduced a different system for collecting recycled material from the kerbside."

Powys County Council pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £3,300. The authority also pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the same act and was fined a further £6,000.

Further information on working safely around overhead power lines can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/overhead.htm

The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.ukSection 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: 'It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.'Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety."

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