A restricted licence operator has been fined after a worker was fatally electrocuted whilst operating a Vehicle Mounted Hydraulic Lorry Loader (HIAB).
Back in May 2016, the employee was killed when the crane they were operating struck an overhead powerline whilst attempting to unload materials in a field.
Having conducted an investigation, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that no risk assessment had been carried out in the field where the incident occurred and no control measures were put in place to prevent contact with overhead powerlines.
The operator was fined £160,000 and ordered to pay costs of £45,000 after pleading guilty to breaching sections of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and a LOLER regulation relating to the organisation of lifting operations.
HSE Inspector Damian Corbett said: “This death was easily preventable, and the risk should have been identified. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from striking overhead powerlines. This death would have been preventable had an effective system for managing unloading materials been in place.”
