A garden nursery based in Norfolk is the third company to be charged with corporate manslaughter due to the death of an employee in July 2010.
The incident occurred at Belmont Nursery in Terrington St Clement, when Grzegorz Krystian Pieton, was towing a metal hydraulic-lift trailer. The trailer touched an overheard power line and caused Mr Pieton to receive a fatal electric shock. The nursery is run by PS & JE Ward Ltd, based in King’s Lynn.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident on the same day and immediately served the company with two prohibition notices to prevent further vehicles and metal pipework coming into contact with overhead power lines.
An improvement notice was also issued to the company to provide information, instruction and training for employees relating to transport and deliveries close to overhead power lines. The firm complied with all the notices.
Rene Barclay, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said, "I have carefully considered the evidence and have concluded that it is sufficient to charge PS & JE Ward Ltd with corporate manslaughter and with failing to discharge a duty imposed by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974."
The company has been summonsed to appear at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court on 23 November.
For more information, see:
INDG389 - Shock horror: Safe working near overhead power lines in agriculture.
