British Telecommunications have been fined £600,000 after two employees suffered serious injuries.
On 1 April 2010 both employees were injured in separate falls from ladders. It is believed that they were both thrown to the ground by electric shocks.
One employee was working on a stepladder carrying out the installation of a cable along a ceiling level cable tray. During the work he felt a pain in his right arm and fell to the ground. He was taken to hospital with injuries to his head and back.
BT failed to properly investigate the accident and later that day a second engineer continued the job. He also fell and was hospitalised with serious skull and back injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated both incidents and found that despite the risk posed from working at height close to an electrical system, the work had not been properly assessed or planned.
It was also discovered that the electrical lighting system which the employees were working on was poorly constructed and had not been properly maintained or tested. This meant that workers were exposed to live metal parts, some of which were at 240 volts. The HSE concluded it was likely that both employees had received electric shocks before their fall.
HSE inspector Laura Lyons commented: ''Work at height and working close to electrical systems needs to be properly assessed and planned so that adequate controls can be put in place. This duty rests firmly with the employer. These life changing incidents could have been avoided if BT had provided safe systems of work and ensured that the electrical systems were properly constructed, maintained and tested.''
BT pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £600,000 and ordered to pay costs of £60,000.
