Electrician killed in fall from stepladder

​A Bakery has been fined £1 million following the death of a self-employed electrical contractor working in their premises. The electrician was wiring a motor situated above a machine while standing on a stepladder.

​The Bakery had agreed that the work could be completed using a stepladder, which it had provided. The Electrical Contractor fell from the stepladder and suffered fatal injuries. An HSE investigation found that the Bakery had failed to properly plan the work from the beginning.

The HSE inspector stated that “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work related fatalities in Great Britain; the risks associated with working at height are well known.”

“Work at height regulations require that all work at height is properly planned and appropriate access is provided. If the company had carried this out, this death could have been prevented.”
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This accident also reiterates the responsibilities of clients when construction work is taking place in their premises. Clients must ensure that the contractors they select are competent and follow safe systems of work when working in their premises.