Cleaner electrocuted whilst operating a steam cleaner
A cleaner suffered severe injuries after being electrocuted operating a steam cleaner at Conquest Hospital in St Leonards-On-Sea - 22nd September 2008
East Sussex Hospitals
NHS Trust has been prosecuted following an incident
in which a cleaner was badly
injured at work.
The workplace
accident happened while the cleaner was
operating a steam cleaner and suffered an electric
shock. The hospital had failed in its
health and safety
duties by not providing a Residual Current Device (RCD)
for use with the steam cleaner as per its operating
instructions, which would have reduced the severity
of his injuries by cutting the electricity
immediately.
The cleaner required surgery following the
accident at
work and still suffers severe headaches,
numbness in his face, his eyesight is deteriorating
and he is unable to use his right hand.
The Hospital pleaded guilty at Hastings Magistrates
Court to three charges, first of breaching
regulation 3(1)(a) of the Electricity at Work
Regulations 1989 which states: 'Except where
otherwise expressly provided in these Regulations,
it shall be the duty of every employer and
self-employed person to comply with the provisions
of these Regulations in so far as they relate to
matters which are within his control'.
Secondly regulation 4(1) of the Electricity at Work
Regulations 1989 which states: 'All systems shall at
all times be of such construction as to prevent, so
far as is reasonably practicable, danger'.
And thirdly regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of
Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which
states: 'Every employer shall make a suitable and
sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and
safety of his employees to which they are exposed
whilst they are at work’, they were fined £8,000
with court costs of £8,466.71.
The Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) who investigated the
incident urges hospitals to make sure that if
electrical equipment is used in a damp environment,
that the correct protective
devices are used.
