A Jersey scaffolding firm has been fined £45,000 after putting workers at risk of electrocution and burns.
Jubilee Scaffolding Company was contracted to erect scaffolding at a property in St Lawrence, Jersey in August 2018.
But shortly after the scaffolding was erected, the owner of the property was surprised to discover that an uninsulated mains electrical cable had been secured to the scaffold using a scaffold fitting.
The Royal Court in Jersey heard that The Health and Safety Inspectorate was contacted and investigated the matter, calling in the company’s directors for an interview in December. The scaffolder responsible for erecting the scaffolding said that workers had believed the wire was a telephone cable not an electrical cable.
According to the Jersey Evening Post, Crown Advocate Conrad Yates said that there had been a ‘serious risk’ of electric shock, burns or electrocution to workers from the exposed wire, while work was being carried out. He called for the company to be fined £40,000 for breaching health and safety laws.
The company. which pleaded guilty to the breaches, was represented by its managing director and owner Sarah Waye in court. She said that she had done ‘everything in her power’ to improve safety standards since last summer.
She added: “I can’t believe that anybody did not see the cable. I’m dumbfounded.”
Ms Waye said that she understood why the Crown wanted to ‘send a message’ by imposing a fine for the law breach.
During sentencing, Lieutenant-Bailiff Anthony Olsen said: “It’s the court’s conclusion that the crown was correct and the fine should be £40,000.”
He added that the company would be allowed four months to pay the fine and would also be charged a further £5,000 to cover the prosecution’s legal costs.
