DS accident with electricity at work

[Pocketfullofdogtreats]

DS is a self-employed builder, currently working for a small building company renovating an old house. He was up some scaffolding, rendering (plastering) the outside of the property when he got a huge electric shock. He had moved a cable in order to render underneath it, and apparently the rubber was degraded, there was a crack, and he had touched it with wet hands (from the render). He had a dead arm. His boss phoned the electricity company and they said to phone 111, who wanted to send an ambulance. But DS drove himself to A&E where they saw him straight away and did lots of tests including a blood test. The electricity company said they were aware that the wiring needed to be upgraded - these things have a shelf life and it was on their list. They hadn't told the homeowner (who was horrified and said he never would've had the work done if he'd known) and DS's boss was unaware too. So someone (111?) said that he was very lucky he was wearing trainers rather than steel toecap boots, and was standing on wooden boards as it could've killed him. Apparently, outside the house it's a huge amperage, before it goes into a junction box and becomes 240 volts, which is why you see those warning signs on poles. So it's not a question of 'knock you off your feet' but cooking you inside, which was why they did the blood test. So he was at the hospital for several hours but sent home as OK. He is shaken up, This was two days ago. He is wondering if he should take this further. His instinct is to forget it and learn from it. TIA

You can indeed be subcontracted while self employed, but most sub-contracting contracts make public and employee liability cover the responsibility of the sub contractor. It would also be normal for the subcontractor to provide their risk assesment and method statement (RAMS) setting out they were going to do the job. So, if there were concerns then those shoudl have been identified and flagged befor work started

From an HSE perspective, the principal contractor carries overall responsibilty, so this should be flagged if it's HSE reportable - I have no idea if it is. But an investigation is likely to lead back to the sub-contrcator anyway I'd have thought?

As a professional he should make himself aware of his responsibilities under RIDDOR

https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/

Not necessarily... there could be a project manager, an overall contractor and a site electrician... he is a builder, not an electrician, the supply to the area he was working in should have been isolated and unable to be switched back on, the only power via 110v.

If he has been employed to plaster etc then whilst he has a duty to work safely, its not within his remit to ensure the supply to the work area is off, how would he assess this has been done?

No one should be working in an area with live loose electrical 240v cabling lying around, thats why 110v was introduced, because 240v can pull all the amps it needs to kill before an RCD would trip (assuming its a modern CU)

However, HSE wont be interested.

Cowboys spring to mind.

Even as a self employed "contractor" on site while he has a responsibility for himself there are regs around the supervision of sites and there are still responsibilities for the main contractor to the contractors working on the project even if they are SE- ie they have resp to provide a safe site. This electric cable needs to be sheathed for work to happen and that should have been arranged by the main contractor - I would report to HSE if contractor for the site hasn't already. This would be classed as a near miss on two or three fronts. a) they should have made the site safe, b) they should have done a RA and PPE should have been appropriate and as he was working around electric c)he should have had special shoes - rubberised soles I believe, just by chance he had trainers on BUT they are not appropriate shoes for a site. If he had the electricity safe shoes on he would have been OK as well - standard steelies nope. So at the very least from a H&S point of view there should be an investigation.

He was working for a small business. That makes him a subcontractor working for other people and they are responsible for health and safety of their staff and contractors.

This was a massive health & safety breach which could have resulted in a death.

No need to be so loud, so wrong and so stupid so very publicly.

First rule of working on buildings- don’t touch cables with bate hands, check if it’s live first. He should have a simple tester on him at all times when working to do this!
it’s called taking responsibility for your own safety,

Will the hse investigate? If so I guess that will make it clear if anyone is liable?

I am curious about how he drove himself to hospital with a dead arm though and why didn't a colleague drive him, they must be a bit shit.

I hate the way that tradesmen are regarded on mumsnet, looked down on as sparkies, brickies, chippies, who are all working cash in hand, feckless and dishonest.
That being said, make sure your son is well insured, my father, who had a terrible accident which left him paraplegic at 59 was extremely thankful he had insurance which meant he was able to have a decent quality of life afterwards. How ever careful you are, in that sort of work, there are so many unexpected things to go wrong.

He should have done a RA and trainers are not suitable equipment for a building site! H&S starts with the worker!

Despite all the people questioning OP's Husbands employment status and intelligence I would suggest @Pocketfullofdogtreats that you look at the legalities of the situation as you need facts not opinions.
I am certainly not a lawyer and neither are 99% of people on here and so I suggest if you do want to know where your H stands legally you need to speak to one.
I would say though that he needs to decide long term if its worth damaging his relationship with the Main Contractor and potentially not getting more work from them
I hope your H is recovering well and has no ill effects

Me too. I don't know how he drove like that. He is the type to have a go at anything and solve problems himself, so I suppose it comes from that attitude.

OK I haven't read all the latest posts because I am working today but I have an update. Have just spoken to him and ...

He did not have bare hands - he was wearing rubber gloves!

So makes it more serious, in that if he hadn't been ...

Sorry, I was on his side but now he just sounds idiotic. When you’re driving a car, you are literally in charge of a 2 tonne weapon. It isn’t yourself you’re going to hurt, it’s other innocent road users. He could have killed someone by driving a vehicle he couldn’t possibly have been in full control of. What a selfish idiot. I do hope he gets nothing out of this.

God almighty!

Well congratulations to him on still being alive.

Is he able to take a couple of days off work? Or at least not work with dangerous machinery or at a height for a week of so?

I know it's not the same, but I suffer from neuro probs, and on a bad day I'm often too impaired to assess how impaired I am. My loss of dexterity becomes dangerous, and my decision-making's also up the spout: not a good combo!

I'm a tad worried your DS might have a bit of that going on, between electric shock and then adrenaline & psychological shock.

Report to HSE.

Talk to a solicitor.

Yes, definitely take it further! Everyone has a right to come home from work safely! Not electrocuted via A&E for a few hours.

He's gone away camping for a few days with his GF.

Oh wise decision. Hope he gets to properly relax and recover.

Just to let you know. By no means would wearing toe caps have killed him!! In actual fact the rubber soles are much thicker and therefore much less likelihood of the electricity getting to earth.