Head Of Training, The Healthy Work Company

August 1, 2016

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Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission fined £133k

Electricity company Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission has been fined £133,000 after a 26-year-old worker was electrocuted on a power line.

Gareth Aitken died while working on the Beauly-Dounreay line at Contullich Woods at Alness on 2 August 2012.

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission pleaded guilty to breaking health and safety legislation after admitting it failed to adequately ensure a safe system of work was in place.

The company was fined following a hearing at Tain Sheriff Court.

Mr Aitken was using a suspended work platform to replace the cables between the pylons on the line.

He came into contact with a charged electric cable while moving the platform to a lower position on the pylon and was electrocuted.

A highly complex joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive and Police concluded that the Permit to Work issued by the company in relation to the work to be carried out was inadequate and that the risk of death or very serious injury was readily foreseeable.

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