Grundfos Pumps fined £415,000 after teenage employee was killed by 3-phase electricity.

Grundfos Pumps Limited of Leighton Buzzard were fined £415,000 (inc.costs) after a trainee design engineer lost his life.

The circumstances were:

• Grundfos Pumps Ltd had not adequately risk assessed the testing of live electrical panels. 
• They had failed to identify a safe system of work.
• They also failed to provide suitable training and supervision to undertake 3 phase live testing. 
• 19-year-old trainee design engineer, Jake Herring was testing a live electrical control panel with exposed conductors.
• He was unsupervised.
• Jake came into contact with a live 3 phase electrical system and died from his injuries

The HSE Inspector said:

“This tragic incident could and should have been avoided.  Grundfos Pumps Limited’s failure to adequately risk assess the electrical testing process led to an unsafe system work being in place. Training and supervision arrangements were clearly inadequate. If live electrical testing has to be undertaken, suitable precautions must be in place.”