Companies Fined After Cherry Picker Contact With Overhead Power Line Kills Worker

Brief Summary

Two companies were fined after an employee was electrocuted when a cherry picker collided with an 11,000 volt overhead powerline at a Devon biogas site. The case highlights failures to act on safety advice to move the line and weaknesses in risk assessment, training and supervision for work near overhead electricity.

What Was The Incident?

At the Willand Biogas site, New Wave Marine was contracted to lift the lid of a biodigester and stir a crust blockage. A cherry picker operated by New Wave Marine struck an overhead powerline, passing electrical current through the metal basket and electrocuting Carl Parsons. Luke Madavan received a serious electric shock and was left with life changing injuries.

What Was The Outcome?

Willand O&M Ltd pleaded guilty under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and was fined £51,000 plus prosecution costs of £28,467. New Wave Marine Ltd pleaded guilty under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £30,000 plus prosecution costs of £8,000. The court case took place at Exeter Crown Court on 3 March 2026 for an incident on 1 June 2020.

What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

Act on advice to remove or reduce overhead line risk. The principal contractor and Western Power Distribution advised relocating the overhead powerline nine months before the incident. Willand O&M failed to act, leaving contact risk during build and foreseeable future maintenance.

Ensure suitable and sufficient controls for work near live lines. No adequate control measures were put in place, such as height restrictors on cherry pickers or restricted work areas. This meant workers could still contact the line or be affected by electrical arcing.

Get risk assessment quality right before work starts. New Wave Marine risk assessment was found to be neither suitable nor sufficient. Planning and management near overhead power lines must ensure accidental contact and close proximity risks are adequately controlled.

Provide training and supervision that match the task risk. New Wave Marine lacked formal training provision and adequate supervision for the work. Poor supervision, monitoring and site induction were also found for Willand O&M, undermining safe systems of work.

Seek competent health and safety advice when overhead electricity is involved. The HSE expectation is to seek competent advice and follow relevant guidance to plan and manage work so risks from contact or close proximity are controlled, including using network support where lines can be moved or buried.

HSE Prosecution Link