Prosecutions
He has also been left with long scars where cuts were made to relieve the pressure build-up in his legs.
The farm was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay £23,095 costs, plus £600 in compensation, after a hearing at Norwich Crown Court. It admitted breaches of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Regulations 3(1) and 19(1) of the Management Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (protection of young workers) and Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
The incident occurred on 23 May 2007, when the two teenagers were working in the pig unit at a Farm. One of the employees, a 16-year-old was helping a second teenager, a 17-year-old load straw into a trailer. The second teenager was using the telescopic mechanical arm of a telehandler to lift the straw into the back of a trailer.
When the work stopped for a moment the telehandler's mechanical arm released and rose upwards, coming into contact with overhead power lines carrying over 10,000 volts of electricity. The 16-year-old was holding onto the front cage of the vehicle's cab at the time and received an electric shock which could have killed him. The second teenager went to help him and received a shock powerful enough to throw him back into his seat.
The younger boy was airlifted to Hospital before being transferred to the specialist burns unit at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. He had to undergo an operation to relieve high pressure in his legs and he was left with two long scars on both legs. His left foot was also damaged where the electricity exited his body. His small toe was amputated and part of his big toe was removed after further damage caused by electricity arcing over the metal toe cap of his boot.
The 17-year-old also suffered an electric shock and had to spend the night under observation in the Hospital. He suffered no serious injuries.
An inspector from the HSE commented: "I hope this incident makes it clear how important it is to look after young and vulnerable employees. Employers must ensure young staff, in particular those under 17, are given adequate training and supervision when starting a new job.
"Young employees are particularly vulnerable to accidents, so it is vital they are adequately supervised, especially when working around high hazards such as overhead power lines. Too many people are dying in needless accidents on British farms. In the last ten years, 455 people went out in the morning and never came home. This incident could have easily proved fatal.”