The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning after two farm workers suffered an electric shock while working outdoors.

In December 2007, the two employees were working for Huntapac Produce Limited at a site on Marsh Farm, Hesketh Bank, near Preston. The company grows, packs and distributes root vegetables.

The two men were lifting a metal ladder into the shaft of a water pump, when it touched the 11,000v power lines overhead.

Both of the men sustained injuries – and one fell unconscious as a result of the shock. He suffered burns to his hands and both men sustained burns to their feet.

On Thurday (15/10/09) at Ormskirk Magistrates’ Court, Huntapac Produce Ltd of Blackgate Lane in Tarleton pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 by allowing its employees to carry out work in a potentially dangerous manner.

The company also pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 3(1) (a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 by failing to assess the health and safety risks sufficiently.

Huntapac was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,881.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Matt Lea said that both workers were ‘lucky to be alive’ following the accident.

‘Huntapac should have made sure a simple health and safety check was carried out at the site before work was allowed to start,’ said Mr Lea. ‘If this had happened, it would have been obvious that the overhead electricity line could be a potential danger.

‘I hope this case will remind companies how important it is for health and safety checks to take place ahead of work starting at a new site. Without them, employers are putting the lives of their staff at risk.’

Figures show that around 1,000 people sustain electric shocks at work every year – around 25 incidents are fatal.

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