A scaffolding company has been fined and its director given a suspended prison sentence after a worker was given an 11,000 volt electric shock.

Father-of-one Steven Gilmore was helping erect a temporary roof scaffold at an open-air drinks depot and struck a power line while lifting a six-metre scaffold tube.

Mr Gilmore, 36, then fell over five metres and suffered a “badly broken leg”. He suffered life-changing electrical burns to both hands which he will never gain full use of.

His employer Canterbury City Scaffolding was fined £50,000 and company director Ian Pepper was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months following the incident on November 29, 2021.

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Speaking after the sentencing hearing, HSE Inspector Susie Beckett said: “This scaffolder’s injuries were life-changing and could have been fatal. 

“This incident could have been avoided if this high-risk scaffold job had been properly planned, including seeking free advice from UK Power Networks on what precautions to take, and then implementing those well-established precautions to prevent accidental contact with the overhead line.”

The incident happed in Snow Hill, Crawley.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company and its director had failed to ensure the high-risk temporary roof scaffold assembly job near a high voltage line was properly risk assessed.

The investigation also highlighted that, despite being fully aware of how close the temporary roof scaffold was being built to the 11kV line, no attempt was made by the scaffold contractor or its director to consult UK Power Networks about line voltage and safe clearance distances. 

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court Canterbury City Scaffolding Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the health and safety at work act 1974. 

Pepper, 48, of Hoath near Canterbury, pleaded guilty to an offence under section 37(1) of the health and safety at work act 1974. 

The sentencing was adjourned to Monday, January 15.

Pepper was also made to do 200 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.