Power Australia has been fined $1.5 million after a veteran Yallourn energy station worker suffered deadly burns to 90 per cent of his physique in an electrical explosion.
Graeme Edwards had labored on the energy station for greater than 30 years when he volunteered to attach a excessive voltage cable to the section of the ability station he labored on.
The racking in process entails putting a excessive voltage circuit breaker into place in a cupboard whereas wires are reside or energised.yallourn
Mr Edwards was absolutely skilled and had undergone his required three-yearly retraining two months earlier than his demise in November 2018.
An infill panel above the 6.6kW management panel he was engaged on was free and at simply the slightest stress it uncovered him to reside wires.
On November 12 as he labored on the unit an arc flash and explosion occurred whereas he was racking in, believed to be the results of the management cable making contact with reside elements.
Mr Edwards suffered severe burns to 90 per cent of his physique and died in hospital the subsequent day.
Power Australia Yallourn pleaded responsible to 3 fees of breaching Occupational Well being and Security Act.
The corporate admitted failing to correctly set up and examine the infill panel, failing to correctly practice staff to attach the cables, and failing to offer and require staff to put on acceptable arc-rated private protecting tools whereas they labored on circuit breakers on reside excessive voltage swap boards.
"There's completely no excuse for it," the corporate admitted throughout a pre-sentence listening to final 12 months.
"It was avoidable and it was preventable and he should not have died. The rationale why he died is as a result of failings on the a part of Power Australia."
Mr Edwards was sporting cotton overalls which one skilled described as "manifestly insufficient".
Acceptable arc-rated PPE, which had been supplied to employees at a sister-company, gives thermal safety and is self-extinguishing, Victorian County Court docket Decide John Carmody mentioned on Monday.
Power Australia's handbook additionally mentioned the so-called elephant's trunk cable must be related earlier than the racking in process is accomplished, however staff generally related it afterwards.
Inconsistency between the handbook, coaching and procedures was a breach of the regulation, the choose mentioned.
He famous there was no proof Mr Edwards was finishing up his duties incorrectly, including that coworkers described him as a useful and revered colleague who at all times adopted process.
Power Australia has made vital adjustments over the previous 4 years, many directed on the causes of Mr Edwards' demise, the courtroom heard.
"It raises the query, why wasn't all this accomplished earlier than November 2018," the choose requested.
The price of fixing or changing the panel was minimal, he mentioned.
He famous Power Australia created a picnic space on the energy plant and established a scholarship at Federation College in Mr Edwards' identify.
© AAP 2023