A "negligent" firm based at a Scottish port has been fined £80,000 after it failed to protect an asbestos surveyor who was killed by a sudden electric shock from equipment that had not been marked as live.
Christopher Earley, 64, had been carrying out an inspection of a disused fabrication workshop at the Port of Nigg in the Cromarty Firth, north of Inverness, when he opened an electrical cabinet that unleashed an "electrical flashover" – a high-voltage arc discharge of electricity. The sudden electrical phenomenon gave him significant burns all over his body.
The incident occurred on December 10 2020, and despite the best efforts of medics to treat his grievous wounds Christopher died in hospital on March 10 2021. The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation and Global Energy Nigg Limited, which operates the port, has been held responsible for his death.
Tain Sheriff Court was told that Global Energy Nigg had failed to maintain the electrical switch room properly. The room had no internal door and there were no visual warnings to highlight a potential risk of electric shock.
The court also heard that live switch panels did not carry any suitable warning signs or labelling, and redundant electrical panels were not marked as such. Christopher was not directly employed by the port and had instead been contracted through his own business, CWE Asbestos Consultants Ltd.
In a statement provided to the Record, Christopher's family said the "negligence" of Global Energy Nigg had led to the death of a highly experienced surveyor and beloved partner.
The statement read: “We note the sheriff’s decision and, of course, no one can truly put a price on a life and nothing can bring Chris back. Chris was a loving and much-loved family man.
"His family all still miss him every day. He was good at his job, very experienced and held in high regard for his expertise and his abilities as a trainer of others.
"He was well aware and respectful of the risks associated with high voltage electricity and always took great care. Unfortunately, in the situation which led to his death, the circumstances gave him no reason to suspect the presence of any electrical risk at all.
"This was not an accident – but happened due to negligence by Global Energy Nigg."
Debbie Carroll, who leads on health and safety investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, welcomed the prosecution. She said: "Christopher Wayne Earley lost his life in circumstances which were foreseeable and entirely avoidable.
“By failing to maintain the switch room in an appropriate condition Global Energy Nigg Limited put someone not employed by them at unacceptable risk. This prosecution should remind duty holders that failing to take reasonable health and safety measures can have fatal consequences and they will be held accountable for this failure.”
Global Energy Group was contacted for comment.
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