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More on KentOnline
A rail company has been fined almost £700,000 after a staff member suffered third degree burns on the job.
Network Rail admitted it had breached the Health and Safety Act relating to a December 2018 fire at the Godinton Substation in Ashford.
The blaze saw smoke billow across the town, and thousands of passengers were halted as repair work was carried out.
Due to the fire, one employee suffered third degree burns and mixed depth burns.
During the Folkestone Magistrates Court case, it was found Network Rail had known about a leak in the substation for nine months but had not made any effort to stem it or install dehumidifiers.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) prosecuted the case, after investigating the conditions surrounding the incident.
It was revealed conditions were unsafe, and that the failures led to an electrical arc and a fire while Network Rail’s employees were working on a circuit breaker.
Monica Babb led the investigation into the fire
During the court hearing, the conditions inside the substation on the day of the incident were described as “like a sauna.”
District Judge Barron handed out a fine of £696,666 after the rail operator pleaded guilty to the Health and Safety Act breach.
In his closing remarks, District Judge Barron said that the system of work in place at the time was not sufficiently robust and the training programme for Network Rail’s technicians at the time did not adequately identify the dangers of working near to live equipment in damp conditions.
HM Chief Inspector of Railways, Ian Prosser CBE, spoke after the mammoth fine was handed out.
He said: "This case highlights the importance of acting to reduce or eliminate known risks at an early stage.
“Network Rail knew of the water leak at Godinton for nine months and despite concerns raised by staff and contractors, the required work was repeatedly delayed.
“This was a known risk and the failure to deal with it effectively led to staff working in unsafe conditions, resulting in serious injuries to one employee.
"This case reinforces the importance of acting effectively on known concerns to protect the health and safety of employees on Britain’s railway.”
Network Rail has been approached for comment.
