A company has been fined and its director given a suspended prison sentence after a scaffolder suffered an 11,000-volt electric shock – leaving him with life-changing injuries.

Canterbury City Scaffolding Ltd, based in Hoath, was hit with a £50,000 fine for its part in an incident in November 2021.

The firm had been drafted in by Drinks Warehouse UK Ltd to erect a temporary roof structure over its open-air drinks depot in Snow Hill, Crawley, ready for the winter months.

Steven Gilmore, 36, was working alongside a small team of scaffolders when he struck a live 11kV power line running across the site while lifting a six-metre scaffold tube.

The father-of-one sustained life-changing electrical burns to both hands, which he is not expected to regain full use of again.

Mr Gilmore also suffered a badly broken leg after falling more than five metres to the ground after being electrocuted.

He was taken into Chelsea and Westminster Hospital burns unit where he underwent surgery lasting more than six hours.

A fundraiser for the dad, affectionately known as Gilly, raised more than £15,000.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Canterbury City Scaffolding Ltd and its director, Ian Pepper, had failed to properly risk assess the high-risk temporary roof scaffold assembly job near a high voltage line.

HSE bosses 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 company or Mr Pepper to consult UK Power Networks about line voltage and safe clearance distances.

While directing the scaffold assembly works on site himself, Mr Pepper allowed his team to use six-metre-long metal scaffold tubes at near vertical angles within striking distance of the high voltage line without any precautions to prevent injury.

As well as seeing his company fined, Mr Pepper has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Mr Pepper declined to comment when approached by KentOnline.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing on January 15 at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, 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 the network operator on what precautions to take, and then implementing those well-established precautions to prevent accidental contact with the overhead line.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Jon Mack.

HSE says work around overhead power lines, no matter how temporary, is high risk with serious or fatal consequences if not carefully planned and carried out.

It adds that every year people at work are killed or seriously injured when they come into contact with live overhead power lines and those responsible for work near overhead lines must have a clear understanding of the associated risks and precautions that need to be taken.