A Chatham electrical company has been fined nearly $90,000 after two workers received electrical burns last summer in Strathroy. Investigation revealed that the safety cover on the lines was removed and not reinstalled when a six member crew was changing a switch on a utility pole on Head St. north August 11, 2016. While workers were forming the fifth of six leads needed to install the switch, the end of the lead made contact with the live power line -- resulting in an energy surge through the lead, switch and utility pole. Two workers were in contact with the pole at the time. Entegrus Powerlines Inc. pleaded guilty in London's Provincial Offences Court to failing to take the reasonable safety precaution of ensuring that a dedicated observer, who was competent in the task being performed, was in place with no other duties but to monitor the work continuously. In addition to the $70,000 fine, a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge was imposed amounting to $17,500.
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