A fencing contractor in Liverpool has been fined after an employee suffered an electric shock and burns after striking a live underground cable on a construction site in Manchester.

Paul Taylor was working for City Fencing Contractors Ltd on 21 May 2024 as part of a team installing security fencing at a synagogue.

Taylor, 59, was using a breaker to dig into the ground in preparation to install metal security fencing. However, the father-of-three struck a live underground cable, causing electric shock, which resulted in him sustaining multiple burn injuries to his stomach, chest and arms.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that City Fencing Contractors had failed to implement suitable and sufficient controls to prevent risk from underground services.

HSE inspector John Padfield said: “Underground services are widespread and represent a significant risk. It is important that measures are taken to identify them before any excavation work is undertaken. 

“However, it could have been much worse and potentially fatal. Had the company implemented an effective safe system of work following HSE guidance, this incident would not have occurred.”

Safe digging practices

Guidance from the regulator states that construction work which is liable to create a risk to health or safety from an underground service, or from damage to its disturbance, must not be carried out unless suitable and sufficient steps have been taken to prevent the risk, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Before work begins, underground cables must be located, identified and clearly marked. Excavation work should be carried out carefully and follow recognised safe digging practices, the HSE advises.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 25(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £5,487 costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 26 May 2026.