£15,697 CLAIM FOR INJURIES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28992, 5 September 1959, Page 14

£15,697 CLAIM FOR INJURIES

Board Denies Negligence (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 4. A Hutt Valley Power Board employee had received injuries from electrical equipment because he had acted without authority, said counsel for the board in the Supreme Court at Wellington today. The plaintiff was Ernest Charles Sutton, aged 35, assistant overseer, of Lower Hutt, for whom Mr. C. H. Arndt appeared. He claimed general damages of £15.000, and special damages of £697 3s, for injuries suffered while employed by the board. Mr R. G. Collins appeared for the board.

Mr justice Haslam presided. A statement of claim said that while making a visual inspection of a cable box on a transformer, Sutton had suffered flash burns on the face, right forearm and hands and lost three fingers of his right hand. Mr Collins said Sutton had received clear and simple instructions to change a damaged transformer and make a connexion to an oil circuit breaker. A switching instruction was prepared for a faultman to ensure the transformer was isolated and made safe.

Sutton, departing from his instructions, had unscrewed a safety plate and exposed a live 11.000volt cable. The ensuing accident had occurred because of his action. If Sutton had considered it necessary to remove the plate, he should have sought permission by radio. A shut-down would then have been arranged. “When you are dealing with electricity of that pressure, you are dealing with a force that is elemental, terribly dangerous and must be handled with the greatest care. It is essential that instructions should be adhered to,” said Mr Collins.

The allegations against the board were in respect to safety precautions which would have been taken if an inspection of the equipment had been authorised.

It was submitted, as an alternative defence, that if the board was found to have been negligent there would also have to be a finding of contributory negligence on the part of Sutton. Godfrey Goodson, surgeon, a defence witness, described the burns suffered by Sutton when he exampined him on June 2 last year. The hearing will continue on Monday.