A stationery manufacturer has been prosecuted after exposing a worker to a high voltage shock, which has left him permanently disabled, electricians liability insurance holders have been told.
Chart Design, of Wembley, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £4,000 with costs of £6,330.
City of London Magistrates Court heard how a man was investigating a fault on a plastic welding machine at Chart Design in June 2007 when his fingers came into contact, or close to, components carrying thousands of volts.
The shock burned his right hand and forearm, damaging several muscles in the process.
Kerry Williams, Health and Safety Executive inspector, said: "A man's life has been turned upside down because of entirely preventable and basic safety failings. It is the responsibility of all managers to make sure that all maintenance work is properly planned and recorded and that adequate guards are fitted to all machinery when it is in use."
Earlier this year, Leeds City Council was fined £10,500 after a high voltage shock endangered the life of a lorry driver.