Electrocuted Electrical Apprentice’s Supervisors Had “No Training”
July 14, 2021
Inquest exposes company’s on-the-job training was organized informally between craftspeople and apprentices
An inquest into the electrocution of 21-year-old Tom Owen — who was working for Western Power Distribution (WPD) in a trench in Cardiff, Wales, when the incident happened on Jan. 30, 2017 — has revealed that outside of formal training courses, apprentices' on-the-job training would be organized informally between craftspeople and apprentices, often working in pairs on individual jobs.
The inquest also heard how Owen had previously failed a test for working with live wires and was using the wrong safety equipment on the day he died.
In addition, the jury learned that managers were told of the failure, but there was no official way of letting those who might be supervising Owen during on-the-job training know.
