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The Larnaca District Court has handed down a fine of €28,000 to the Cyprus Electricity Authority for violations of safety and health regulations, resulting in the death of one of its employees and posing risks to others.
The Authority, engaged in various aspects of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, was found guilty of breaching the Minimum Safety and Health Standards (Use of Work Equipment at Work) Regulations and the Management of Safety and Health at Work Regulations.
According to a statement from the Department of Labour Inspection of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, the prosecution was prompted by negligence related to a lifting basket machine. The incident occurred while an employee was engaged in palm tree pruning from a height of approximately 4 meters. A mechanical failure of the machine's support arm pipe led to the sudden fall of the palm tree and the basket, resulting in the employee's fatal injury.
The Authority faced further charges for failing to replace a worn pipe of the bracing arm of a basket hoist, leading to another mechanical failure and fatal injury to an employee. Additionally, it was cited for neglecting to conduct periodic inspections of a basket hoist as per manufacturer's instructions.
Moreover, EAC was accused of not implementing an appropriate safety or risk management system, particularly in relation to planned preventive maintenance of lifting equipment. This failure to outline effective planning, organization, control, and monitoring measures for workplace activities creating hazards led to the tragic incidents.
