- Incident happened at Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm near Inverness.
- Worker was seriously injured following electrical flashover.
- HSE guidance is available.
A wind farm management services company has been fined £80,000 after a worker was seriously injured by an electrical flashover.
Natural Power Services Limited had sent the then 38-year-old to carry out maintenance work in an electrical substation within the Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm, near Inverness on 23rd June 2020. His injuries resulted in him sustained life-changing injuries that have required multiple surgeries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the incident happened following a departure from the prepared switching programme. This meant work was allowed to be carried out on one of the two electrical cabinets while the other remained live, allowing part of the electrical system to be energised during the maintenance work.
The HSE investigation found that had the initial switching programme prepared by Natural Power Services Limited been correctly followed, the incident would not have occurred. The company did not have a suitable system or process in place to check or review switching programmes to ensure that the procedures were correctly observed at all times, or to approve any changes to the initial switching programmes.
Free guidance for employers is available on the HSE website, hse.gov.uk, about electrical safety and managing health and safety.
Natural Power Services Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 3(1) and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £80,000 at Inverness Sheriff Court on 25 November 2025.
Speaking after the hearing, an HSE spokesperson said: “This was a wholly avoidable incident caused by the failure of the company to implement a safe system of work.
“The company should have ensured there was a suitably rigorous process for checking and reviewing the work. This would have ensured those doing the work were adhering to switching programmes in a manner that was suitable and safe.
This would have been a reasonably practicable measure to address the risks arising from the subsequent introduction of additional parallel works that might interfere with the previously planned switching programme.”
Further information:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
- More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
- Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
- HSE guidance about electrical safety and managing health and safety is available.
- HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.