The wife and son of a man who was electrocuted on a farm near Kaikoura yesterday tried to help him.

Police today released more details about the fatal electrocution in the Hurunui district. Thirty-nine-year-old farm manager Brendon Edward Walker was electrocuted by a power line which had fallen from a power pole, and died at the scene. His wife who found him was also electrocuted when she attempt to free him. She was flown to Christchurch Hospital where she is being treated for burns to her hand and feet. Their 7-year-old son who was at the scene ran back to the house and called for help. "This young man has been confronted by everyone's worst nightmare but has had the presence of mind to run back to the house and call for help," said Constable Jon Eagle of the Culverden Police. It is believed that Walker had gone to check stock and found three cows which had also been electrocuted. Advertisement Police and the Department of Labour are investigating the incident.

Published: 9:00PM Sunday January 29, 2012 Source: ONE News/Newstalk ZB Reference: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/family-tried-help-man-electrocutedpowerline-4706298

Family tried to help man electrocuted by power line:

Health and safety accidents have some related issues that are sensible nowadays and there is lots of fatal health & safety related accidents reported in New Zealand every year. There is a Health and safety act in employment whose objective is to promote the prevention of harm in the place of work. And there are several charges and fines in the breach of those acts. In the summer of 2012 January the 29th Sunday, an innocent family has been electrocuted on a farm near Kilkoura. The cause of the electrocution was a loose power line that had fallen from the power pole on the farm that led to the death of the father of the family and major burns to his wife the mother of the family, who innocently tried to rescue her husband from the electrocution. This sad family had a 7-year-old kid that witnessed his father and mother get electrocuted by the fallen power line, as a kid, a mature reaction he had taken that might have helped at least one of his parents not to face their death. The 7-year-old kid stepped back from the electrocution and ran back to the house and called for help immediately. That was not the best scene the child had witnessed watching his father face his death while his mother almost followed her husband rescuing him. under the section 25(3)(a) of health and safety in employment act 1992 act states that, if theres any serious harm or accident occur in the workplace, then as soon as the occurrence is known to the employer , then he/she must notify the secretary about the accident.

A thirty-nine-year-old farm manager Brendon Edward Walker was electrocuted by a fallen power line from the power pole, as he wanted to check stock he found three dead cows that had been electrocuted as well, and as he rushed into checking on them it was sadly his turn to face his death. Police said Mr Walker had headed out on Saturday morning to check his cattle and when he saw three cows lying in the paddock, he drove his quad bike over for a closer look. His wife who found him was also electrocuted when she attempt to free him, Police said the accident happened at a rural address in the Hurunui district in Canterbury around 10.30am that morning. As the little child saw his parents get electrocuted he did not take the same action as his mother, the child stepped back and ran to the house to call for help, he played a

crucial role in his mother's rescue as he ran back to the house where he alerted his 9year-old sister and they called their grandmother who alerted emergency services. "This young man has been confronted by everyone's worst nightmare but has had the presence of mind to run back to the house and call for help," said Constable Jon Eagle of the Culverden Police. He was discovered dead by his wife Sarah and 7-year-old son Ethan when they went out to check the letterbox for mail, police said. Mrs Walker suffered severe burns to her hands and feet while trying to help her husband, and is recovering in Christchurch Hospital. Police said a small fire at the top of the power pole had released a bracket holding the insulators attached to the wire. The bracket and insulators fell, dragging the power line close to the ground. Mr Berge said power lines came down from time to time throughout the country, but there were extra stresses on lines in areas like North Canterbury, where they were subjected to high winds and snow. The man did not follow the health and safety regulation ACT 1992 as it sates to report to the secretary or the owner of the property about the accident. As it is important to wear insolating clothes for the particular job under the act written in section 6 which states that every employer must take all practicable steps to provide and maintain a safe working environment for all the employees and provide and maintain the facilities of their health and safety while they are at work. Section 10(2) (b) states that, the employer must ensure the clothing and the equipments used by their employee is suitable in order to protect them from any harm that may be caused by or arise out of the hazards.

As the managing director Allan Berge asked if he would offer an apology as well as condolences, Mr Berge said it was still unknown what had happened, but it shows that he is taking liabilities of what had happened earlier that day. Some ideas and thoughts have come up that it might be the companys fault Lines Company MainPower about the fallen power line. Lines Company MainPower, which is responsible for maintaining the power line, is conducting its own investigation, as they believe that staff were co-operating with the agencies involved but it was too soon to say what caused the incident as they reported. As well as, Mr Berge said power lines came down from time to time throughout the country, but there were extra stresses on lines in areas like North Canterbury, where they were subjected to high winds and snow. He did not take action or report immediately to the secretary or the owner of the property as listed in the health and safety ACT 1992. From another point of view, it is

Mr Brendon Walkers fault as the health and safety ACT 1992 states that under the act written in section 6 which states that every employer must take all practicable steps to provide and maintain a safe working environment for all the employees and provide and maintain the facilities of their health and safety while they are at work.

Indeed it is unfortunate that Mr Walker had been a victim for his family, but on the other hand the ACT 1992 states briefly that a worker or an employee must be aware of the insulating rules and by wearing proper insulating clothes that prevent them from any dangerous work. He was killed when he rode his quad bike over a power line carrying more than 1000 volts on the North Canterbury farm where he was working it accidentally happened but it is a serious issue that everyone should consider.

Reference list:

Family tried to help man electrocuted by power line. (2012). Retrieved from http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/family-tried-help-man-electrocuted-powerline4706298

Farm worker electrocuted. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10781841

Health and Safety in Employment Act, New Zealand Statutes. (1992). Retrieved from http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1992/0096/latest/DLM278829.html

Assignment 1

Due Date: 12/9/2012

Tutors: Rashika, Sylila

Written by: Ahmed Shiblack

Student ID: 1361274