Trainee painter Connor Lambert, 24, died after being electrocuted while working at a house in Farndon, near Chester, when a ladder came into contact with overhead power lines. He was working for his step-dad, Daniel Watton, 50, who traded as Inside Out Painters and Decorators Property Maintenance. Watton has now been handed a suspended prison sentence over the death.
Mr Lambert was expecting his first child with partner Megan McCann when he died on July 29, 2024. Speaking after Watton's sentencing, Ms McCann said she 'will never get over' Mr Lambert's death.
'He was amazing'
"Connor was amazing," she said. "He had the cheekiest grin and would light up any room he was in – he was so funny. He was a caring person who always put everyone else first. He was very ambitious and he was an avid Arsenal fan. He went to loads of matches with my father and brother. He was a happy person who loved family life."
"We had been trying for our own family for three years and he was over the moon when we found out I was pregnant. He never missed a midwife appointment and was elated when we found out we were having a baby girl. We had been on the phone talking the morning he died – I had just taken delivery of a Moses basket and I was heavily pregnant at 32 weeks."
"But within minutes I got another phone call to say there had been accident and Connor was dead. I never thought I would have buried the love of my life and then given birth to our daughter 23 days later. She knows daddy is in the sky and at night he shines as a star – I'm making sure she knows who Connor is, but at some point, I will have to explain to her what happened. I will never get over Connor's death – I still feel angry, numb and feel a massive part of my world has gone."
HSE investigation findings
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Lambert, from Market Drayton, Shropshire, had been moving a fully extended ladder with a colleague at the gable end of the property. During this process, the ladder either came into contact with an overhead power line or came close enough for an electrical arc to form.
While Mr Lambert was killed, his colleague suffered burns to his hands, feet, and stomach. The investigation also found the work at height had not been properly planned, supervised, or carried out safely. The selected equipment and methods of work were unsuitable for the task and the risks associated with working near overhead power lines had not been adequately assessed or controlled.
Additionally, the investigation identified issues in relation to the training and competence of those carrying out the work. The original plan of work involved using a tower scaffold and ladders to paint the exterior of the property, including an area with a glass canopy; however, this approach was neither suitable nor safe. In practice, the work deviated from this plan, with ladders used throughout. This method was approved by Watton, but was also unsuitable and unsafe as demonstrated by the fatal incident.
'Should have so easily been avoided'
Mr Lambert's father, Craig West, said: "This experience has changed me, my emotions, my temperament and my outlook on life. I'm agitated regularly and can become angry easily. I have lost the spring in my step and no longer have the drive I once had and work now has become a chore. After the findings of the inquest I find Connor's accident even more tragic as it should have so easily been avoided. I do hold people responsible for this situation."
HSE guidance states that where work at height cannot be avoided, it must be properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out safely. This includes using suitable equipment and work methods and ensuring those involved are competent. Where work near overhead power lines is unavoidable, measures must be taken to eliminate or reduce the risk, such as isolating the power supply, using appropriate equipment, and maintaining safe distances.
Watton, of Bean Bank, Wollerton, Market Drayton, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £10,645 in costs at Warrington Magistrates Court.
HSE inspector Keeley Eves said: "This tragic incident meant a father never got to meet and hold his baby daughter. The fact it could and should have been prevented with proper planning and control measures, makes it all the more stark. Work at height and work near overhead power lines are both high-risk activities. Employers must ensure that suitable equipment is selected, risks are fully assessed, and workers are adequately trained and supervised. The very lives of those workers depend on these decisions. Our thoughts remain with all of Connor's loved ones."
This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Jonathan Bambro and paralegal officer Lynne Thomas. The investigation was supported by Natalka Heath, HSE Visiting Officer.
