Major breaches of health and safety regulations which left an electrical contractor from Hellesdon sustaining severe burns have resulted in two companies being fined £25,000 each.

At Norwich Crown Court yesterday, Judge Anthony Bates heard how 32-year-old qualified electrician Stephen Moore sustained burns to his face, neck and hands from a 250-volt electrical 'flashover' while carrying out electrical work at Bayer Crop Science Ltd at its former location on Sweet Briar Road in Norwich on July, 30, 2012.

An electrical flashover is an inadvertent contact between an energised conductor with another conductor, or an earthed surface, resulting in a conducting plasma fireball with temperatures reaching upwards of 20,000 degrees.

Mr Moore – a junior electrician at the time – was working for family- run company Holmes Electrical and Mechanical Services, which was contracted by Bayer.

He had inadvertently drilled blind into a live back-plate located in a small motor cubicle at the plant.

Both companies pleaded guilty to oversights in relation to the risks of health and safety of electrical working practices.

Judge Bates concluded that the companies had breached sections of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, 1974, and subsequently ordered each company to pay a fine of £25,000 and a sum of £11,407.32 in court fees.

Both companies have strict health and safety rules and regulations which appeared not to have been followed correctly by several members of staff when the incident occurred.

These have since been reviewed and now all electrical work is classed as high risk.

Mr Moore is currently receiving ongoing treatment to the physical and psychological consequences of the incident.

•Are you concerned about a company's health and safety policies? Email michelle.finch@archant.co.uk