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Michael Kerslake

Ref: 2025-0324 Date: 26 Jun 2025 Coroner: Vanessa McKinlay Area: Somerset Responses identified: 1 / 1 View PDF

A crucial risk assessment for operating machinery near electrical equipment was absent, and this safety gap persists at other sites owned by the former estate owners.

Date 26 Jun 2025
56-day deadline 20 Aug 2025
Responses identified 1 of 1
Accident at Work and Health and Safety related deaths

Coroner's concerns

AI summary
A crucial risk assessment for operating machinery near electrical equipment was absent, and this safety gap persists at other sites owned by the former estate owners.
View full coroner's concerns
1. There was no risk assessment in place warning workers on the estate of the risks of using machinery in the vicinity of electrical equipment.
2. Kenny & Murphy no longer own the estate in question but they own other sites.
3. It remains the case that no risk assessment as described above is in place.

Responses

1 respondent
Kenny Murphy Ltd Other
26 Jun 2025 PDF
Action Taken

Kenny & Murphy Ltd sold the incident site, but assessed their remaining sites and discussed electrical safety with tenants, providing NGED and HSE guidance documents. (AI summary)

View full response
Dear Madam Coroner

I confirm receipt of and the following action in respect of the Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths dated 26 June 2025 and your concerns.

Kenny & Murphy Ltd sold the incident site together with the main part of the Estate in March, 2024 and so have no influence over those tenants. Kenny & Murphy Ltd currently own one site at Bridgwater and a 50% interest in two sites at Southampton. We have undertaken an assessment on all three sites and submit that they differ from the incident site as they only have one tenant per site and there are no shared areas outside of their individual control and responsibility. None of the sites has any H Pole within its boundary or any transformer to handle incoming electricity at the same 11000v level. However, I have taken steps to discuss with the tenants the concerns raised by yourself regarding working safely around electricity and have also provided the tenants with the NGED "Stay Away Stay Safe!" leaflet and a copy of the HSE Electricity at Work Safe Working Practice document HSG85.

I trust that this complies with my responsibilities in accordance with the PFD Report.

Report sections

Investigation and inquest
On 2 October 2024 I commenced an investigation into the death of Michael Ernest Kerslake. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 20 June 2025. The conclusion of the inquest was: Accidental Death.
Circumstances of the death
Kenny & Murphy was the landlord company for Colley Lane Industrial Estate in Bridgwater where the accident occurred on 7 September 2023. Mr Kerslake’s fatal injuries were sustained when he was tasked by a different company to strim vegetation at two specific sites on the estate. Having completed those two sites, he proceeded (uninstructed) to strim the vegetation at the foot of an electricity pylon on the estate. The machinery used was a petrol-driven brush cutter with a metal blade. In the course of strimming, Mr Kerslake cut through an 11kV electricity cable which was attached in the usual way to one of the vertical wooden poles of the pylon. The blade of the machine cut through the cable guard and the cable itself, causing the electrical explosion in which Mr Kerslake was injured. The jury found that the medical cause of death was: 1a Multi-organ Dysfunction Syndrome 1b 52% Total Body Surface Area Burns 1c Electrical Explosion

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Related inquiry recommendations

Similar themes
ICL Inquiry Replace Buried Metallic LPG Pipes ICL Inquiry New LPG Safety Regime ICL Inquiry LPG Supplier Registration ICL Inquiry Polyethylene Piping Research Taylor Inquiry Remove all spikes and inward-facing constructions from perimeter and radial fences Taylor Inquiry Limit perimeter fencing height to a maximum of 2.2 metres Taylor Inquiry Provide sufficient 1.1-metre wide gates in perimeter fences for emergency evacuation Taylor Inquiry Paint and mark all emergency gates in fences with "Emergency Exit Taylor Inquiry Keep all perimeter fence gates to pitch unlocked and open during matches Taylor Inquiry Annually inspect all crush barriers for corrosion; repair or replace as needed

Report details

Reference
2025-0324
Date of report
26 June 2025
Coroner
Vanessa McKinlay
Coroner area
Somerset

Responses identified

Responses identified 1 of 1
All listed responses identified

Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 20 Aug 2025.

Sent to

Kenny & Murphy Limited

Source links

Judiciary.uk page → Report PDF →

Data: judiciary.uk under OGL.