Finding into death of Gary James Cook
Deceased
Gary James Cook
Demographics
53y, male
Date of death
2009-01-02
Finding date
2012-10-11
Cause of death
Electrocution
AI-generated summary
Mr Gary Cook, a 53-year-old qualified A-class electrician with extensive high-voltage experience, died from electrocution on 2 January 2009 after collapsing in an elevated work platform (cherry picker) while removing earthing sticks from 22,000-volt cables on 30 December 2008 at Thales, Mulwala NSW. Although he was working on de-energised high-voltage cables, live 415-volt low-voltage cables ran directly below his position. Witness evidence, particularly observations that Mr Cook lost control of the final earthing stick and made an exclamation before collapsing with jaw-clenching, supported a finding of electrocution on balance of probabilities. The coroner noted this work was consistent with relevant industry codes of practice and proper safety protocols. Key clinical lesson: sudden unexplained collapse during high-risk electrical work in proximity to live conductors should raise electrocution suspicion despite absence of typical post-mortem signs. Families' concerns about power being switched on without knowledge and inadequate switching documentation highlight importance of clear communication and documentation in hazardous work environments.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Loss of control of earthing stick while removing it from high-voltage cables
- Close proximity to live low-voltage (415-volt) cables during work
- Potential power switching without explicit communication to workers
- Absence of explicit discussion about energisation status of low-voltage cables
Coroner's recommendations
- Review of switching protocols and documentation procedures for electrical work at Thales and similar facilities
- Implementation of mandatory explicit communication between all workers regarding energisation status of cables
- Clarification of which state's workplace safety codes should apply to work undertaken across state borders
- Development of protocols for switching power back on during maintenance work to ensure all workers are informed
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