Farmer died from accidental electrocution, inquest finds

An experienced farmer died after he was electrocuted when his tree-cutting machinery came too close to an overhead powerline, an inquest heard.

Jonathan “Huw” Howells, 61, an assistant mechanic and farmer from the Lampeter Velfrey area, died on 8 November 2020, following the farm accident at Dan y Coed Farm in Llawhaden, Narberth, Pembrokeshire.

A jury inquest was held into Mr Howell’s death at Haverfordwest County Hall on Thursday 20 January.

Jonathan ‘Huw’ Howells © Dyfed Powys Police

See also: How to work safely near overhead power lines on farmland

The court heard that Mr Howells, who was known as Huw, had been operating the telehandler and clearing branches overhanging telephone wires as a favour for farmer Emrys Davies, with the help of another friend, Brian Tooze.

BBC Wales News reported that Mr Howells had been using a chainsaw attached to a telescopic boom, and the Merlo telehandler was being operated by Mr Tooze.

Jurors heard that the two men had finished work at 4.20pm that day, but had decided to investigate whether the boom could reach some higher branches near the powerlines.

Extra caution

In a written statement from Mr Tooze, which was read out to the court, he said Mr Howells knew he had to be “extra careful” as the branches were close to an overhead powerline.

Mr Tooze described how, under his direction, Mr Howells raised the box of the telehandler to a safe level which was about 2ft from powerlines.

Mr Howells then got out of the cab and stood back to assess whether the box was high enough to trim the branches.

Mr Tooze said Mr Howells then leant into the telehandler cab and the boom lifted closer to the wires, but “didn’t touch the powerline”.

He said he could clearly see a gap between the boom and the line, but the electricity “must have arced” and jumped to the boom.

Mr Tooze described how he could see his friend was being electrocuted. “I shouted to him to let go, but I knew he couldn’t hear me,” he said.

He said the front left tyre of the telehandler caught fire and exploded, and another tyre was also set alight.

Mr Tooze suffered an electric shock as he attempted to move his friend away.

He tried to revive Mr Howells until paramedics arrived and took over, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Tooze was later treated at Glangwili Hospital for the electric shock he suffered.

A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Howells died as a result of electrocution due to a farmyard accident.

Mr Tooze described Mr Howells as a “good family friend, reliable and trustworthy”.

See also: Farmers Weekly launches campaign to make our industry safer

‘Exclusion zone’

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) officer Stephen Eades explained that although the telehandler boom did not make direct contact with the 11,000 volt cable, the electricity could travel due to the high voltage.

Mr Eades said there should be a 3m (about 9ft) “exclusion zone” for working around 11,000V cables, according to clear guidance from the HSE and the electricity distributor, Western Power Distribution, on working near powerlines.

He described Mr Howells’ death as a “very unfortunate accident”. The HSE said that the telehandler was “well maintained” and in “good order”.

A member of Mr Howells’s family told the inquest he had previously worked closely alongside Western Power Distribution and the family could not understand why this had happened.

The jury concluded that Mr Howell’s death was accidental.