A tree surgeon suffered severe injuries after an electric shock from an overhead line when a mobile lighting tower he was pushing touched an 11,000-volt power cable while clearing hedges on the A3102 near Royal Wootton Bassett.
‘I thought I was going to die’
Joshua Pocknell, 26, was working shortly after midnight on 19 January 2024 when the incident occurred. He described the moment the lighting tower made contact with the live cable. “My whole body locked and I felt hot and cramping,” he said. “I could hear the electricity in my head and thought I was going to die. I hit the floor and passed out, still cramping. I later discovered a hole had burnt through my arm and hip all the way to the bone.”
Mr Pocknell was taken to hospital, where he spent the next five weeks receiving treatment for the complex injuries he sustained. “My injuries were complex and challenging and there were five or six different surgeons involved in my treatment,” he said. More than two years on, he continues to suffer persistent pain and other symptoms. “I still experience considerable pain and strange bodily sensations, including nerve pain and itching. This incident has torn the life from beneath me and I don’t think I will be able to return to the job that I used to love.”
Employer’s failure to plan
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Pocknell’s employer, Upton Specialised Tree Services, had failed to properly plan for or risk assess the dangers posed by overhead power lines. The company did not put up barriers to prevent contact and provided no training in operating the mobile lighting tower. According to the HSE, mobile lighting towers require a minimum clearance of five metres from overhead cables, with the added warning that high-voltage electricity can jump across significant gaps.
The company had requested a permit to carry out the work at night because of traffic flow needs on the A3102. CCTV footage captured the moment of the electric shock. At Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 1 May 2026, Upton Specialised Tree Services pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, by virtue of Regulation 3. Regulation 14 requires that work on or near live conductors must only be carried out if it is unreasonable for the conductor to be dead and suitable precautions are taken to prevent injury. The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £6,237 in costs.
Upton Specialised Tree Services, which has depots in Dorset and Wiltshire and describes itself as an ARB Approved Contractor providing services across the South of England, had highlighted on its website a commitment to experienced and skilled team members.
HSE safety warning
HSE inspector Tom Preston said: “Joshua is lucky to be alive. Overhead electrical power lines present extreme risks to workers, but the risks can and must be controlled. Work near overhead power lines should only be carried out where it can be done safely, following a suitable risk assessment, the use of barriers or safety zones, and proper training on the equipment being used. In this case, a worker sustained severe injuries in a traumatic incident for all concerned that was entirely preventable. HSE will take action against those who fail to take the steps necessary to protect people at work.”
The HSE’s guidance for tree surgeons working near power lines emphasises the importance of identifying the location of overhead cables before any work begins. Professional tree surgeons are trained to use specialised equipment and conduct thorough risk assessments. In some cases, energy network operators offer to carry out tree cutting near their lines free of charge if contacted in advance. A similar incident in Northern Ireland in 2021 resulted in a fatality when a tree surgeon was electrocuted while working from a mobile platform near an 11kV power line; his employer was fined for failing to conduct a suitable risk assessment and provide adequate training.
Wiltshire Council and the HSE work together to enforce health and safety laws in workplaces across the county, including investigating accidents and complaints. The HSE reiterated its commitment to taking enforcement action against employers who fail to protect their workers from the dangers of overhead power lines.
