A WORKER was lucky to survive when he was hit by a fire ball following an electrical explosion, a court heard.

Electrolux Household Appliances was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,028 costs after directors admitted three charges relating to safety negligence over the incident.

Dr David Shallow, of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), told Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court that 21-year-old trainee electrician Raymond Lee, from Ferryhill, County Durham, had been lucky to escape the explosion without serious injuries.

He said: "A large current surged towards him, about 40,000 amps. The heat was so intense that it vaporised the cable and the end of his screwdriver."

Dr Shallow told the court Mr Lee had been asked to replace a single socket with a double socket on the side of an electrical distribution panel that provided power for the factory's paint stores.

He said the isolation mechanism was defeated, which meant Mr Lee was working with a live connection.

Dr Shallow said Mr Lee had done everything correctly but a screw had fallen from the socket and shorted the system, causing the explosion.

Mr Lee suffered flash burns to his hands, keeping him off work for two weeks. He still works at the Spennymoor plant.

Simon Catterall, for the company, said it had taken the accident very seriously. It reported the accident immediately and co-operated fully with the HSE.

He said: "This company has been on that plant for 50 years and this is the first time that it has faced a prosecution. It has spent £50,000 on a very comprehensive risk assessment and we are very sorry to be here today."