Engineering, Passenger Rail, Safety, Standards & Regulation

Investigation launched into Haymarket shock

Transport safety expert John Guselli will lead an independent investigation into an electric shock suffered by several members of the public alongside a light rail worksite in Sydney’s Haymarket on June 10.

The investigation comes after a 15-year-old girl was reportedly shocked while walking past one of the CBD & South East Light Rail project sites.

According to an ABC report, the girl had removed her uncomfortable shoes and was walking in wet socks beside the construction site at the corner of George Street and Ultimo Road, when she felt a shock.

She reportedly fell to the ground, and when passers-by attempted to help her they also received shocks.

The girl was reportedly taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where she was told by doctors she had sustained injuries “consistent with an industrial amount of electricity”.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian called the incident “appalling,” and transport minister Andrew Constance immediately called for an independent investigation.

Now Transport for NSW secretary Rod Staples has named John Guselli to lead the investigation.

Guselli is a former chief investigator with the NSW Office of Transport Safety Investigation, and was part of the team which investigated the 2003 Waterfall rail accident.

Staples said the investigation would take about four weeks and its results will be made public.

“Safety is our number one priority and John Guselli is the right person to conduct an independent investigation into this concerning incident,” Staples said.

“Transport for NSW has been in contact with the family affected and, of course, we would never want to see a repeat of this incident. The independent investigation will focus on the work taking place in the Haymarket area at the time, the parties involved, site safety management and the adequacy of response.”

Terms of Reference for the investigation include a chronology and timeline of events leading up to and after the incident, all works taking place in the vicinity and their impact on, and relationship to the occurrence of electric shock, and the parties involved and their various responsibilities and accountabilities.

The investigation will also consider the adequacy and timeliness of incident reporting and response.

Transport for NSW said Ausgrid would be consulted as part of the investigation.