TWO companies have been ordered to pay almost £300,000 for safety failings after a workman suffered life-changing injuries from a massive electric shock in Hampshire.

Mark Bradley suffered severe burns to his face when a lamp post he was helping to erect hit an overhead cable at a construction site.

Speaking at the time, Mark’s brother, Michael Bradley, told the Echo the dad-of-one only survived thanks to the quick-thinking actions of his colleague, Ade Savage.

Michael said Ade hit Mark with a wooden plank in an attempt to get him to release his grip on the electrified lamp post.

Now, BAM Construction Limited and Hampshire firm Shoreland Projects Limited have been fined after a court ruled they failed to have measures in place to prevent such an incident.

Winchester Crown Court heard how BAM had been appointed by Network Rail to construct a £10m railway operating centre in Basingstoke.Shoreland Projects Ltd were later appointed as groundworks contractor for the project.

In January 2015, when work began to install lampposts on the site entrance road, the fifth lamp post touched the 11kV overhead power lines when it was being lifted into position by an excavator.

This caused Mark, from Gosport, to suffer a massive electric shock.

The 52-year-old was rushed to Southampton General Hospital in what Michael described as a “really bad state”.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found a failure to properly identify the presence of the overhead power lines and appropriately plan the work activity.

It also found that no suitable control measures were in place to prevent contact with the overhead power lines, putting workers at risk.

BAM Construction Limited, of Hemel Hempstead, admitted breaching health and safety rules and was fined £260,000 plus ordered to pay £9415.13 costs

Shoreland Projects Limited of Woodhouse Lane, Botley, also admitted breaching health and safety rules. It was fined £22,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8442.53.

After the case, HSE inspector William Christie said: “While this entirely preventable incident has had a permanent and very substantial effect on Mark’s life, his very serious injuries could have been even worse had it not been for the quick thinking of his colleague.”