AN employer of a teenager who was electrocuted while installing home insulation in 2009 told an inquest that power was never turned off before workers went inside a roof.
Richard Jackson, a director of central Queensland firm Arrow Property Maintenance, which employed Rueben Kelly Barnes, 16, said no one in "the building game"ever did it.
Mr Barnes was electrocuted on November 19, 2009, when he came in contact with a metal batten that was "live", the inquest in Brisbane Coroners Court heard.
Mr Thompson admitted under cross-examination that before Rueben Barnes began installing insulation he was given no training by the company.
" I told them to keep their eyes out, their ears open, look out for things," Mr Jackson said.
"I considered that training."
Mr Jackson said his brother Christopher organised registration for their work installing insulation under the Federal Government's Home Insulation Program.
When asked if he ever discussed Arrow's obligations he said he asked his brother if they needed to do anything else. He said his brother said a government bloke just said "Go and make money while the sun shines".
"That was about it."
Mr Barnes was electrocuted while installing insulation in a home near Rockhampton as a result of 10 year old defects in the ceiling cavity, an inquest has heard.
He had no training in electrical safety in roofs and he was not wearing any personal safety gear, the inquest before State Coroner Michael Barnes has been told.
The power had not been turned off and a metal batten in the ceiling cavity of the house in Cocks Rd, Stanwell, south of Rockhampton, was "live", the inquest heard.
The first two witnesses have appeared in the inquest into the deaths of three young men who were electrocuted while installing home insulation under a Federal Government scheme.
Matthew James Fuller, 25, Rueben Kelly Barnes, 16, and Mitchell Scott Sweeney, 22, died between 2009 and 2010, the inquest has heard.
The $2.45 billion home insulation program was shut down in February 2010, after the deaths.
In his opening address, counsel assisting the Coroner, Ralph Devlin SC, said Rueben Barnes's electrocution on November 18, 2009, resulted from pre-existing defects in the ceiling cavity.
Mr Barnes, who had been working for Arrow Property Maintenance for only three weeks, had been laying fibreglass insulation bats and a ceiling batten was "live", Mr Devlin said.
Gavin Thompson, an electrical safety officer who inspected the accident site on the day of Mr Barnes 's death, said he found a screw head had penetrated an electrical cable in the ceiling cavity.
Mr Thompson said a metal ceiling batten with a very low resistance reading had allowed electrical current to flow through.
Under cross-examination by lawyer Bill Potts, for Rueben's father, Mr Thompson said he would never go into a roof or ceiling without isolating or cutting off the power.
He agreed it was inherently dangerous and potentially fatal.
The inquest also heard that a metal pole had been used in the ceiling cavity.
The inquest heard that Mr Barnes was wearing only a pair of Crocs sandals and socks on his feet, but he did not have any personal protective gear, such as rubber-soled shoes or electric-proof gloves on.
Mr Barnes's employer Arrow Property Maintenance was fined $135,000 after being charged under the Electrical Safety Act and Workplace Health and Safety Act.
The inquest will look at 11 key issues covering training, supervision and safe work policy.
The inquest will look at why metal staples were allowed to be used, why it was not mandatory to turn off electricity before the installation and whether the three young men were adequately trained and supervised.
It also will look at the response of the state and federal progress of state and federal governments to the deaths.
The coronial inquest will hear evidence for five days this week, before being adjourned until early May.
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