A 24-year-old trainee painter tragically lost his life in Chester after a fully extended ladder contacted or passed close enough to overhead power lines to create a fatal electrical arc, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The incident, which occurred on July 29, 2024, at a domestic property in Farndon, Cheshire, also left a colleague injured with severe burns to his hands, feet, and stomach.
The victim, Connor Lambert from Market Drayton in Shropshire, was working alongside a colleague and his stepdad, 50-year-old Daniel Watton, at the gable end of the house. Watton was trading at the time as Inside Out Painters and Decorators Property Maintenance. Following a comprehensive investigation into the workplace tragedy, legal proceedings concluded at Warrington Magistrates Court on October 6, 2026.
Investigation Reveals Severe Health and Safety Failings
An inquiry conducted by the HSE established that the high-risk work at height had not been properly planned, supervised, or carried out safely. Investigators found that the selected equipment and methods of work were wholly unsuitable for the task, and the specific hazards tied to working near overhead power lines were neither adequately assessed nor controlled.
The original work plan had called for a tower scaffold and ladders to paint the exterior of the property-including a section featuring a glass canopy-though regulators noted this initial approach was also unsafe. In practice, the project deviated entirely from the plan, relying exclusively on ladders throughout the job. This method was approved by Daniel Watton.
HSE guidance dictates that where work at height or near overhead power lines is unavoidable, strict protective measures must be enforced. These include isolating power supplies, utilizing proper equipment, maintaining safe clearance distances, and ensuring all workers are adequately trained and competent.
Legal Consequences and Court Sentencing
Daniel Watton pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. At Warrington Magistrates Court, he was sentenced to 16 weeks of imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £10,645 in prosecution costs.
HSE inspector Keeley Eves emphasized the preventable nature of the tragedy:
This tragic incident meant a father never got to meet and hold his baby daughter. The fact it could and should have been prevented with proper planning and control measures, makes it all the more stark. Work at height and work near overhead power lines are both high-risk activities. Employers must ensure that suitable equipment is selected, risks are fully assessed, and workers are adequately trained and supervised.
Heartbreaking Personal Toll on Family
Connor Lambert was an expectant father who was just weeks away from meeting his first child with his partner, Megan McCann. Ms McCann shared that she had spoken with Connor on the phone the very morning he died, shortly after taking delivery of a Moses basket.
“I never thought I would have buried the love of my life and then given birth to our daughter 23 days later,” Ms McCann said. She described Connor as a joyful, ambitious person with the “cheekiest grin” who loved family life and was an avid Arsenal fan.
Connor’s father, Craig West, also expressed the profound grief and emotional impact left by the accident, stating that the loss completely altered his temperament, outlook on life, and perspective on work, reinforcing that the tragedy should have been easily avoided.
