Wind farm worker suffers severe burns after power cabinet explosion near Aviemore
2025Published 7 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Wind farm near Aviemore, Scotland
- What
- Power cabinet controlling 33,000 volts exploded
- Injuries
- Subcontractor suffered severe burns to face, chest, neck, scalp, arm and hand
- Cause
- Cabinet had reportedly not been switched off before work began
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What happened
A subcontractor working as a maintenance manager at a wind farm near Aviemore, Scotland, was engulfed in flames after a power cabinet controlling 33,000 volts exploded while he was working on it. Court reporting indicates the cabinet had reportedly not been switched off before work began. The explosion caused severe burns to his face, chest, neck, scalp, arm and hand, requiring multiple surgeries and leaving lasting scarring. The incident came to light through a court case reported by the Inverness Courier, which did not name the wind farm, its operator, or the date of the explosion. No fatalities were reported.
Contributing factors
According to court reporting, a power cabinet supplying 33,000 volts had reportedly not been switched off or isolated before maintenance work began. Further details of the case have not been reported.
Lessons learned
- A 33 kV power cabinet must be isolated and proved dead before any maintenance work starts on it.
- Lockout-tagout procedures must apply to all subcontractors on high-voltage wind farm equipment.
- Independent verification of isolation is needed rather than assumption that switching has occurred.
More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, worker safety and safe systems of work, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Name of the wind farm
- Name of the operator
- Date of the explosion
- Cost of the incident and downtime
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
