The Canberra times on the 5th of November 1977 ran the following story.
Regulations 'would have saved man'
If new safety regulations introduced by the ACT Electricity Authority on July, 1 had been enforced and safety electrical equipment installed at the Belconnen Mall construction site a fatal accident there would not have occurred,the Coroner, Mr Dainer, said yesterday.
Mr Dainer said this at the inquest into the death of Mr Paul Anthony Lancy, 23, labourer, of Page, in hospital on August 27. Police evidence was given that Mr Lancy had suffered an electric shock when trying to roll up a 100-metre cord attached to a cemcnt mixer.
Mr Lancy had taken hold of part of the cord where wire was exposed. The lead and been lying in puddles and mud. The chief installation inspector of the ACT Electricity Authority, Mr Allan Hemming said the lead could have been damaged by vehicles passing over it or bricks falling on it.
Safety regulations had been introduced on July I, but a six-month period of grace had been allowed before
people had been made to comply with them, Mr Hemming said. The regulations restricted extension leads to 36 metres. A piece of safety equipment which could have prevented the accident was a circuit breaker. Also, the addition of power outlets to reduce cords was a safety feature.
Mr Peter Bessey, at" the time a coordinator at the site, said he was surprised at the length of the cord which had electrocutcd Mr Laney. Also the cement mixer had been well away from the power outlet.
Mr Dainer said the role of circuit breaker referred to by Mr Hemming was most important.
Mr Laney had attempted to roll the cord starting at the unsafe end, nearest the concrete-mixer, instead of at the source of supply."... but that may be because perhaps he didn't know where the source of supply was", he said. Mr Dainer found that Mr Laney had died of cardiac arrest as a result of an
accidental shock sustained at the Belconnen Mall Site.
Is the ghost haunting the mall the ghost of Anthony Laney some how unable to pass over?
Kanacki