Enemalta has been awarded damages of €1,454.51 after workers hit a power cable and caused a power outage in Xlendi in June 2010.

The decision was taken by the Small Claims Tribunal after the corporation sued Road Construction Ltd.

The tribunal upheld the corporation's claim that the company's workers did not exercise due care when they used heavy machinery to dig a trench near the  cable.

It was explained that the cable had been marked out with red paint. The trench was being dug in a small space between a wall and the cable and the cable, which was live, was eventually to be laid in the trench.

The tribunal said the worker concerned had come across a large boulder and had taken the risk of moving it using an excavator, instead of hand tools, even though the boulder was less than 75cm from the cable.

In such a scenario, the tribunal said, it was clear that the company had not taken the necessary precautions. Instead it took a risk, which resulted in the cable being severed.