A RAIL operator and a cleaning firm have been fined £3.6 million after a worker was electrocuted while cleaning a train.

Father-of-two Roger Lower, 46, had been washing down trains at a Southeastern trains depot in Hastings when he came into contact with a live rail.

He was found by work colleagues lying on the 750-volt live rail and pronounced dead at the scene.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) investigated Southeastern and Wetton Cleaning Services Limited, who Mr Lower worked for, and exposed a “culture of cutting corners”.

Southeastern conceded it could have “done more” to meet safety standards.

Unlike other parts of the UK, which use overhead electrification, railways in the South East use a live rail to supply electricity to trains from the tracks.

Guildford Crown Court heard Mr Lower, from Hastings, had been working for Wettons for three months before his death on May 24, 2014, at West Marina Depot near Hastings.

Both the companies were charged with one count of breaching general duties to an employee and three counts of contravening health and safety regulations.

The hearing was told that cleaners working at the depot were supposed to be safeguarded from the live rail by protection boards.

However, ORR inspectors found the four boards at the depot were not in use.

Colleagues of Mr Lower said they were not trained to use the equipment and had concerns about Mr Lower’s safety while cleaning the outside of the train.

Dean Wren, who found Mr Lower on the tracks, said the only time they had been told to use the boards was when a senior manager was visiting.

He told the court he was never shown properly how to use the boards.

Southeastern was fined £2.5 million and Wettons £1.1million.

Each was ordered to pay £162,000 court costs.

Ian Prosser, HM chief inspector of railways, said the failings were “unacceptable and show the consequences of not abiding by health and safety”.

Southeastern managing director David Statham said: “We deeply regret that we did not prevent the death of Roger Lower.

“Our thoughts remain with his family for their tragic loss.

“We set ourselves high safety standards underpinned by robust procedures.

“We recognise that on this occasion there’s more we and our contractors could have done to meet those high standards.”

The company commissioned an independent review after Mr Lower’s death and has introduced extra safety checks and equipment.

In the last five years more than 90 people have been killed on the railway tracks in the South East.