The owners of a bakery on Central Queensland’s coast are being taken to court by one of their former employees who allegedly suffered a severe electrical injury during a shift.

A 19-year-old employee claimed he suffered an electrical shock as he unplugged an extension lead from a cord attached to an immersion heater inside a metal proofing cabinet. The lead was plugged into a 240V powerpoint, as reported by News Mail.

The bakehouse owners are being sued for up to $300,000 in damages, with the claimant saying the negligence of his employer was to blame because they failed to provide a safe work environment for himself and other employees.

The former employee is claiming past and future economic loss and medical expenses due to the “permanent” nature of the injury.