Click on the names below for further case details
FURTHER DETAILS OF DEATHS Brian Wilson
While working at Thillidas Engineering works in Ponterfract, Brian was walking in an access route used by employees and forklift trucks. A forklift truck braked hard to miss him and a steel drill slid off and crushed him. The inquest was to be held at the West Yorkshire Eastern District Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set. To
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Juliano, known as Ben, had been driving along the M62 westbound, near junction 32 at Pontefract, when his front near-side wheel suddenly fell off. He managed to control the truck and safely park on the hard shoulder. Juliano then rang his haulage company employers in Leeds to report the accident before going to check on the runaway wheel. As he stood over the super-heated tyre a huge build-up in pressure caused it to explode and fly towards him. The impact from the 167kg missile left Juliano with catastrophic head and chest injuries. The blast was so strong that the tyre continued to fly through the air and was eventually found 17 metres from his body. The inquest was held at the West Yorkshire Eastern District Coroner's Court sitting in Wakefield on 1 February 2006 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned. The court heard that the entire wheel came loose after its internal bearings disintegrated and gradually collapsed. This caused massive heat and friction, which would have continued to pass to the tyre, which was described as 'red hot and glowing' as it lay on the verge. The hearing was told the DAF 65 CF truck had received regular service and safety checks in line with the manufacturer's recommendations. Juliano's brother Fred, himself a former trucker, is angry that no explanation was found for why the wheel bearings failed. The court heard the failure could have been caused by the wrong type or insufficient lubricant, but as the mechanism disintegrated this could not be proved.
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John died after being crushed while using a stacking machine in the timber yard where he worked. The inquest will be held at the West Yorkshire Western District Coroner's Court sitting in Bradford on 2 October 2006.
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John, a verger, died after falling 60ft from a balcony of the north-west tower of York Minster. The inquest is to be held at York Coroner's Court.
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Robert Sharples
Robert was carrying out maintenance work on a caravan which collapsed on top of him. The inquest is to be held at the North Yorkshire Western District Coroner's Court. To
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Stephen, a window cleaner, was working on a fifth-storey flat at Wells Court, Ilkley, when he applied pressure to the outside of a wooden rail which broke and he fell 50 ft to his death. The inquest was held at the West Yorkshire Western District Coroner's Court sitting on 1 November 2006 when a Narrative verdict was returned which read: 'Stephen Ian Wainwright was a self-employed window cleaner. While cleaning windows at flat 15 at Wells Court he fell from its balcony after applying pressure to the outside of three wooden rails causing it to give way.' The jury at the inquest in Bradford were told that it was most likely that Stephen had either been leaning on the rails from the inside of the balcony trying to clean the kitchen window that was out of reach, or was standing on the outside of the balcony holding on to the rail. After the jury returned their narrative verdict Stephen's stepfather, Alistair McPherson, said the family were disappointed with the outcome. In a statement Mr McPherson said: "Stephen's mother and I are saddened and distressed by Stephen's death. We expected today's verdict to be accidental death. After hearing the evidence we are of the view that Stephen has died due to a faulty balcony rail on a fifth-floor privately-owned flat, after those flats had been refurbished. Stephen was a very conscientious and safe worker and someone should be accountable for his tragic death. We found it very frustrating at the lack of information we were given after Stephen died. We were constantly being told different versions of the events leading up to Stephen's death and we were never sure what the true circumstances were.' The inquest was told that the screws holding the rail on to the balcony had barely penetrated the timber, but Julian Franklin, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, said that he was convinced Mr Wainwright would not have fallen if he had been working in a safe fashion. He told Coroner Roger Whittaker, 'I think to impress that much force on a piece of timber about which you have no knowledge would be a very unwise thing to do. To cause that piece of timber to move or break I think would involve leaning over or leaning out more than would be wise.' The court heard that builders working on the flats in the weeks before Stephen fell had checked a number of the balcony rails, some of which had then been replaced. Mr Franklin said that if this rail had been in a poor condition then it might not have taken much force to prise it away. The inquest heard evidence from the owner of the flat, Jean Kirby, who told the coroner that she had asked Mr Wainwright not to clean the kitchen window. Mr Whittaker said that after hearing the evidence he did not feel it necessary to write to any authorities to try to prevent similar fatalities.
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Terry was working as a contractor on a sand and gravel crusher at Allerton Park Quarry when he was hit and trapped by a metal bar. He was part of a team employed by B L Pegson, specialists in rock crushing machinery. The quarry is operated by Hanson. The inquest is to be held at the North Yorkshire Western District Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set.
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Frank, a council worker, was injured when the sit-on mower he was operating overturned, trapping him underneath, while he was cutting a steep grass embankment at Water End, near Clifton Bridge. He died at the scene. The inquest is to be held at York Coroner's Court. In May 2006 it was announced that council engineers had been carrying out trials on a remote-controlled lawnmower, to cut the grass on the slopes of the mounds around the city's ancient monuments. City of York Council representatives said the mower, which is controlled at ground level, was part of the authority's commitment to improving health and safety for employees, while also improving services.
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Robert Stark
Robert, a farm worker, died after opening a gate near where his friend was reversing a tractor attached to a trailer. While the tractor was reversing the trailer somehow became detached. It rolled down the pathway and trapped Robert between the gate and an adjacent building causing Robert severe neck injuries. The inquest was to be held at the West Yorkshire Eastern District Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set.
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see information on deaths in 2001 To see information on deaths in 2003 To see information on deaths in 2004 To see information on deaths in 2006 Ian Millward
Ian, a retired farmer, was helping out at Scalby Lodge Farm near Scarborough, when he became trapped against a wall by a tractor and trailer. The inquest was held at the North Yorkshire Eastern District Coroner's Court on 30 January 2006 when a verdict of 'Misadventure' was returned.
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see information on deaths in 2001 To see information on deaths in 2003 To see information on deaths in 2004 To see information on deaths in 2006 Michael Robson
Michael, a steeplejack, fell 60 feet to his death while working inside a 400 foot tower at Eggborough Power Station near Selby. Michael was installing equipment designed to cut discharges of the pollutant sulphur dioxide by 90 per cent to comply with new environmental standards. The inquest is to be held at the North Yorkshire Western District Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set. Michael is the second Teesside steeplejack to die at Eggborough in the last three years. In July 2002 David Jamieson (click on Yorkshire 2002 for details) was working on the main chimney at Eggborough when he fell. He suffered a broken neck and chest injuries and died instantly. A third worker, Andrew Bason (click on Yorkshire 2003 for details), a joiner died in a fall in July 2003.
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Andrew, known as Andy, was standing on a scaffold while working on a roof on a construction site near Batley when a concrete slab fell on top of him. The inquest is to be held at the West Yorkshire Western District Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set.
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Patrcik Sherry
Patrick was performing with his band Bad Beat Revue at the Warehouse in Leeds when he fell and hit the dance floor head first on 20 July. He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but died the following day. The inquest was held at the West Yorkshire Eastern District Coroner's Court in November 2005 and returned a verdict of 'Accidental Death'. The court heard Patrick jumped from the stage to grab a lighting gantry during his band's last song but lost his grip and fell. He had been playing as part of the regular Club NME night at the Somers Street venue. His head injuries were described by the coroner as unsurvivable.
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see information on deaths in 2001 To see information on deaths in 2003 To see information on deaths in 2004 To see information on deaths in 2006 Neil Millar
Neil, a lead service engineer, died after being crushed by a drilling rig while working at gas storage facility near Hull. He had been involved in a pipe-laying project in the village of Aldbrough at a site owned by Scottish and Southern Energy. The inquest was to be held at the East Riding and Hull Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set.
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see information on deaths in 2001 To see information on deaths in 2003 To see information on deaths in 2004 To see information on deaths in 2006 Alan Squirrel
Alan, a roofer, died after falling while working at Halifax Estate Agents in Rothwell. The inquest was to be held at the West Yorkshire Eastern District Coroner's Court on a date yet to be set.
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