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Deaths in 2001
Deaths in 2001
Back to Top Deaths in 2002 Click on
the names below for further case details
FURTHER DETAILS OF DEATHS John Wynne
John, a worker at the Royal Mint, was killed when a six and a half tonne, 15ft-tall, bell furnace carrying metal collapsed on him. The furnace carrying metal to be made into coins toppled 14ft onto Mr Wynne after falling from a damaged crane hook. The inquest was held at Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys Coroner's Court on 2 May 2003. A verdict of 'Unlawful Killing' was returned. The inquest was told that the safety indicator on the side of the furnace was not working properly after being damaged three months earlier. The safety manual had five warnings about the operation. Health and Safety inspectors discovered a vital safety indicator on the side of the furnace was broken. Later they learned the crane operators had routinely ignored it because they did not know what it was for. Prior to the inquest, the Royal Mint was subject to a Crown Censure. As a Crown Body, they cannot be prosecuted. John's colleague Jeffrey Luckey, told the inquest he had been operating the crane from ground level by remote control when the accident happened. He said he was unable to see the crane hook and relied on a top flap 'coming up' on the furnace to see when the crane was properly engaged. He had no knowledge of a 'tell-tale' safety tab fitted to the side of the furnace, which was designed to lift to show when the hook was properly in place. He said he had never received any training in the operation of the crane, never knew about the operator's manual, just knew to look for the tab on the roof of the furnace. He added that the furnace itself had been at a height of 14ft when it had fallen and struck Mr Wynne. Health and Safety inspector Roger Jones said the tip of the crane hook had been bent out of shape and "burred". Inquiries had shown that the furnace had been held off the ground by the pointed tip of the crane's hook. He said it was likely that it had been picked up in a similar way once or twice before. 'If somebody told me they were going to lift that load on the tip of the hook, well, you are going to get away with it once, but it would be like flicking a coin. It can't have happened that many times because it was going to fall," said Mr Jones. The inquest heard that safety was regarded as paramount at the Royal Mint and the task in question was now carried out from a raised platform where the crane hook is visible. Managers at the mint agreed they relied on a 'cascade effect' where the knowledge of one operator was assumed to be passed on to others. Philip Walters, the Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys coroner, had pointedly directed the jury towards a verdict of accidental death, saying they were not being asked to consider one of unlawful killing. He then sent them back to reconsider the verdict after saying they should be convinced there had been 'such disregard for the life and safety of others as to amount to a crime against the state'. The jury then recorded a 6-1 majority verdict of unlawful killing, having been directed to consider an open verdict and one of accidental death as well. Katrina Wynne, John's wife, added at the conclusion of the inquest, 'They have reached the right verdict today.' Daughter Joann said, 'My father was never given any training and to hear people speak, you would think nobody was to blame for his death. But if my father had known about the safety tab on the furnace, he would be alive today.' At a conference in Cardiff University organised by the Wales TUC and Thompsons Solicitors in February 2004 Katrina, along with two other women bereaved by deaths at work, called for the strengthening of weak safety laws they believe contributed to the deaths of their loved ones. Katrina said, 'Our lives have been torn apart. The inquest jury found the Royal Mint had been negligent and returned a verdict of unlawful killing, even though the coroner tried three times [because of the current legal system] to get them to say it was accidental death. Yet because of Crown Immunity, no prosecution took place. It seems no one that day was accountable for what happened. I feel that no justice has been done. I was brought up to respect the law, but I feel very bitter and have no faith in the British justice system whatsoever.'
Thomas,
a machinist in a paper mill, died after being crushed between railings
and a heavy pressure plate. He had been standing on the elevated gantry
of a paper making machine carrying out maintenance at the Georgia Pacific Works in Bridgend when
he was trapped between a moving component and a guard rail In November 2003 the employers faced charges of breaching health and safety regulations in Cardiff Crown Court. They were found guilty and fined £80,000 with £9,000 costs. Prosecuting, Mr John Allchurch said, Thomas was inside the mill when a colleague started the machinery. He said, 'A few seconds after pressing the switch to start the machine he heard a colleague shouting. Tragically Mr Skye was trapped between a metal plate and the safety railing. Colleagues and first aiders tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him.' The court heard that Thomas was trapped by a metal plate called a foil as it moved into position when the machine restarted. Thomas was one of 400 staff at the factory and had worked there for 37 years. Philip Marshall, defending Georgia Pacific, said, 'He was a valued, long-standing employee and the company fully accept their responsibility for the failures that led to his death.' He added that the company had now improved safety at the plant. Judge Mr Justice Elias said, 'This is a tragic case. Obviously no penalty can bring Mr Skye back,' he said. 'What has been lost is a priceless life, beyond any calculation in terms of a fine. The accident was one which ought to have been foreseen. The risk could have been eliminated at a relatively low cost.' After the case Health and Safety Executive inspector Phil Charett said, 'We have got to get the message out to companies that they must take safety seriously. One workplace death is one too many.'
Back to Table (2001) Jason Dalton
Jason, a
student on a confidence building course, drowned when he tried to help
two other people in difficulties in the River Sychryd. Jason was trying to save a lecturer and a fellow student who had jumped into the river during while walking in the Neath Valley. Mr Alun Davies, the lecturer leading the group of students, told the hearing that he led six students on a walk along the banks of the River Sychryd when, as he had done several times in the past, he jumped 20ft from a ledge into a pool. But, he said, after he had jumped a second time, he and a student were swept under a rock and nearly drowned. Students reported seeing a 'whirlpool' form in the water within a matter of seconds. Reports soon after the incident said heavy rain in the area at the time had made conditions treacherous. Jason's girlfriend, Sarah Evans, then told how he had asked her for a kiss before he dived into the water to help his lecturer and fellow student. She then watched as he was sucked under by the whirlpool. 'The water was even rougher and I saw him disappear,' Sarah said. 'His head came to the surface two or three times and he was thrashing around before he disappeared altogether. Then I saw his body floating facedown in the river.' Questioned by the solicitor's for Jason's family, Alun Davies said he had no outdoor pursuits qualifications, health and safety training or instructions from the college. He told the coroner's court that he had taken a pocket first aid kit and a rope borrowed from the college caretaker. All the group had left their mobiles in the minibus in case they got wet and it took about half an hour to summon help. A verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned. The coroner recommended that only trained supervisors should lead groups into the Pontneddfechan area. Speaking after the hearing, Jason's family said his death was wholly avoidable, and that they are considering civil action. It also emerged that the Health and Safety Executive was deciding whether to bring charges over the death.
Back to Table (2003) Paul Tobin
Paul, an engineer for a subcontractor carrying out maintainence work at a Leeke Store, died when a hydraulic platform he was working on collapsed on him. He was welding the four-tonne ramp, designed to unload parcels off delivery lorries, at the warehouse of the Leekes department store in Llantrisant. Paul was working for a sub-contractor carrying out maintenance work at the depot. The inquest was held at Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys Coroner’s Court on 23 March 2005 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.
Anthony Rogers and Paul Wiliams
Anthony and Paul were electrocuted when the aluminium ladder they were holding contacted an 11,000 volt overhead power line. Anthony a builder and Paul a workmate were found dead in a field in a leafy South Wales village. Their bodies were discovered next to their metal ladder which had touched the power lines in Coity, near Bridgend. Roger Bibbings, occupational safety adviser for Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa), said, 'This is a terrible tragedy, but it's important to use this occasion to remind people about the basic safety messages about overhead cables, and to remind managers and supervisors of the need to provide proper training to people working near to these cables.' He added, 'Overhead high-voltage cables are a huge part of the infrastructure of this country, and as such, are something we need to keep working on. Public awareness of how to avoid contact with these lines is an on-going safety message that we need to continue to push out.' Greater attention needs to be given to producing risk assessments for dangerous sites, Mr Bibbings said. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE)investigation took place amid concern the electricity cables hung across the field were too low and difficult to see. Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon said, 'I was very shocked to see how low they are. I have been concerned as I have gone around this village to see the power lines so low. There may be lessons that need to be learned nationally here.' The HSE investigation confirmed that the positioning of the overhead line involved in the incident exceeded the statutory requirements for overhead line minimum clearances for public safety i.e. the clearances were greater than required by law. The statutory minimum clearance requirements for public safety are 5.2m vertically and 3m horizontally for a line in this position. The actual horizontal clearance at the point of contact was 9.2m (with a minimum clearance across the span of 5.97m), whilst the actual vertical clearance at the point of contact was 6.318m (with a minimum clearance across the span of 6.04m). The inquest is to be held at Bridgend and Glamorgan Valleys Coroner’s Court on on a date yet to be set.
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