Labourer Brian Wilkins, 48, was found unconscious at the South
Yorkshire foundry after a confined underground area swiftly flooded with
the fire-extinguishing mist. Four of his co-workers desperately tried
to reach him but were themselves almost overcome by the fast-acting gas.
Mr
Wilkins, who had three grown-up sons, was pronounced dead on arrival at
hospital after the incident at the firm’s plant on Brightside Lane on
30 May 2008.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and prosecuted the company for serious safety failings.
Sheffield
Crown Court heard on 19 Dec that on the morning of the incident, Mr
Wilkins carried out part of the cable cutting task in an electrical
drawpit and then went to carry out the rest of the job in the switchroom
cellar, which was only accessible by lifting a manhole cover and
dropping down a ladder.
Once underground at the electrical
drawpit, Mr Wilkins used a petrol-driven saw to cut through redundant
33,000 volt cables there. At some point later he moved from there to the
nearby switchroom cellar with the saw.
Later that morning,
colleagues heard the carbon dioxide warning alarms sounding from the
cellar. A supervisor and other workmates rushed to help, with several of
them trying to get down the ladder from the manhole to rescue Mr
Wilkins from the cellar’s confines.
However, all attempts were
defeated as each worker struggled to breathe and remain conscious when
exposed to the debilitating concentrated carbon dioxide. Mr Wilkins had
to be brought to the surface later using slings.
HSE found that
use of the petrol-driven saw in the switchroom cellar had likely
activated a smoke sensor and prompted the release of the carbon dioxide
from the fire extinguishing system.
The court was told Sheffield Forgemasters had failed to provide any rescue equipment for either the cellar or the drawpit.
Other
issues identified included a lack of a risk assessment by the firm for
the cable cutting task and failing to provide a safe system of work for
Mr Wilkins’ task in either underground location. In addition, there was
no secure way to isolate the carbon dioxide fire system while work was
going on in the cellar.
CRS comments:-
“The risks
associated with confined spaces are well known in industry and there is
an entire set of regulations dealing with controlling the risks
associated with them. Multiple fatalities do occur when one person gets
into difficulty in such a space and then the rescuers are similarly
overcome”
This case shows how important it is for companies to
effectively risk assess work activities, looking at how the work will be
carried out and in what circumstances. Visit www.crsrisk.com to see our full range of accredited HSE training courses or call 01283 509175 for consultancy help and advice.
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