Deaths in 2007

Deaths in 2008

Deaths in 2007

Click on the names below for further case details

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Deaths in 2008

Click on the names below for further case details

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FURTHER DETAILS OF DEATHS

Zbigniew Swirzynski

Zbigniew, a Polish national, was killed instantly when a 120ft crane collapsed on a Liverpool city centre building site. It was part of the Elysian Fields project by Iliad developments which was due to finish 109 one and two-bedroom apartments by autumn 2007. The development was being built by David McLean contractors in Colquitt Street, off Seel Street.

Zbigniew's colleague, Barry Walker, was trapped in the cab of the crane for an hour while fire fighters struggled to free him.

The crane, a Jaso J138 luffing jib crane, involved in the incident was on hire from Falcon Crane Hire Ltd – the same company involved in a crane collapse in Battersea, London, in September, 2006, when John Cloke died.

Mike Cross, HSE Head of Operations, said, 'I am urging all building companies on Merseyside to ensure they are following our advice, which if followed, should ensure that these cranes can be operated safely.'

There was speculation that high winds might have caused the collapse, but records from the nearby Liverpool Airport showed a wind of just 15 knots (27.8km/h) at the time – far below the limit for crane operations. However, a Met Office official said local conditions around high-rise sites can be very different from those on an open airfield.

One industry source also pointed out that if a luffing tower crane turns into the wind and raises its jib, the wind effect is substantially increased. 'It also depends on what, if anything, the crane is lifting,' the source said. 'If it is something like formwork, the windage can be considerable.'

The inquest was held at the Liverpool Coroner's Court in July 2008 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) principal specialist inspector Geoff Frackelton told the court how the 39m-high crane was lifting a light load when a short gust of wind blew back the lifting jib of the crane. This caused the 18mm steel rope on the Spanish-built machine, belonging to Norfolk-based Falcon Cranes, to come off a pulley and become tangled.

The court heard that the six-year-old crane was also fitted with an alarm set to sound if there was a gust of wind above the safe operating level of 70kmph lasting more than three seconds.

Several witnesses confirmed that no alarm sounded, and inspectors concluded that the gust must have been about 82kmph but lasted only one second.

The crane driver, Barry Walker, was unaware of the tangled rope and when he tried to lower the crane the 6-tonne steel jib collapsed to the ground. As the jib broke loose the crane became immediately unbalanced and the entire tower was pulled over, sending five 2.5-tonne concrete counterweights plunging to the ground.

The crane driver escaped serious injury but one of the five counterweight slabs hit Zbigniew.

Mr Frackelton showed the jury a computer-animated reconstruction of the incident. He said 'Three experts have concluded that the crane is likely to have been hit with a gust of wind 10kmph above its limit, but only for a second. This would not sound an alarm to alert the driver… It is this gust of wind that pushed the crane jib, which was in a near vertical position too far back, forcing the rope out of its pulley.

'All cranes have to meet European safety standards which have a clause that states a safety bar is positioned across the pulleys to prevent the ropes coming loose. We found the crane satisfied all the standards for its use in this country. This was the proper crane for the job, properly set up and correctly used according to the European standards.'

He added, 'On this crane the safety measures included a bar which left a 4mm gap between the pulley and the bar. In exceptional circumstances the rope can become so taught that it can flatten out and would fit through this gap. These cranes are still being sold and still being used with no changes to the safety standards. We can’t control the wind and if it has happened once it can happen again.'

The Liverpool coroner, Andre Rebello, is to write to the responsible government minister, under section 43 of the Coroner's Rules, to alert him to the danger. Rebello said, 'I will be writing to Lord McKenzie, who is the under-parliamentary secretary of state for work and pensions, regarding the safety standards of the crane. It is up to him to decide whether to raise this matter with the European safety authorities.'

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Paul Williams

Paul died in Arrowe Park Hospital after suffering serious burns Horrified neighbours saw Paul ablaze on a building site in the garden of an empty former nursing home in Wallasey.

A joint investigation into the blaze was launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), police and fire service.

An inquest was held at the Wirral Coroner's Court on 24 January 2008 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

The inquest heard the day before he died Paul had been burning waste in the back of the building he was helping renovate with other workers and John Berkley, a director of Loango Estates, which owned the building.

Mr Berkley, whose company owns around 50 rented properties, said he had left Paul working upstairs. In a statement, he admitted his company had no specific health and safety plan documented for the renovation work at that property.

HSE inspector Nicholas Rigby told the inquest he served two orders on Loango Estates regarding the safety plan and fire regulations after being called in to investigate the fire, and consultants were brought in by the company to comply with these.

Graham Atkinson, principal scientific officer for the HSE, told the inquest tests on scraps of fabric recovered from the nursing home garden had shown the overall worn by Paul could have ignited easily, despite having been treated with fire retardant.

He said there was no evidence petrol or anything similar had been used to start the fires in the braziers where the rubbish was burnt, or had contaminated Paul’s clothes. He said repeated washing of the overalls had probably washed out the fire retardant, allowing them to be easily ignited, and recommended others be warned of this risk.

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Keith Wharton

Keith was killed when metal sheets fell from a crane and crushed him as he was working in a factory on Kirkby Industrial Estate. A colleague was taken to Fazakerley Hospital with a broken neck and leg. Other employees were missed by inches.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident at Stackright, which manufactures steel anti-vandal accommodation.

A HSE spokeswoman said the incident was of a different nature to the three other crane death accidents that had occurred in Merseyside in the last year. She said, '... the Kirkby incident is not like the others that have been reported. This occurred in a factory, and involved something falling from the overhead crane.'

An inquest was held at the Liverpool Coroner's Court on 7 November 2007 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned.

On 16 April 2008 MRX Engineering Support Services Ltd, trading as Stackright Building Systems of Charleywood Road, Kirby was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £16,941 costs at Liverpool Crown Court for breaching S 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in that it failed to ensure the safety of it's employees. The company pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Knowsley Magistrates Court.

HSE Inspector Iain Evans who investigated the incident said, 'Keith Wharton should not have died. His was an avoidable, pointless and unnecessary death in an environment where there were numerous safety issues. If the company which employed him had dutifully exercised its responsibility to ensure their safety, his family would not be here at court today grieving their loss. There is a very clear responsibility on employers and managers to safeguard their workers. There is plenty of advice and guidance within industry and from HSE on how to comply with the law. The failure to do so in this instance cost one man his life, and seriously injured his colleague.'

The court heard that the Keith was killed and Mr Cansfield seriously injured when a steel lifting frame weighing more than half a ton fell from an overhead crane. There was no safety catch on the hook of the crane, which could have prevented the load from falling. The company should not have allowed loads to be moved over people's heads and the crane operators had not been adequately trained in its safe use.

Keith's widow Margaret, speaking after the verdict, claimed everyone at the factory was aware of safety problems. She said, 'We knew it was an accident waiting to happen. Keith would often talk about the problems. We all knew there were safety risks. It should not take the death of my husband for action to be taken. There were such simple steps that could have been taken and if they had been, Keith would be here today.'

Margaret Wharton added, 'This fine is just buttons to them. Nothing will bring Keith back, but I want the fellows at the factory to be safe. No one should have to go through what I went through and am going through.'

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Richard Thornton

Richard was killed when he was trapped under a fallen crane. He was said to have died instantly when the mobile crane in Wavertree Technology Park buckled and collapsed
A post mortem revealed Richard died of multiple injuries.

Richard was employed as a banksman to stand on the ground and guide the driver of the crane. The incident happened as workers were building an extension to food distribution warehouse, SHS International.

Main contractor was Thermal Transfer Ltd, Derbyshire, who sub-contracted the steel erection to Site Weld Ltd, Preston. Site Weld had in turn sub-contracted to Harry Peers Steelwork, Bolton.

The inquest opened at the Liverpool Coroner's Court in July 2008 but on 14 July Liverpool Coroner Andre Rebello dismissed the jury after hearing new evidence had come to light that might prejudice what had already been heard.

Mr Rebello said the new evidence required further investigation, possibly taking months. He offered his condolences to Richard's family, saying, 'It is most unfortunate we cannot proceed and enable closure for Mr Thornton's loved ones. However, for true closure, the real truth must come out.'

Mr Rebello scheduled another hearing for October 14 2008.

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Hugh Lamont

Hugh, a lorry driver, died after his HGV backed into a Merseyside dock. Hugh's body was hauled out of the water by police divers after the 12-tonne vehicle became submerged at the Gladstone Dock in Seaforth.

Emergency services including lifeboat crews, paramedics, Merseyside police and the Port of Liverpool police attended the scene.

Witnesses working at the dock speculated whether the driver might have fallen ill at the wheel after they saw the lorry reverse into the water.

Inspector Colin Lewis of Merseyside police saw the incident from the force’s helicopter, which happened to be passing overhead. 'An HGV carrying a container was backing up along the quayside and somehow after that it went into the water. The question is why that happened. It’s only the second such incident I’ve seen along the Mersey waterfront in two years.'

Inspector Lewis confirmed collision investigators were at the scene and that the lorry had been taken away for safety checks. He said the findings of a post mortem carried out were 'consistent with witness reports'.

The inquest was held at the Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Coroner's Court on 24 November 2008 when a narrative verdict was returned.

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Karl Davies

Karl, a labourer from Sunderland, fell through a scaffolding barrier while loading a waste chute at the site of Everton FC's new training ground on 27 February.

Karl was treated for serious head and neck injuries and a punctured lung in the intensive care unit of Whiston Hospital where he died 12 weeks after the incident.

An inquest was due to be held at the Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Coroner's Court.

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Frederick Gelhardt

Frederick, a self-employed builder, was re-roofing an out-building at domestic premises in Melling. He slipped through rafters and fell suffering head injuries. Frederick died in hospital two days later.

The inquest was held at the Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Coroner's Court on 24 November 2008 when a verdict of 'Accidental Death' was returned..

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Abdo Sa'eed al-Selwi

Abdo Saeed was shot in the chest at Carol's newsagent in Page Moss Parade, Knowsley. Abdo was found by a customer but died at the scene a short time later.

A 37-year-old man from the Dovecot area was arrested by police on suspicion of murder and sectioned under the mental health act.

In June 2008 Ronald Higgins was charged with killing Abdo , attempted robbery and firearms offences.

Any inquest would be held at the Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens Coroner's Court.

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