Sponsored by
Man died after inhaling ammonia fumes at work
A Wigan cold storage company has been ordered to pay out £41,116, following an incident in which a man was killed.
Engineer Alan Golden, 54, died following a massive leak of ammonia at the Golborne premises of Cold Move Ltd on September 27, 2005.
The firm, which also has premises in Oswestry, admitted five breaches of Health and Safety regulations, in a case brought by Wigan Council's environmental health officers.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the breaches included failing to install a self-closing valve on the three oldest compressers, including the one that Mr Golden, who had asked for specialist training, had been working on.
Another involved failing to maintain breathing apparatus at the site.
The court heard that another employee donned the equipment and bravely made repeated attempts to find Mr Golden but was unable to do so because of the lethal fumes, which formed a thick fog, and because there was insufficient oxygen in the tank.
The court heard Mr Golden would have died almost immediately after inhaling the ammonia fumes while draining oil from a compressor.
Sentencing the firm, which has no previous convictions, Judge Nigel Gilmour, QC, said that the precise circumstances that led to the death of Mr Golden, of Holbache Road, Oswestry, were unclear.
"It is accepted that it cannot be established that any of the admitted breaches were causative of Mr Golden's death," he said.
He fined the firm 35,000 and ordered them to pay the prosecution costs of 6,116.
The victim's widow, Christine, who was accompanied by friends and relatives, sobbed as the judge said no price could be put on the life of Mr Golden, a hard-working devoted family man, and he would be sorely missed, particularly by those who loved him.
Judge Gilmour praised Mr Golden's colleague, Philip Walsh, who made repeated efforts to find him and also another colleague, Mr Washington, who also helped in the search.
Both men were taken to hospital and needed oxygen treatment.
The court heard Mr Golden would have died almost immediately after inhaling ammonia fumes while draining oil from a compressor.
Simon Antrobus, for Cold Move Ltd, said the company had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, prior to the accident they had a good safety record and he outlined improvements that had been made.
After the case the victim' s wife and family said they welcomed the conviction.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wigan
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
