A ‘loving and wonderful’ father died after a horrific workplace accident.
On November 30, 2016, 37-year-old father-of-four Michael Densmore from Halewood was erecting scaffolding at a chemical factory in Northwich. During the task, he stepped over a trough containing a liquid chemical, calcium hydroxide (commonly known as ‘milk of lime’) that had been heated to about 90 degrees Celsius.
His right foot slipped on a loosened lid covering the trough, resulting in chemical and thermal burns to his foot and ankle. Michael was flown to the burn unit at Whiston Hospital, where he received specialist treatment and underwent surgery on December 8, being discharged just over a week later.
READ NEXT: Father ‘furious’ because school issues ‘bizarre’ uniform ban
READ NEXT: Intended target of shooting of injured girl, 9, linked to group behind £4 billion cocaine plot in Liverpool
However, on January 3, 2017, he suffered a hemorrhage in his right foot at home. He was rushed to hospital but later died. The father was one of a number of scaffolders employed by Altrad NSG to erect scaffolding at Tata Chemicals Europe Limited’s Lostock Hall site.
In a statement from his family, Michael was described as “a loving and wonderful role model” to his sons and two nieces.
They said: “Our lives fell apart and haven’t been the same since that terrible day. No one should have to lose someone they love due to an accident at work.
“A mother should never have to resuscitate her own son, and a partner should never tell her children that their father won’t be coming home.
“Michael has missed so many life events over the past seven years, including missing his nieces having their own babies, his eldest son giving him a grandson, his youngest boys’ communions, to name a few.
‘What hurts us most is the fact that he will never be able to realize all the plans he had for his life, including marrying his Helen.
“The trauma we have all suffered as a family cannot really be put into words. We were once a small, happy, close-knit family, all living life to the fullest, with Michael as the leader, and now we are just about to get through it. every day.”
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that there was no permit for hazardous work at a living chemicals factory. Those responsible for staff safety had not sufficiently taken into account the associated risks.
Little careful consideration was given to the risks involved by those responsible for ensuring the safety of staff. Mr Densmore had only received a brief introduction when he started working at the site a few months earlier.
Crucially, he was not warned about the chemical flowing through the factory or that the trough lids were not properly closed. Tata employees had been seen working on or near the troughs, and there were no visible warning signs.
The investigation also uncovered previous prosecutions of Tata Chemicals Europe relating to health and safety failures at Lostock Hall and nearby Winnington Lane.
Tata Chemicals Europe Limited, of Winnington Lane, Northwich, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £1.125 million and sentenced to paying £60,603.54 in costs. at Chester Crown Court.
Speaking after the case, HSE Inspector Matt Lea said: “Businesses should learn from this incident if they have staff or contractors working in a similar environment and are aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those who fall under the required standards. standards.”
Don’t miss the biggest, most recent stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here