Cameron Taylor death: Coroner rules racking collapse accidental

The death of a young landscaper killed by collapsing racking was accidental, a coroner has concluded.

Cameron Taylor, 20, was crushed at Coombe and Sharpe Landscaping in Workington in January 2021.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said there were "too many unknowns" to say what probably happened but brittle screws could have contributed.

Cumbria coroner Kirsty Gomersal said the exact cause of the collapse could not be ascertained.

The inquest heard Mr Taylor, a passionate and popular rugby player, had worked as a yard assistant at the landscaping's firm's Lillyhall Industrial site for six months.

On 14 January 2021 he followed the design and instruction of his line manager Philip Duggan to build a large rack for long lengths of timber, then loaded the middle shelf with about two tonnes of wood.

The following morning he was loading the bottom rack when the middle shelf collapsed on to him, fatally crushing him.

HSE lead investigator Michael Griffiths said the wood used to build the rack "more than passed" all safety tests but an "anomaly" was found in the screws holding the frame together and bearing the weight of the wood and shelves.

He said HSE scientists concluded the screws "likely" suffered from a condition called hydrogen embrittlement and their "failure could have contributed to the collapse of the rack".

But he said they could only say it was possible the screws contributed rather than probable, adding there were "too many unknown" factors.

Ms Gomersal said Mr Taylor was a "much loved, respected and missed young man", adding he had had a "bright future ahead of him".

She said he was "excelling" at his work and was a passionate rugby player, adding he was highly thought of by everyone who knew him.

She said his death was caused by asphyxia due to crush injuries and returned a verdict that his death was accidental.

Ms Gomersal said the racking was no longer used but the HSE would be looking further at the issue of the screws.

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Taylor's aunt Lauren Allan said there had been "no winners" and it was clear everyone involved had been impacted heavily by his death.

She said she still had questions about "planning and management of risk" but the family's main wish was the case caused all employers and young, inexperienced workers, to have proper consideration for health and safety.

"We do not want it to happen to anybody else," she said, adding they did not want his death to be "for nothing".

Ms Allan said companies needed to create environments where staff felt comfortable asking for instructions or help, while safety should be at the "forefront" of everybody's mind.

She said too often people used the fact they had done things a certain way for years as an "anchor" when really there were always opportunities to learn new things and adapt business practices.

Ms Allan said the family would do as much as they could to remember Mr Taylor, adding a bench had been installed at Kells Rugby Club where he played, with a game to be held each year in his memory.

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