Expert tells court of risks at tragedy blast wood mill

A MILL where four workers were killed in an explosion had a “superficial” risk assessment and a build-up of dangerous wood dust, an expert has told a court.

Cleaner Dorothy Bailey, 62, maintenance fitter Derek William Barks, known as Will, 51, mill worker Derek Moore, 62, and chargehand Jason Shingler, 38, died in the explosion at the Wood Treatment Ltd mill in Bosley, Cheshire, on July 17 2015.

Wood Treatment Ltd and mill owner George Boden, 65, deny their manslaughter.

Giving evidence at the Nightingale court at Chester Town Hall yesterday, principal safety inspector Sam Summerfield told the jury there was a “very large gap” between the procedures which should have been carried out at the mill and what actually happened.

He said: “The risk of there being a major explosion is high because of the big gap there exists”

He told the court it was likely the explosion was caused by an “initiating incident” within the mill and then there was a secondary blast, caused by a build-up of wood dust.

He said: “There is evidence that we have seen and heard in regard to accumulation of amounts of dust within the mill over an extended period of time.

“It wasn’t everywhere all the time but for long periods of time there was enough there.”

Mr Summerfield told the court wood dust was a dangerous substance, but the court has heard evidence from former workers of “mounds” of sawdust in areas.

When asked about the control measures in place to stop an explosion, Mr Summerfield said: “Overall, the picture is not good.”

He said the risk assessment was “superficial” and there was no evidence there had been any consideration of safety processes when changes were made to the plant after it was bought by Boden and his two brothers in 2008.