AN apprentice engineer died from “toxic gases” in the engine room of a fishing trawler – as his mum shares a heartbreaking tribute.
Conor Moseley, 20, died on board the Resurgam in November 2019 while it was moored in Newlyn Harbour in Cornwall.
Conor and three other workers were carrying out work on the vessel – a fishing boat owned and operated by W. Stevenson & Sons Limited – on 15 November when the tragedy unfolded.
He had inhaled aerosol from the fire suppression system that unexpectedly activated after being installed in the crowded engine room.
The Health and Safety Executive said the fire suppression systemm installed by Ocean Engineering (Fire) Ltd, activated without warning and filled the engine room with hot, toxic gases, creating dangerous conditions and making it difficult to see.
On Thursday, Stevenson and Sons was fined a total of £100,000 with a further £27,906 in costs after a hearing.
The small, enclosed engine room had only one way in and out.
Workers had to climb a ladder and pass through a hatch one at a time, passing through a gas jet in excess of 75°C.
The other workers managed to climb out, but Conor was overcome by carbon monoxide and other substances, leaving him unable to escape.
Conor’s colleagues tried to rescue him but they were unable to reach him.
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service later rescued Conor from the engine room, but he could not be revived.
Truro Crown Court heard that health and safety failings included no evacuation plan or sufficient leadership.
Conor’s mother Tracy Moseley said she was not allowed to hold her son as he lay dying on the ship and his death has left a hole in their lives which will never be filled.
Speaking after the case, she also reflected on her son’s life and the impact his death has had on them.
She said: “Growing up Conor loved nothing better than helping out on his dad’s boat.
“Conor always made himself available to help his father when he came in from sea and would be ready to help him land his catch even after a full day’s work.
“Now for Steve, my husband, there is just an empty place that cannot be filled.
“All we have now are his ashes which are kept in his bedroom. Every morning I go in and say, ‘morning little man I love you’ and blow him a kiss. I never say ‘good morning’ as it can never be a good morning without him.
“At night I blow him a kiss and say ‘night night little man, I love you’.”
An investigation by the HSE found that the risks created by several contractors working in the cramped engine room had not been properly considered.
One contractor described the room as a mess, with poor lighting and trip hazards, and said that at one point six or seven people were working in the space. One witness described it as chaos.
There was no safe system of work for installing the fire suppression system and no effective emergency plan.
The HSE said a permit-to-work system could have been used to coordinate the different activities and ensure they were carried out safely.
It said its code of practice also highlights the need for parties to work together and have an overall written plan covering responsibilities, shared risks and emergency arrangements.