Robert Geach drowned at a South West Water filtration tank
No risk assessment was done for an operation which may have led to the death of a man at a Cornish sewage treatment plant, an inquest has heard.
Robert Geach fell into a filtration tank at the Falmouth Water Treatment Works in December 2013.
A colleague told the hearing he was not aware of any risk assessment linked to Mr Geach's job at the time, which was unblocking filters above the tank.
The inquest in Truro heard the South West Water employee drowned.
The hearing was told the maintenance procedure Mr Geach was carrying out involved the opening of a safety hatch.
But when questioned by legal counsel for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), a colleague of Mr Geach said he was not aware of any risk assessment being undertaken.
South West Water colleague Peter Colley said workers had been given personal alarms since Mr Geach's death.
The inquest heard new personal alarms had been introduced at the treatment plant
He told the inquest that Mr Geach was unblocking a sand filter, which involved removing metal grating and operating valves positioned above the water in the tank.
Mr Colley said the gratings were now screwed down and a much smaller hatch installed to access the valves.
The inquest previously heard from Mr Geach's widow Sylvia who criticised South West Water's lone worker policy.
The inquest continues.
- Published9 November 2015
