Bridgnorth engineer killed in ammonia tragedy ‘quickly passed out’
An engineer killed by an ammonia leak at a brewery would have become “rapidly unconscious”, an inquest heard.
David Chandler, 45, from Bridgnorth, died at the Carlsberg plant in Northampton on November 9, 2016.
Coroner Philip Barlow said a post-mortem examination report concluded the project engineering manager died from “inhalation of ammonia”.
The report said he would have gone in to “respiratory arrest” and quickly passed out.
Chemical engineer Sarah Schumacher said guidelines should have led the company to have the “highest possible standard” of isolation on the compressor unit when toxic substances like ammonia were involved.
Jamie Davies, from the Health and Safety Executive, said he found an isolation valve in the pipework to the compressor had not been closed the time of the leak.
He added that a seal around a second valve had given way.
The inquest, at Northamptonshire Coroner’s Court, is set to resume on Monday.
