A STEEL erector plunged nearly 50ft to his death in Middlewich when a roof he was working on collapsed without warning.

A colleague survived the horrific accident at British Salt because he was able to hang on to a metal plate suspended in mid-air by a crane, an inquest heard at Warrington.

While 48-year-old Ian Plews was dying from his injuries sustained during the incident at the Booth Lane factory, William Hughes managed to pull himself to safety.

Mr Hughes, now aged 65 and retired, of Ellesmere Port, described how he heard a loud bang while he was working on the roof of a new storage tank being built at the salt factory.

"We were fitting the last piece of the roof when there was a loud bang. I was left hanging on to the metal plate by my finger tips as Ian disappeared below. I managed to hang on and pull myself up. I was very lucky."

Mr Hughes said he had worked as a steel erector for more than 45 years and was working for Wirral-based McTay Engineering.

Although he had signed a document stating he had read a health and safety document on work practice, Mr Hughes admitted he hadn't read the details.

"After being in the job for 45 years it was just a formality," he said.

Mr Hughes told the inquest that when he arrived at the job there was no sign of any safety harness or equipment.

But the inquest heard Mr Plews, who was acting as a charge hand, had signed a safety certificate when he arrived on the job, stating he had taken receipt of safety harnesses.

But Mr Hughes added: "When we were on the roof, there was nowhere to fit a safety harness. If we had worn one and fallen we would have still smashed into the sides.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Martin Holden said he did not consider the procedure of fitting the roof to be safe. A supporting 'king post' had been removed before 'metal plates,' which formed the roof, had been securely welded.

He said there was no evidence of fixed safety lines or harnesses.

"In my opinion if he had been wearing a line or harness he would not have fallen to his death," said Mr Holden.

Coroner John Hibbert said: "Here we appear to have a situation where the roof normally can bare someone's weight but it didn't on this occasion with tragic consequences.

"In my opinion it is clear that a supporting king post should remain in position until the roof is completed and secure."

A jury returned a verdict of accidental death after hearing Mr Plews, of Fife, Scotland, had died from a fractured skull following the fall on September 4 last year.

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