HSE 'toothless' over Covid-19 factory workers deaths inquiry

Dave Baxter's partner described him as a "kind and gentle man"

MPs have criticised the Health Safety Executive (HSE) as "toothless" for not carrying out a visit at a factory where three workers died from coronavirus.

Dave Baxter was one of the workers who died after an outbreak at food supplier Cranswick in Wombwell, near Barnsley.

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey said: "If they didn't do a site visit when three people died, what would it take?"

The HSE said it was operating its work remotely during the pandemic.

Mr Baxter, 55, and two other colleagues died after the outbreak in April.

The company said it had been implementing additional measures to protect staff since the end of February

Another 11 workers were diagnosed with the virus and seven were admitted to hospital.

Mr Baxter's partner, Leander Lupton, said measures to protect staff at the site had only been put in place after the deaths.

She said: "When he was in the back of the ambulance he asked me to let them know he wouldn't be going in - he didn't want to let them down.

"If they'd shown the same concern, they might still have a loyal, hardworking employee.

"My son would still have a dad and the world would still have a kind, gentle and giving man."

Mr Healey said he had been contacted by people concerned about the site and these were passed on to the HSE, but "their investigation went no further than getting emails from the company".

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Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley East, said it was "deeply concerning" the HSE had failed to visit the site.

A spokesperson for the HSE said inquiries into Cranswick Foods were ongoing and added: "We continue our ongoing dialogue with the Members of Parliament who have contacted us on this matter."

The HSE said it had received concerns relating to social distancing measures in place at the site but that inspectors had got in touch and concerns "were very quickly addressed by the company with minimal intervention from HSE".

Barnsley Council's director of Public Health, Julia Burrows, said she was "saddened" by the deaths and the authority had been working with the company since late April.

"Based on the information the company shared with us, we agreed that the measures they had put in place were suitable and sufficient at that time," she said.

The information gathered was shared with Public Health England (PHE) and with the HSE.

Cranswick Foods said that from the start of the pandemic it had implemented "additional measures to protect both the physical and mental wellbeing" of staff.

"All colleagues are also advised not to attend work if they have any symptoms," it added.

A company spokesperson said it had worked with various regulatory agencies including the HSE and Public Health England.

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