Overview
- At Norwich Crown Court, both firms have pleaded guilty to health and safety offences, with Tuesday’s first day of sentencing focused on emotional statements from the victims’ families.
- The prosecution says a duct from the plant’s nitrogen chilling system became detached and pumped colorless, odorless gas into a one-person-wide passage, causing the men to suffocate with no warning signs in place.
- The chilling system was installed in May 2017 and altered three times after mist drifted across nearby rail platforms, and prosecutors argue the added roof ducting was not robust and site safety records were lax.
- On Wednesday, Banham Poultry argued the failures were unforeseen and said it relied on its contractor, as the judge questioned why the company did not tighten oversight given the known hazards.
- Air Products apologized for its role, and the court heard unapproved work in April 2018 changed fittings so the duct was no longer fixed to the chimney and later slipped; Banham is now in liquidation and cannot pay any fine.