Inquiry call over worker's death

Mr Jones was killed in a matter of seconds by the claw

The family of a student who died after his head was crushed in a mechanical claw are calling for a public inquiry in to his death.

The mother of Simon Jones, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, said his death, during a casual job, was "wholly avoidable" and the government should discover why he died.

The company in charge of the operation, Euromin, was fined £50,000 for safety breaches in November after an unsuccessful campaign by relatives for corporate manslaughter charges to be brought.

A campaign group is calling for a change in the law so that company directors are made responsible for safety in their firms.

'State duty'

The 24-year-old Sussex University student, who was on the first day of a casual job, died in April 1998 after he was crushed by the claw while unloading stones from a cargo ship at Shoreham docks, west Sussex.

The Old Bailey was told that the claw had closed prematurely after a worker's clothing accidentally became attached to a lever on a crane mechanism.

Judge David Stokes said the failure by Euromin to make a proper assessment of the unloading techniques involved was "lamentable".

Anne Jones, the dead student's mother, said: "Simon's death was wholly avoidable and if they failed to prevent an avoidable death it is the duty of the state to inquiry in to the reasons for the failure.

A wreath was laid at Euromin for Simon Jones

"We think this is good grounds for a public inquiry and such an inquiry could make the type of recommendations that are needed to protect workers in the future."

The Crown Prosecution Service originally decided not to bring criminal charges against the company because of a lack of evidence but the decision was quashed following a judicial review.

The decision to proceed was taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions following a meeting with the family.

A jury at the Old Bailey cleared general manager Richard Martell and Euromin Ltd of manslaughter but the company was found guilty of two breaches of health and safety regulations.

David Bergman, Director of the Centre for Corporate Accountability, said the group wants a change in the law to make company directors directly responsible for safety.

"It would mean directors would have a vested interest in the safety of their companies and would make it easier to hold directors to account," he said.