Son witnessed father being crushed to death at steelworks

A six-day hearing into the death of Michael Dwyer, who was killed in March last year after steel pillars fell on him at RS Bruce in Sheffield, found he had not received ‘sufficient instruction’ on the task he was performing at the time.

The inquest heard how Mr Dwyer, aged 48, began struggling to breathe when he became trapped against a shipping container while he was cutting up the casting. His son Jordan, aged 21, had to look on in horror as his father suffocated.

Jurors concluded that despite health and safety concerns, he was never given orders not to do the work and a A narrative verdict was recorded at Sheffield Coroner’s Court.

Now his widow Marie, 47, of Gleadless, Sheffield has asked her legal team to investigate the circumstances further - and called for his former employer to enforce tighter health and safety regulations to prevent further accidents.

She said: “We miss Michael every single day. The whole family has been left heartbroken by his death and we are all struggling to come to terms with it.

“When my husband left for work that day I never imagined that he wouldn’t be returning home. I wouldn’t want any family to suffer how we have.

“The inquest was incredibly emotional for us all but the process has provided much needed answers to our questions about Michael’s death..”

The family’s lawyer Joanne Witherington, of Irwin Mitchell, said: “We are investigating the accident further and “The family know nothing can ever bring Michael back but it is vital that health and safety is a priority for all businesses to prevent further incidents.”

RS Bruce was unable to provide The Yorkshire Post with a comment before going to press.