‘Reasonable progress’ is being made on the Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate’s investigation following the death of mechanical engineer Gareth Sowden.
That’s according to head of the government inspectorate, Bernard Warden.
Mr Sowden, aged 55, of Douglas, was working at a sewage treatment site in Balleira Road, Kirk Michael, at the time of the fatal incident on May 1.
Mr Warden said: ‘At the moment, interviews are progressing well. There are quite a large number of organisations involved, it’s a complicated investigation.’
He said interviews had taken place both on and off-island for several weeks, adding: ‘They will be ongoing for a number of weeks, maybe a number of months.’
At the investigation’s outset, Mr Warden said he expected it would take six months to complete. Three months in, he said: ‘We hope to have all the interviews completed by the six months but we can’t give any guarantees on that.’
The main objectives of the Inspectorate’s work are to identify any lessons that need to be learned to ensure the risk of another accident happening in the future are minimised. In addition, it’s their aim to establish the level of compliance with the relevant health and safety legislation.
Once the investigation is completed, a report will be submitted to the coroner.
When Coroner John Needham opened the inquest into Mr Sowden’s death in May, he heard he died from multiple injuries after a container came down on him.
The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority contracted out its project to redevelop the sewage treatment works at Kirk Michael.
It involves the plant being replaced by two Integral Rotating Biological Contactor (IRBC) plants.