A LACK of training contributed to the deaths to two East Lancashire engineers who were dragged into machinery at a Merseyside chipboard factory, an inquest jury has ruled.

Jurors at a Bootle inquest found that Thomas Elmer, 27, and James Bibby, 25, had been shown how to isolate a conveyor leading to a silo at the Sonae plant in Kirkby.

But in a narrative verdict, it was said that they had not been given a physical demonstration of how to isolate the machinery or been given specific training before they were pulled into the machinery and fatally injured on December 2010.

Returning their verdict, the jury said: “It is our view that the death of each man was the result of a failure to adopt appropriate procedures.”

The Health and Safety Executive will now consider whether Sonae should face criminal charges over the deaths of the pair, who both hailed from Waterfoot.

The workmates had been employed by Haslingden-based Metso to undertake maintenance work on the silo, which contained ‘powerful steel chain conveyors’.

An inquest heard that a sensor had been triggered in the machinery, for an unknown reason, which had caused the conveyor to restart.

The conveyor remained operational for around five minutes before a worker realised it should have been shut off.

Mr Elmer and Mr Bibby were reported missing and were later found in an overflow silo.

Specialist mechanical inspector John Moutrie told the hearing that the responsibility for isolating the equipment should have rested with Sonae, not an outside contractor.

Speaking after the case, a HSE spokesman said: “We are carrying out a thorough investigation into the deaths of James Bibby and Thomas Elmer and will now carefully consider the inquest’s findings before deciding whether it is appropriate to bring criminal charges.”

A Sonae spokesman said: “Sonae had a permit to work system in place, which had it been followed would have prevented the tragic accident.

“It will be of little consolation but our thoughts remain with the families of Thomas Elmer and James Bibby.”

The plant, which also saw the August 2011 death of demolition contractor James Kay, closed last September.