A health and safety inspector said a company fell "far below" what was expected of them before the death of a Beccles factory worker.

Nathan Hook, from Lowestoft, suffered a severe head injury in an industrial incident at Berry M&H Plastics in Beccles on October 7, 2021.

An inquest, taking place at Suffolk Coroner's Court in Ipswich, heard evidence from Health and Safety Executive inspector Natalie Prince, who said the company's lack of training or refresher offered, and a failure to communicate work instructions and risk assessments, "fell far below what we would expect for a company of this size."

Lowestoft Journal: Nathan Hook died after an industrial incident at Berry M&H in BecclesNathan Hook died after an industrial incident at Berry M&H in Beccles (Image: Courtesy of Nathan Hook's family)

The inquest had previously heard Mr Hook had been using a Colchester Mastiff 1400 Lathe when his clothing became caught in the machine.

At the time of the incident, the 34-year-old had been hand polishing a workpiece using emery cloth - a method which went against company policy. 

Eight members of staff were unaware of a work instruction prohibiting the use of emery cloth by hand on a lathe, the inquest heard.

Mrs Prince said: "We would expect to see a suitable risk assessment to be carried out for the work in question.

"That risk assessment should identify hazards, how they might harm someone and who, and the potential severity of them.

"That should inform a safe way to work and should be communicated to employees, as well as checks to ensure they have understood.

"For certain pieces of work equipment, there is a statutory requirement for training and refresher course. That doesn't apply to a lathe, but I would expect the company to make an assessment of training that had been provided previously, for example at college, and not to assume what has been included in that training."

Mr Hook's supervisor James Fisher previously told the inquest using emery cloth by hand on a lathe was "unacceptable and dangerous".

Tooling engineer Anthony White, however, told jurors on Monday that the method was "common practice", although others disputed this.

The inquest, taking place before a jury, continues.