Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust and Imperial College London were each fined a five-figure sum after a man suffocated and died at work.

Lab worker Damian Bowen was asphyxiated whilst working with liquid nitrogen, at St Stephens Centre Laboratory, in Fulham Road, owned by Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust, Southwark Crown Court heard.

He lost his life whilst decanting liquid nitrogen which he was using to freeze blood samples for transport - but his death could have been prevented.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on October 23 2011, found the local exhaust ventilation provided to extract dangerous substances, such as liquid nitrogen, had been switched off.

The investigation found that Mr Bowen’s death could have been prevented if the extraction system had been switched on.

HSE inspector Anne Gloor said: "Liquid nitrogen, rapidly expands as a gas, replacing the oxygen in a room and creating a situation where life cannot be sustained.

"Mr Bowen was working alone with liquid nitrogen in a small room without any extraction.

"If the extraction system had been switched on, Mr Bowen would not have died.

"There should have been a system in place to prevent the extraction being switched off, a proper system of maintaining the equipment and clear arrangements for preventing lone working with liquid nitrogen."

Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive carried out an investigation

Imperial College London had undertaken work for the International Aids Vaccine Institute in the rooms it occupied in the same laboratory suite.

The prestigious university also rented the room and owned the liquid nitrogen store there.

Chelsea & Westminster NHS Trust pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) and Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £23,069.19 on Tuesday (December 12).

Imperial College London pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) and Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and has been fined £70,000 and ordered to pay costs of £23,069.19.

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