Two pest control workers suffocated after a nitrogen gas leak at a Norfolk poultry plant, a court has heard.
The frozen bodies of Neil Moon, 49, and Jonathan Collins, 34, were discovered in a narrow passageway at Banham Poultry in Attleborough on October 4, 2018. The men had been treating the facility for rodents when a buildup of odourless nitrogen caused their deaths.
Discovery and Cause of Deaths
Families raised alarms when the workers failed to return home that evening, prompting a search. Rescuers found the men at 1 a.m. in a one-person-wide gap between the factory and nearby railway tracks, their hands and faces frozen.
Prosecutor Craig Hassall KC explained that nitrogen from a safe chill system, used to cool slaughtered chickens, leaked into the passageway. A duct designed to vent the gas to the roof chimney had detached and fallen, releasing concentrated nitrogen directly into the confined space.
“When these men entered the passageway, ducting had become detached, pumping concentrated nitrogen into a narrow space,” Hassall stated. “Ultimately, they were killed by a colourless, odourless gas. When they walked into the passageway, they were given no warning of the risks.”
Court Proceedings and Company Admissions
Norfolk Crown Court heard that Ecolab contractors arrived at 8:30 a.m. and appeared alive on CCTV until 11:40 a.m. Banham Poultry and Air Products Limited admitted health and safety breaches that caused the fatalities.
The safe chill system was installed in May 2017. Concerns arose over nitrogen mist drifting onto railway tracks, leading to modifications in September 2017, January 2018, and April 2018, including extra exhaust ducts. However, these changes lacked proper oversight, and the added ducting proved insufficiently secure.
Hassall described the companies’ approaches as “cavalier,” noting lax safety protocols. No records tracked Moon’s site presence, and Collins, who signed in, had no exit log. Banham Poultry, once employing 900 people, entered administration later that year and remains in liquidation.
Families’ Heartfelt Tributes
At the sentencing hearing, relatives honored the victims. Neil Moon’s wife, Gillian, who was pregnant at the time, called him a “calm and easy-going person” who would “do anything for anyone.”
“My life stopped but I had to find the strength to carry on for our son,” she said. “The careless and reckless actions of those responsible have had catastrophic consequences.”
Daughter Dakota described Moon as an “amazing father” and “kind and caring man just doing his job.” “They were robbed of their lives,” she added.
Jonathan Collins’ fiancée, Sara Dutton, portrayed him as a “strong and devoted family man” who cherished his children, then aged one, four, and six. He had anticipated a new job, home, and marriage.
“My life and the lives of my children changed forever,” Dutton stated. “Our grief has not diminished over time. I have had seven years just treading water. Not really living, just waiting for the truth.”
The hearing continues over two days.
