Father and son died in a tragic accident while working on a 21-storey building.

A tragic accident claimed the lives of a father and son while they were working on a construction site in Liverpool. David Bottomley, 53, and his 17-year-old son Clayton were on a platform standing 21 storeys high when it suddenly collapsed due to a brake failure. The incident occurred on May 19, 2021, at the Unity Building in the heart of the city.

The two were employed by a construction company and Clayton had been working there for six months as part of his apprenticeship. As witnesses reported, the platform started making clicking noises, similar to a rollercoaster, before plummeting to the seventh floor. Thomas Blanchfield, who was working in the tower at the time, described the terrifying moment as he saw the platform drop uncontrollably. "There were about four to six clicks before it went into free-fall," he recalled.

Investigations revealed that the brakes had disconnected due to the failure of the pinion shafts in the machine's gearboxes. It was also reported that a second pinion shaft had failed, causing the platform to descend under its own weight. A Health and Safety Executive inspector stated that this failure was due to "fatigue."

It was also revealed that the construction company had been using these platforms for at least five years and they were checked daily. However, it was later discovered that a crucial brake test was not being performed as staff had not been given a manual. This daily check was meant to ensure the safety of the workers and the equipment. Paul Shah, a project manager for the site operators, Laing O'Rourke, explained that the daily check mainly involved a visual inspection and a function test of the up and down switches.

Sadly, David Bottomley was pronounced dead at the scene, while Clayton was rushed to Aintree Hospital's intensive care unit. He fought for four days but ultimately succumbed to "severe, irreversible, and unsurvivable brain damage." The inquest concluded that their deaths were accidental. Coroner Johanna Thompson noted that all the daily and weekly checks had been completed as per the provided checklist, and no issues were found. However, the failure of the pinion shafts in the gearboxes caused the brakes to disconnect, leading to the tragic incident.

The loss of David and Clayton was a devastating blow for their family and loved ones. They were hardworking individuals who were simply doing their job. The lack of proper maintenance and a missed daily brake test resulted in a catastrophic accident that claimed two innocent lives. May their souls rest in peace.

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