Annex
EXAMPLES OF HSE INTERVENTIONS IN RECRUIT
TRAINING INCIDENTS
ROYAL MARINES
1. Death of Junior Marine Burton
Junior Marine Burton, aged 16, was drowned in
the Dartmoor training area on 15 October 1998. Whilst on a training
exercise, he was one of a group of recruits who were required
to cross a pool approximately 5 metres deep. He swam into the
middle of the pool with his pack and weapon, but appeared to get
into difficulties and sank below the water. His colleagues and
the instructors attempted to locate him, but failed, and his body
was later recovered by a naval diver.
The HSE investigated and identified significant
failures in the way in which the exercise had been planned and
in particular how new training elements were introduced. The arrangements
for conducting a water crossing exercise of this sort were not
in accordance with practise elsewhere in the armed forces. These
concerns were subsequently discussed at a meeting with senior
officers at HQ Royal Marines and an action plan agreed in order
to try and prevent a reoccurrence. Enforcement action was left
to the services' own prosecuting authorities.
2. Death of Junior Marine Richards
Junior Marine Richards, aged 17, was fatally
shot whilst on a training exercise on Woodbury Common, Devon on
31 March 2000. Security procedures required a designated armed
sentry to be present throughout the exercise, and members of the
training team took it in turns to do so.
As part of the exercise the instructors acted
as the enemy during a simulated night-time attack on the camp,
which involved the use of blank ammunition. Somehow live rounds
were loaded into one of the weapons and a number were discharged,
two of which struck and killed Junior Marine Richards.
A police investigation resulted in the submission
of a file to CPS for consideration of manslaughter charges. CPS
did not support any action under criminal law. Subsequently the
investigation was taken over by the HSE working with the Royal
Military Police's Special Investigation Branch. Enforcement action
under military law has been taken against service personnel involved
in this incident. HSE is currently considering whether any further
enforcement action is appropriate.
ARMY
3. Near drowning at Army Training Regiment
In March 2003 HSE was notified of a near drowning
incident during a swimming lesson for Phase 1 recruits at the
Army Training Regiment [ATR] at Sir John Moore Barracks, Winchester.
A joint investigation with the Army's Investigation Team [known
as LAIT], was carried out.
It was established that on the day in question,
A Tpr Mahoney was in a class of 32 [11 Platoon] taking part in
a swimming lesson. It is known that he had completed the first
part of the swimming lesson. It was only after the final part
of this lesson was complete, and 11 Platoon was in the process
of leaving the pool, that A Tpr Mahoney was noticed lying on the
bottom in the deepest part of the pool. Trooper Mahoney's apparently
lifeless body was recovered from the pool by a civilian Instructing
Officer who applied CPR and managed to revive him and remained
with A Tpr Mahoney until the emergency services took over.
The joint HSE/LAIT investigation highlighted
a number of minor weaknesses with the organisation and controls
for managing safety at ATR Winchester. These were rapidly addressed
by the Commanding Officer and management team at the ATR.
There were, however, more serious, underlying
issues outside the direct control of ATR Winchester, the most
significant being a major shortfall in the number of suitably
qualified PTIs available for duty within all of the ATRs based
in the UK, and which could have a detrimental impact on safety
cover for recruits taking part in those activities.
A Crown Improvement Notice was served on the
Director General of ATRA, which required these particular matters
to be remedied.
May 2004
| 
