AN experienced Army officer who ran the course on which a soldier fatally collapsed on a hot day has told an inquest he had no formal health and safety training.
Corporal Joshua Hoole, described as “fit, capable and determined”, died within an hour of collapsing during an annual fitness test (AFT) at Brecon, Wales on July 19, 2016. The death of the 26-year-old, of Ecclefechan near Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, came three years after three Army reservists suffered fatal heat illness during an SAS selection march in the Brecon Beacons.
An inquest into Cpl Hoole’s death has already heard soldiers were aware it was to be “the hottest day of the year” and the march start time was brought forward, due to the weather.
Captain Colin Nufer, who has served more than 30 years in the Armed Forces, was the officer commanding (OC) of the Rifles’ Regimental Training team, which ran the AFT.
He criticised the Ministry of Defence (MOD) during the inquest for “blaming individuals”.
Capt Nufer signed off a risk assessment for the march and was asked about his understanding of a key Army health and safety document, which talks about heat injuries, known as JSP 539.
Senior coroner Louise Hunt asked Capt Nufer if he had ever had any training on how to produce a written risk assessment, including mitigating for heat illness.
The inquest previously heard from a heat illness expert that the assessment’s risk rating had been “calculated incorrectly”.
Capt Nufer said: “I had no formal [risk assessment] training on anything to do with activities.”
The officer added that the only formal training he ever had was to do with building safety.
He added that when he took over the position in charge of the training team earlier in 2016, nothing in the handover from his predecessor talked about producing risk assessments.
He said that he had had no formal training on JSP 539 either, although he read a copy after it was referred to in an internal email earlier in 2016 off the back of the three reservists’ deaths during SAS selection.
Capt Nufer said: “I did know it existed – I wasn’t familiar with it, and I wasn’t trained to interpret it.”
Later, he was asked questions by the Ministry of Defence’s barrister Dijen Basu QC but Capt Nufer began by saying “I wish to assist the inquiry but I’m going to find it very difficult to answer.
“I don’t trust him or the people he represents.”
The inquest continues.
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