Patrycjusz Handzel, aged 24, suffered 80 per cent burns in the explosion at Transition International on Penistone Road, when his synthetic fibre top burnt for 12 minutes at boiling point on his skin.

A Sheffield inquest jury ruled that wearing a protective jacket and trousers would have "significantly improved the chances of survival".

They also found he had not received any induction training in the correct use of the gear, and highlighted errors in enforcing the safety uniform.

No warning signs had been put up in the workplace, there was a lack of disciplinary procedures for those flouting the rules, and there was a dependency on verbal instructions rather than written.

Mr Handzel, of Hinde House Lane, Firth Park, was working the night shift as a melter at the factory. His duties included loading scrap metal into an electric induction furnace in the foundry floor, but the jury found he had not received training warning him about the dangers of getting water or other contaminants inside the furnace.

Their narrative verdict said there was "no evidence of any written instructions given to the dangers of water or contaminants".

It added there were "conflicting oral procedures", instead of written ones, in place to prevent contaminants getting inside.

The jury found the probable cause of the fire was water inside the furnace from the drums of metal stored outside. That caused the "huge explosion", as described by co-worker Anthony Brough, who was the only other staff member on duty on the night of March 17 last year.

He said he found Mr Handzel, who came to Sheffield in 2006 from Szezecin in Poland, in a "ball of flames" on the floor close to the furnace.

One paramedic who attended at the scene said Mr Handzel was so badly burnt he only realised he was white when he took off his socks. He died three days later at the Northern General Hospital from multiple organ failure as a result of his burns. Mr Brough also told the hearing he was so concerned about health and safety issues at the factory - including the language barrier that existed between him and Mr Handzel - he had met his union rep for advice and wrote a letter to the firm's managing director.

After the inquest Andrzej Handzel, Patrycjusz's father, said he hoped lessons had been learned.

He said the jury's verdict was "faithful" and "full of justice" and added: "My son's death was a really terrible accident and I want lessons to be taken from it because the conditions in the foundry were not good.

"I would like the owners of the companies to put in efforts to improve them so more lives are not taken."

Speaking after the verdict, the company's legal representative said the necessary steps had been put in place following the tragedy and there was now more stringent record keeping on inductions, training and protective clothing.

An independent health and safety consultant has also been recruited.

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