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Death at Work 'An Accident'

THE DEATH of a Colne man, crushed in the machine he was cleaning at work, was an accident waiting to happen, his widow has claimed.

David Lord, 36, of Milton Road, was trapped by the arm by two rollers at Janesville Products Ltd, Spring Gardens Mill, Colne, an inquest has heard. He was pulled in and suffered fatal chest injuries on September 3, 2002.

The inquest, delayed until yesterday because of police and Health and Safety Executive investigations, was told the production operator was found in the machine but there were no witnesses so it was unclear exactly how he had been pulled in.

But staff giving evidence said they would stand inside a large rotating drum to clean the slowly-moving rollers with an air hose.

They had no health and safety training and no risk assessments had been carried out, a jury heard.

The drum has since been changed and is no longer running while being cleaned.

Worker David Ellis said he refused to clean the machine as he was frightened after once getting his foot crushed by a roller.

Martin Spires, who was general manager at the time, said he knew about the cleaning practice but did not consider it a risk as the drums rotated very slowly. There had been no previous accidents or concerns raised, he said.

James Corbridge, a specialist inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, said: "If someone said to me `is it okay to do that?' I would say no. I never felt there was a justification for someone standing in there.

"The problem is once this thing has grabbed you there is no way out.

"If you get caught in the roller it will cause you quite significant injury and in this case resulted in death."

Home Office Pathologist Dr William Lawler gave the cause of death as compression to the chest. He added: "His arm has gone in and the rollers have worked their way up."

A Jury Recorded a Verdict of Accidental Death.

After the inquest, widow Amanda Lord said: "It was an accident waiting to happen. It was something that should have been seen to before.

"When it happened I really blamed the company.

"I had to blame somebody. I have come to terms with the death now but I still feel that something should have been done. "

The family said they had received compensation and an apology from the company, which admitted liability.

Mrs Lord added: "I'm getting on with my life now. I have a new partner."

Paying tribute to David, she said: "He was very clever. He would have done anything for anyone."

David was about to leave the company, where he had worked for 14 years, and was looking forward to working for a new job at the tax office in Preston.

Andrew Long, representing the company, said: "I would like, on behalf of everyone at Janesville Products, to express publicly on their behalf our condolences to Mrs Lord and the family."

Mr Lord left behind seven-year-old daughter Caitlin, step-son Ian and son Paul from a previous marriage to Sue, brother Philip and parents Joyce and Ian Lord, who live at Newchurch, Rossendale.

© BBC News – Story Filed 20th May 2005

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