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How could this death be 'Accidental'?

The death of a man killed performing a task for which he had received no training, on a job for which there was no risk assessment, during a process the Health and Safety Executive said could not be justified was 'accidental death' according to an inquest.

David Lord, 36, was crushed in the machine he was cleaning at work. He was trapped by the arm by two rollers at Janesville Products Ltd in Colne, the inquest has heard.

He was pulled in and suffered fatal chest injuries on 3 September 2002. The inquest, delayed until this week because of police and HSE investigations, heard staff say 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, the jury heard. Worker David Ellis said he refused to clean the machine as he was frightened after once getting his foot crushed by a roller.

HSE specialist inspector James Corbridge 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.'

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

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

© Hazards Magazine – Story Filed 20th May 2005

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