Crane stop button not used before man 'crushed'

An emergency stop switch on a crane had not been pushed as it should have been before a delivery driver was "crushed" at a building site, an inquest has heard.

Nigel Williamson died after he was found injured on the back of a crane-mounted lorry at the Kneeton Grove housing development in East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, on 13 August last year.

The 60-year-old had been employed by KRM Building Supplies for less than three weeks at the time.

On Tuesday, Nottingham Coroner's Court heard a colleague, who had been assigned as Williamson's "buddy" in his first week, admitted he had not used the emergency button on the lorry when he should have during that time.

Forensic pathologist Dr Stuart Hamilton concluded "significant" injuries to Williamson's pelvic area led to a cardiac arrest, while pre-existing heart problems "contributed" to his death.

Hamilton said the injuries were consistent with being crushed by a "man-made object".

After KRM Building Supplies was informed of the incident, crane operator for the firm, David Holland, attended the Peveril Homes site, alongside the daughter of the director of the company.

Holland said: "At the time we just thought he collapsed. We didn't realise it had anything to do with the crane really.

"It was only later that a crush had been mentioned."

The jury was told an emergency stop button on the remote control should be pressed when the crane was not being manoeuvred.

Holland told the inquest that using the stop button was the "golden rule of the job".

Speaking about the scene when he arrived, Holland told the inquest: "The remote control was in the tonne bag [of gravel] that the crane was above.

"It was still turned on, which meant it was live. The lever which operates the crane had been snapped off."

Mark Clay, a HGV driver for KRM Building Supplies, had been assigned as a "buddy" to Williamson during his first week at the company.

Clay was given the unofficial role of "showing [him] the ropes", and was accompanied by Williamson on a number of deliveries.

He described Williamson as "an absolutely brilliant bloke, kind-hearted and willing to do a lot".

The inquest heard Williamson was an experienced crane operator and had worked for a number of other building merchants.

The jury was told footage showed Clay had not been using the emergency stop button on one occasion on 30 July when Williamson was present.

Asked if he addressed the matter with Williamson, Clay said: "I turned around and said 'always isolate the remote, it's a big thing'."

He added: "At that time, I had a lapse, that's all."

The inquest also heard a number of induction forms had not been signed by Williamson.

However, he had completed the correct training to be able to do the job.

The jury was told the induction period would ordinarily last six weeks.

However, Williamson was able to work alone from his second week on the job.

Stuart Sherwin, the managing director KRM Building Supplies, said if Clay had "any reservations" about Williamson's capabilities, Clay would have informed him.

Speaking about emergency stop function, Sherwin said: "It is a manual intervention, and until these remotes are changed, they rely entirely on the operator to isolate that remote."

Sherwin denied that relying on the operator to appropriately use the function "is not working".

The inquest continues.

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