A coroner has issued a safety warning after a scaffolder died when a hydraulic arm came down on him. Father-of-two Michael Harrison, 42, from Tyldesley, was crushed to death.
A jury inquest into his death concluded Mr Harrison was wearing a remote control which operated the arm over his head and across his chest 'causing the inadvertent movement of the crane arm'. The remote control 'had not been isolated'. Now Cheshire coroner Jacqueline Devonish has warned that other deaths could occur unless safety measures are introduced.
Mr Harrison, who was employed as a driver by 3D Scaffolding of Irlam, was working at the Victoria Mills in Macclesfield Road, Holmes Chapel, when the incident occurred on February 26, 2021. The inquest jury returned a conclusion of misadventure.
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In a 'prevention of future deaths' report published by the corner, the circumstances of the death were outlined. The report said: "Michael Harrison was a driver for a scaffolding firm. On 26 February 2021 he was working at Victoria Mills, Macclesfield Road, Holmes Chapel. Whilst unloading scaffolding from a Hiab truck the Hiab arm (a crane-like device) came down on him, causing crushing injuries which proved fatal.
"The jury found that he was wearing the remote control over his head and across his chest causing the inadvertent movement of the crane arm. The remote control had not been isolated during the unloading activity."
Outlining his concerns, the coroner wrote: "During the course of the inquest it was evident that the HIAB design had no obvious audible sound when the crane arm was being operated by Mr Harrison. When giving evidence the 3D Scaffolding managing director stated that in a review of the safety of the remote control and risk of
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