Boss tells hospital lift death inquest he doesn't know why apprentice was 'in the wrong lift'

An experienced lift engineer told an inquest he could not explain why his labourer decided to work in 'the wrong' lift shaft where he was crushed to death. Sandy Noble, 33, wasn't qualified as a lift engineer and nor was he qualified to work alongside one, the inquest has previously heard.

Mr Noble, a father from Scarborough, died of head and neck injuries when he was working at Royal Oldham Hospital on February 22, 2021.

An inquest heard he appeared to be working on the wrong lift and had used a screwdriver to prop open the doors and render it inoperable while he worked in the lift shaft but it had 'come loose'. An investigation also found an emergency stop button had an 'intermittent fault'.

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As the inquest resumed at Rochdale Coroners' Court today (Tuesday), Mr Noble's employer Daniel Belton, an experienced lift engineer, said he could not explain why his 'engineer's mate' was working in one lift shaft, referred to as lift five, when work there had already been completed.

Mr Belton said he was performing a supervisory role for the adjacent lift, lift six, where work was continuing.

Before he began his evidence, Mr Belton was warned by Senior Coroner Joanne Kearsley he didn't have to answer questions if the answer might incriminate him.

Mr Belton confirmed he had been a lift engineer since 1998 and that he had employed Mr Noble for the two years up until his death. Mr Belton's company had been subcontracted by Direct Ascendants Lifts to carry out works at Royal Oldham Hospital.

The witness confirmed Mr Noble did not have a formal written job description but his job was 'fetching and carrying and helping out'.

Mr Belton agreed