18.11.2008

HSE releases details on Witney accident

The UK HSE has released some information on what happened with the aerial lift accident in Witney, this August, in which a man Altin Balla, 28, died.

The HSE has confirmed that the man was crushed between an overhead beam and the cage of the platform.
At the time reports said that the lift had toppled over and tight restrictions were placed on the others working on the site at Marriots Close. Click here to see original report

Oliver Jackson, a spokesman for the HSE south east region, said: “It is clear that the accident occurred as a result of the operator of a mobile elevating work platform being crushed between the top edge of the elevating platform and a roof rafter of the incomplete steel framed building.”

Sadly that is all that the HSE has said so far, so we don’t know if Balla was driving the lift or booming up.

Vertikal Comment

The original reports suggested that the lift had tipped over, which never made any sense, and as we expected, the. HSE has at least released information about the accident sooner that it usually does, but it is only useful if they would release the full details in order for others to learn from what went wrong.

It is possible of course that they do not know. If we hear anything more we will provide an update.