Workplace accident inquest verdict

An inquest into the death of a railway worker, crushed by machinery as he oversaw railway maintenance work, has today returned a verdict of accidental death.

Mark Murray, 41, a father of one, from Stockport, was working as a machine controller on repairs to sections of the railway at a site near Rugby, Warwickshire, when the incident happened on 12^th July 2008.

Mr Murray was walking in front of the road railer machine – a large crane which lifts and moves railway lines – driven by a colleague employed by a second company when the machine crushed him.

The one-day jury inquest, before Warwickshire Coroner, Sean McGovern, at Leamington Spa Town Hall, heard how Mr Murray died at the scene after he sustained head trauma and massive internal injuries after being run over by the machine.

Speaking after the inquest, Ian Bailey, a partner with Irwin Mitchell solicitors, who is representing Mr Murray’s family, said: "This was an horrific workplace incident which tragically took the life of a much loved family man. The death of Mr Murray, who was simply going about his normal duties, was wholly avoidable with the dreadful consequence that a very young boy has been left without a father."

"It is clear to us that mandatory safety standards at the site were not being fully adhered to at the time of Mr Murray’s death. His death was the third death on the railways in just 5 weeks last summer.

"Sadly, this tragedy highlights the need for much stricter safety practices and also the need for contractors to tighten up on procedures when working together on maintenance. The industry as a whole must act now to avoid further fatalities.

"We will now be pursuing a claim on behalf of Mr Murray’s family to ensure that his son is adequately provided for. We would hope that after the events at the inquest today, those responsible are prepared to resolve matters quickly but also to look carefully at the evidence heard by the Coroner and to make sure that they do everything possible to ensure that other families across the country do not have to go through what my client’s family have had to endure."

Mark Murray was a well liked and very popular man who loved football and was a devoted Manchester City fan all his life. His sudden death has greatly affected not only his immediate family and friends but the local community too. Mr Murray leaves behind his partner Nicola Barnes and one-year-old son, Billy.