Factory is accused after father crushed to death

A factory worker was crushed to death under sheets of glass weighing more than a ton, an inquest heard.

Father-of-five Alvin Osbourne died after the tragedy at Glass Processing Wolverhampton Ltd and there have been claims that the working environment there was "unsafe" and there was a lack of staff.

The 47-year-old was trapped between the heavy glass plates and a laminating table causing multiple rib fractures and bleeding inside his chest.

He died at New Cross Hospital less than an hour later in February last year.

A jury at an inquest into his death heard the heavy sheets of glass were brought into the factory to be laminated for use in shop windows on a frame with a forklift truck used to manoeuvre them into place.

But there was not enough space for the forklift truck to properly move around so the frame had to be dragged and nudged into place, the hearing was told.

Phil Perry, of St Michael's Court, Wolverhampton, who was in charge of dispatch at the Heath Town factory, said he had raised the issue with the management. He said: "It was unsafe. Simple as. When I did bring the subject up it was on deaf ears."

He said he had also told bosses more staff were needed.

When the glass fell on Mr Osbourne, from Sherbourne Road, Bushbury, a forklift truck was found with forks at an angle under the frame but no one has admitted being behind the wheel.

The inquest heard worker John Marsh, of Alexander Road, Walsall claimed he moved the frame with the glass first into place for one load, and then turned it around for a second load before leaving it.

But a second worker Emmanuel Durbury of All Saints Road, Wolverhampton, said he had been asked to move the load, not Mr Marsh, and had left it before returning to find it had fallen.

The inquest continues at Smethwick Council House.