Blind OAP 'dragged by mail truck'

BBC News, Wales (UK)
Friday, October 26, 2007

Blind OAP 'dragged by mail truck'

Royal Mail has reviewed safety in its depots across the UK 

A reversing Royal Mail lorry dragged an elderly blind man for more than 20m 
(65ft), an inquest has heard. 

Thomas Jones, 71, had been visiting the Royal Mail depot in Bridgend in October 
2002 when he was hit by the truck, sustaining fatal injuries. 

The following year, Royal Mail admitted breaching health and safety laws and 
was fined £200,000. It also carried out improvement works on the depot. 

Coroner Philip Walters recorded a verdict of accidental death. 

The lorry driver Alistair Evans told Bridgend coroner's court he was reversing 
out of the loading bay when he noticed a walking stick on the ground in front 
of the truck. 

When he got out of the cab he saw Mr Jones, who was also known as Colin, lying 
behind the lorry, he said. 

Mr Evans told the hearing he had looked in both mirrors before moving the 
vehicle and had been taught to reverse out of the depot when he received his 
training. 

Pc Clive Barber, who attended the incident, told the inquest that Mr Jones was 
treated by ex-Wales rugby international JPR Williams, who is a doctor and 
happened to be passing by just after the collision occurred. 

Mr Jones was then taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards, he said. 

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Jones had died of multiple injuries. 

Gweirydd Williams of Bridgend Council's health and safety department told the 
inquest he had issued Royal Mail with an improvement notice after the 
collision. 

"There were problems with people coming onto the site and traffic," he said. 

The improvement works were subsequently carried out, he said, but Royal Mail 
was fined after admitting two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act and 
a breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work regulation. 

Coroner Mr Walters extended his sympathies to the lorry driver and Yvonne 
Williams, a friend of Mr Jones's for 30 years. 

After the inquest, Mrs Williams, of Pencoed, near Bridgend, said she felt sorry 
for the driver. 

She said Mr Jones was very independent despite not being able to see and knew 
exactly how many steps it took to reach the depot from his front door. 

"If he knew a lorry was reversing, he would stand still so someone could take 
him out of danger," she said. 

"He never envisaged it would run over him." 

A spokesman for Royal Mail said as a result of the incident, it had reviewed 
safety in all 1,400 delivery offices across the UK. 

"We are determined that circumstances such as those which occurred at Bridgend 
will never be allowed to happen again on any of our premises." 

RELATED INTERNET LINKS 
Royal Mail 
http://www.royalmail.com/
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7064492.stm
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