Manslaughter probe after JCB tragedy

10 December 2008

Probe: Police and safety officials at the death site

A CONSTRUCTION worker died at West Ham Station when he was struck by a JCB's steel bucket weighing several tonnes.

A fellow worker was later arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Fifty-eight-year-old Harry Sheridan died while helping to prepare platform foundations for a £211m DLR extension.

A post-mortem revealed that the father-of-two suffered multiple injuries in the incident, which happened off Manor Road at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

Jubilee and District line trains, which run alongside the works site, were prevented from stopping at West Ham for most of the morning as police and safety officials launched an investigation.

Mr Sheridan, a native of Co Cavan in the Irish Republic, was a prominent member of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Luton, where he lived.

Transport for London said a full investigation was being undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive and main contractors Skanska GrantRail. Both Skanska GrantRail and Transport for London said: "Our thoughts are with Mr Sheridan's family and colleagues."

Mr Sheridan was working on a DLR extension between Canning Town and Stratford International Station in readiness for the 2012 Olympics.