Companies admit safety breaches

The accident happened at Edinburgh's Waverley Station

Two railway maintenance companies have admitted breaches of health and safety regulations after a worker was crushed to death by a piece of machinery.

Neil Martin, 46, from Essex, had been helping move a cherry-picker machine out of Edinburgh's Waverley Station when he was killed in 2006.

His employer Border Rail and Plant Ltd and the machine manufacturer LH Access Technology Ltd admitted the offences.

Sentence will be passed at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Friday.

Mr Martin, a fitter operator, had been taking part in an overnight operation to remove the rail-mounted access platform from the railway station in order to have it repaired by manufacturer LH Access Technology.

Multiple injuries

The court was told Mr Martin, from North Street, Nazeing, had been trying to control the steering of the vehicle as it was moved along Calton Road in the early hours of the morning when the rear wheel ran over his leg and up onto his back.

Ambulance crews found Mr Martin lying face down on the ground and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

A post-mortem examination found he had died of multiple injuries and compression trauma.

Fiscal depute Angie Main said Mr Martin's family had requested that any fine issued to the companies should go towards increasing safety in the rail industry.