Chennai: Man dies as slab falls on him after crane hits wall in ICF

CHENNAI: A man leaning against a wall and eating his dinner inside the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) here on Saturday night was killed when a stone slab fell on him after a crane carrying a railway coach accidentally dashed against the wall.
Police identified the victim as Tirumurthy, 32, from UtthanKarai village in Krishnagiri district, who had been employed as a contract worker at the ICF for the last two years.
Witnesses said he was bleeding from the head when they found him and took him to a nearby private hospital for treatment. He died on Sunday morning.
Police have registered a case of accidental death. “We will investigate and alter the section if needed,” said an investigating officer.
Police said a supervisor should have employed to oversee the operation of the crane. They said no one noticed Tirumurthy seated near the wall.
ICF officials could not be reached for comment. However as per contract conditions available in the public domain, general safety regulations in ICF are similar to those in other factories. Every contractor is supposed to hire a supervisor who is in charge of the safety of the contractual staff.
Inside the shop floor, there are specific paths for movement of vehicles. In fact vehicle movement should be monitored by supervisors to ensure that no mishap occurs. Regular checks are supposed to be done apart from surprise inspections by ICF officials. It is the contractor's responsibility to ensure the safety of workers especially while working at a height, providing them personal protective equipment. At the time of going to press, there was no word on whether all safety norms were followed.