A VAUXHALL worker is in hospital after being seriously injured in an accident at the Luton van plant.
A colleague said the man had to drag himself to where he could be seen by colleagues after his cries for help went unheard due to the noise in the press shop, where the accident happened on Friday, July 1.
He said: “He had crushed ribs and burst his lungs. He was driving an overhead crane when it happened. The only way he raised the alarm was by crawling along the gangway, and finally someone saw him.
“His injuries were very serious, they thought he might die that night.”
The man was flown to hospital by air ambulance with injuries described by ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson as “life-threatening at the time”.
Mr Sanderson said: “On arrival a man was found with serious injuries and following rapid treatment, stabilisation and immobilisation by land paramedics and the critical care team from the air ambulance, he was flown direct to a specialist trauma centre at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridgeshire.”
Vauxhall spokesman Denis Chick said the worker’s condition was improving, but that the company could not give any more details.
He added: “We can’t make any further comment about the accident as it is under investigation.
“He is still in hospital but we are pleased to say he is improving.
“Now we have to look at what the accident was and why it happened.”
Mr Chick said workers were moved away from the area where the accident had happened while ambulance crews treated the man.
The incident has been referred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which said yesterday (Tuesday July 12) that an investigation was under way.
In another incident the following day, a man received a minor head injury in an accident in the same area of the plant, but was able to return to work on the Monday. This incident was not referred to the HSE.
Unions are currently in negotiations with Vauxhall bosses to secure new terms for workers, who agreed to a two-year pay freeze to help the company when vehicle sales suffered a huge drop due to the global economic downturn.
Mr Chick said: “It’s the normal discussion process that we have. Once we have an agreement it will be announced to the workforce.”