leahortez86: Worker, 27, found dead at Goodwin factory in Hanley

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Worker, 27, found dead at Goodwin factory in Hanley

A 27-YEAR-OLD employee has been found dead at the factory where he worked.

Police were called to engineering firm Goodwin Steel Castings after night-shift workers raised the alarm.

But the worker, who has not been named, could not be saved by emergency crews and was pronounced dead at the Hanley factory.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious and the death has been passed to North Staffordshire coroner Ian Smith.

Company chairman John Goodwin today confirmed that the Health and Safety Executive has not been called in.

He said: "I don't believe the incident was work related, although it happened on work premises.

"The man was employed here, but this is not a health and safety issue.

"These are tragic circumstances and what happened could've happened anywhere. The fact it happened at work is unfortunate. It's not something I feel is to do with his work."

Emergency services had been called to the Ivy House Road factory at 11.40pm on Sunday.

Neighbour Jean Parkes, aged 67, of Leek Road, said: "I saw a police car at the factory at about midnight and thought it was unusual.

"I was just going to bed and always have a nose around. Normally I just see a security guard."

Goodwin, which was founded in 1883, has 24-hour manufacturing at its Hanley factory. It employs about 600 people at its sites in Hanley and Trentham.

The Goodwin Group owns firms in countries including Brazil, China, India and Thailand and has supplied parts for some of the world's highest-profile engineering projects.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We attended the Goodwin factory along with colleagues from the ambulance and fire and rescue service. A 27-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Officers from investigative services are carrying out inquiries but the death is not being treated as suspicious.

"The case is now being prepared for the coroner."

A fire and rescue service spokesman said: "We were called to the scene and crews from Hanley and Longton attended. But when we arrived we were told we were not required and left."