A coroner who presided over an inquest into the death of a British Airways engineer at Heathrow Airport has written to the airport operators, seeking answers to concerns regarding worker safety.
During a subsequent inquest, an investigator provided evidence that multiple factors, including the lights within the terminal building and flashing aircraft lights, had caused visual problems in identifying the vehicle involved in the fatal collision.
The coroner criticized the airport authority for taking too long to recognize these visual interference dangers, stating that despite an expert raising the issue over four years ago, the airport failed to address it.
The coroner believes that the airport operator needs to take action in order to prevent similar deaths. Heathrow Airports Limited is required to respond to the coroner's report by September 18, 2023.
Source: Unite the Union, 26 July 2023