Official faces trial over worker’s death

sharjah — An official of a company has gone on trial at the Sharjah Misdemeanor Court for causing the death of a worker. He died after falling from a concrete mixer vehicle.

Prosecutors also charged five company officials with negligence and failing to maintain safety procedures.

The 39-year-old Pakistani worker had smashed his skull in the fall from the vehicle. During the court hearing, a Pakistani worker testified that the incident took place on October 26 last year, when his colleague, a concrete mix truck driver, told him the air pipe was not working properly and asked him for help.

“My colleague went on top of the vehicle trying to fix the air vacuum pumps but as he was trying to remove the cover, I heard a loud explosion. I saw my colleague flying in the air and later found him on the ground, bleeding from his head.”

The worker denied his testimony during prosecution at the court and said the company was providing all safety requirements — helmets, suits, shoes etc — but the victim was not wearing them while he went to check the dysfunctional pipe.

Meanwhile, a company official pleaded not guilty and claimed he did not have any responsibility and there was no negligence from the side of the company. He also alleged the worker was responsible for his death.

The court requested the family member of the victim to produce power of attorney letter regarding blood money, which will be provided to the victim’s family.