The death of a Luton man killed while he worked on a railway project for the 2012 Olympics was an accident, an inquest jury has decided.

Henry Sheridan, 58, of Somerset Avenue, Luton, was working as a carpenter on the extension of the platform at West Ham Station, an important part of infrastructure improvements ahead of the 2012 Olympics, in December 2008 when he was hit on the head by a JCB excavator bucket.

Evidence heard at the inquest into his death at Walthamstow Coroner's Court on Friday (Jan 29), suggested Bulgarian national Krasimir Zarev had been acting as banksman on the day the accident occurred, and was had the job of directing the JCB driver Patrick Finn from the ground because of the restricted view from the cab.

He had been asked by Mr Finn to assist him with attaching the excavator bucket to the JCB. Mr Finn attached the 'quick hitch' mechanism to the bucket and Mr Zarev inserted the safety pin, which is intended to lock the latch in its closed position.

Mr Sheridan was standing in a shallow ditch approximately a foot deep, and the bucket was raised about 12ft before it became detached and fell on Mr Sheridan's head, killing him instantly.

The excavator was extensively tested by the HSE and no fault was found with the machine. The conclusion was that the quick hitch mechanism had not been properly secured and not been engaged with the rear pin of the bucket. Mr Zarev had been summonsed to attend the inquest but failed to do so and has not been traced.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, adding that the appropriate checks to ensure that the bucket was properly fitted were not carried out.

The Office of Rail Regulation, which performs the role of the Health & Safety Executive in railway matters, is investigating the accident and its findings are due in three months' time.

Mr Sheridan is survived by his wife Geraldine and his two sons, Kevin and Gerry. Helen Clifford, a lawyer specialising in the construction industry at Luton law firm Pictons, is now pursuing a civil claim on their behalf.