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5th March 2019

QUICK THINKING AINSCOUGH EMPLOYEE SAVES COLLEAGUE’S LIFE

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A member of Ainscough Crane Hire’s Manchester depot’s quick thinking has helped save the life of a co-worker on a job in Crewe.

Ainscough was working for J Murphy & Sons Limited at its project at the Sydney Road Bridge in Crewe. The project, being undertaken by Cheshire East Council, will see the existing single lane railway bridge be replaced by a wider structure to allow two-way traffic.

Ian O’Donnell was working the second of two Ainscough shifts, supporting a colleague that was operating a 1000t crane on the project as cover for Murphy’s drivers. Upon loading the last of the ballast, Ian headed for his lunch and on his way to the site break room he noticed a pair of legs sticking out from nearby bushes.

Upon seeing the man’s workwear, Ian realised that the man was a member of the Murphy team and had temporarily lost consciousness. Thinking quickly, Ian followed the first aid onsite safety instructions that he had been taught. Ian cleared the man’s airways and also alerted first aiders and an ambulance. Ian stayed with the man until the ambulance arrived, took guidance from paramedics by telephone and acted accordingly.

Thanks to Ian’s quick thinking the man, a site supervisor, soon regained consciousness and was taken away by an ambulance for further observation.

Ian commented: “As soon as I saw that the gentleman was in a bad way my training from the army kicked in – I was a Lance Corporal in the Prince of Wales’ second battalion. I left the army over seventeen years ago but the training doesn’t leave you, and that combined with the onsite health and training protocols we have at Ainscough meant I was able to think quickly and do the right thing.

“I’m really happy that he’s ok and I hope we meet again on another project soon.”

Dave Baxter, Technical Contracts Manager, Ainscough Crane Hire said: “I would like to congratulate Ian on his exemplary conduct. It is no exaggeration to say the speed with which he acted helped save this man’s life. On each site which we work on we collaborate with our project partners to ensure every member of the team is fully briefed and know’s what to do in situations such as this. Ian is a credit to himself and Ainscough Crane Hire and we’re very proud to have him on the team.”

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