THE managing director of a construction company called employees for advice shortly before he was crushed to death by a faulty tipper truck, an inquest has heard.
Married father-of-two Ian Woolfitt, 65, was found dead in a remote haulage yard in Lockington, near Driffield.
A jury sitting at Hull Coroners' Court yesterday heard how Mr Woolfitt, of Wold Construction Limited, a firm he helped launch in 1991, was "hands on" and highly experienced.
Mr Woolfitt, who ran the business with his sons Paul and Jonathan, had gone to the yard, owned by his friend of many years, Nigel Lunn, off Station Road, on Tuesday, April 24 last year.
He made two phone calls, one to Craig Towse, his site supervisor, and the other to foreman Garrie Carruthers, the jury heard.
Both workers were asked for advice about an Iveco tipper truck that did not appear to be working.
Mr Towse, who said records showed he was called at 9.41am, told the inquest: "Ian was asking for advice about why the Iveco wouldn't tip.
"I told him the immobiliser key needed to be in. He said, 'No probs, I'll give that a go.'"
The jury was told the key is a safety measure, ensuring the vehicle does not tip while in transit.
Mr Carruthers, who has since left the family firm, said: "Ian couldn't get the tipper to work. I asked him if he had put the key in and he said he had."
Emergency services from Beverley and Hull found Mr Woolfitt trapped between the tipping part of the truck and the chassis.
David Bistow, manager of Beverley fire station, said his crew heard "clicking" noises when they attempted to operate the hydraulically-powered tipper.
He instructed a team of six firefighters to lift the tipper, enabling colleagues to release Mr Woolfitt.
Mr Woolfitt, who lived with his wife Margaret in Lund, near Beverley, is thought to have been dead for some time.
Pathologist Alistair MacDonald said Mr Woolfitt, who had 40 years' experience in the construction industry, died of asphyxia. He said death may have taken "several minutes" to occur.
The inquest is expected to conclude today, with evidence from the Health and Safety Executive, which investigated the accident.
