Robot crushes Thai factory worker to death

A worker at a plastics factory in Thailand was pinned to a bench and crushed to death by a robotic arm.

The arm slammed down and pinned the man to a bench as he was laying out sheets of metal at the Vandapac factory in Chonburi province of Thailand. Rescuers were called to the scene and gave the severely injured worker first aid before taking him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

A Vandapac official blamed the employee for the accident, claiming the robot had been working properly and that the man had ducked under it at the wrong time. The official told local media: 'We are not providing any more information. The employees accept responsibility for any accidents that happen while they are working.' 

The incident raised concerns about the safety of the robotic system, details of which have not been made public, and the company's transparency and accountability. It also raised concerns about the safety of manufacturing robots in general.