A construction worker was crushed by a one-tonne metal girder while building a “flagship” new waste site.

The 50-year-old was working building the Biffa plant in the food waste section, when he was injured.

He was airlifted to hospital in London after the accident and was last night still in a serious condition in hospital. The Heath and Safety Executive (HSE) has now launched an investigation into the incident which took place at Brookhurst Wood, of Longhurstwood Road in Horsham on Friday.

The new refuse and recycling facility is due to open in 2013 and will be used to sort through up to 327,000 tonnes a year collected from across West Sussex.

Biffa was giving planning permission to turn the former landfill site into the state of the art recycling centre last year.

At the time Biffa described Brokhurst Wood as a “new flagship facility” for West Sussex.

Shaun Davis, group director of safety, health and environment at Biffa, said: “An incident took place at the Brookhurst Wood site which resulted in a man being seriously injured.

“He is currently in hospital in a stable condition.

“Biffa would like to offer its support to his family at this difficult time."