HSE takes enforcement action against Select Plant Hire Company Ltd

E022:07 14 June 2007

This week the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) served a Prohibition Notice on Select Plant Hire Company Ltd of Dartford, Kent. The Notice required them, with immediate effect, to cease all climbing (e.g. lowering or raising) of tower cranes by use of climbing frame systems unless the work is conducted by people who have adequate training specific to the type of frame in use.

HSE has taken this action following the collapse of a tower crane in Croydon, London on Saturday 2 June 2007. HSE's investigation has established that the top section of the crane had not been connected to the climbing frame. HSE continues to investigate this incident.

The Notice covers all of Select's tower cranes and stops them from climbing tower cranes using inadequately trained staff. The notice will not stop Select from operating their fleet of tower cranes or from carrying out climbing operations. However they can only use fully trained and experienced teams to do this.

Cranes can be erected and operated safely provided they are properly erected according to manufacturers' instructions and by appropriately trained staff. They must also be used by people who are appropriately trained and familiar with the equipment. There is an ongoing responsibility for operators to properly maintain their equipment and to have cranes regularly examined.

Notes to editors

1. Under Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, HSE inspectors have the power to serve Prohibition Notices where they are of the opinion there is a risk of serious personal injury. A Prohibition Notice specifies the activities which must be stopped and may set out how the matters giving rise to the Notice should be remedied.

2. At around 14.30 on Saturday 2 June 2007, a Comedil CTT181 crane on the Croydon Park Hotel site collapsed during a climbing operation. The crane was operated by Select Plant Hire Co. Ltd and the Principal Contractor was Haymills Ltd. The crane driver was injured and three workers had to be rescued from the tower.

3. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

4. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety."

5. Regulation 8 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 states: "(1) Every employer shall ensure that every lifting operation involving lifting equipment is -

• (a) properly planned by a competent person;
• (b) appropriately supervised; and
• (c) carried out in a safe manner.

(2) In this regulation 'lifting operation' means an operation concerned with the lifting or lowering of a load."

6. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 require tower cranes to be thoroughly examined by a competent person on a periodic basis (6 or 12 months depending if they are used to lift persons) or in accordance with a written scheme of examination. The Regulations do not prohibit the competent person being a member of the company operating the crane. However, in guidance issued by HSE to accompany the Regulations it is recommended that if in-house examiners are employed they should have genuine authority and independence. Another means of ensuring independence is to use the services of an external body.

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