Crane firm fined after four tonne weight crashed to ground near college students

Date:

16 August 2010

Release No:

HSE-E-23

A company has been fined after the hook broke off a tower crane and its four tonne load crashed 36 metres to the ground, narrowly missing a footpath.

The load - which was part of a building under construction on 3 November 2007 at Hertfordshire Regional College in Turnford, near Cheshunt - came down heavily beside part of the campus regularly used by students. The impact also demolished the site boundary fence and damaged a college building.

London Tower Crane Hire & Sales Limited, the company which owned and operated the crane, appeared at Hertford Magistrates' Court today and admitted breaching health and safety laws in a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The company, which has a head office at Elstree Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £15,837.45 in costs.

HSE Inspector Norman Macritchie said:

"It was a matter of good fortune that no-one was injured in this entirely avoidable incident.

"Those undertaking lifting operations have absolute duties to plan, supervise and carry them out safely. Maintenance staff had indentified safety-critical faults in the crane yet simple controls needed to prevent use of defective equipment were not implemented. Poor communication and teamwork, together with inadequate supervision, all contributed to this incident.

"This case has important lessons for all those operating lifting equipment and especially tower cranes."

London Tower Crane Hire & Sales Limited admitted breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 5(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

Notes to editors

1. HSE is Britain's national regulator for workplace safety and health. It aims to reduce injuries and illness in the workplace.
2. 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."
3. Regulation 5(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 states: "Every person concerned in a project who is working under the control of another person shall report to that person anything which he is aware is likely to endanger the health or safety of himself or others."
4. Advice and guidance for employers can be found on the HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk
5. Specific advice for operating cranes cane be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/cranes.htm

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR