Have you got a lifting plan in place?
A crane firm has been fined after the hook broke off a tower crane and a 4 tonne load crashed 36 metres to the ground, narrowly missing a footpath.
The load 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.
The company, which owned and operated the crane, admitted breaching Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (duty to ensure persons not in your employment are not exposed to risks to their health or safety) and Regulation 5(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (all persons concerned in a project, 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) and was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £15,837.45 in costs.
HSE said it was a matter of good fortune that no-one was injured in this entirely avoidable incident and that those undertaking lifting operations have absolute duties to plan, supervise and carry them out safely.
For more information on lifting plans and the relevant legislation, contact Andrew on 07870 777303
