Prosecutions
Inadequate training leads to tower crane collapsing on Hotel - Croydon Park Hotel
22/10/2009
A plant hire company based in Kent has recently been prosecuted and fined £100,000 with £33,196.45 costs for breaching regulation 9(2) (b); regulation 9(2) of the Provision and use of work Equipment Regulations 1998 and; section 3(1) of the Health & Safety
The court heard that on 2 June 2007, the jib of a tower crane owned and operated by the plant hire company toppled backwards and became detached from the mast. The jib together with the drivers cab fell through the air, crashing onto the roof of the Croydon Park Hotel. The incident happened whilst a rare operation to extend the height of the tower crane was being conducted.
The team employed to extend the height of the crane from 60m to 98m had not used the equipment before and had not had any specific training on its use. The crane driver was trapped on the roof for over an hour before rescue services were able to get him down. He suffered extensive injuries, including three compression fractures of the spine, a fractured lumber vertebrae, two broken ribs and a fractured skull.
The driver is still unable to return to work and is suffering from his injuries.
When the incident occurred there were approximately 140 residents, customers and staff inside the hotel. The crane narrowly missed a gas pipe on the roof of the hotel. Fortunately, no one in the hotel was injured.
An Inspector from the HSE commented: "This incident was avoidable and was caused by inadequate training of the team asked to extend the height of the crane. This is a high risk operation and it is essential that operators have the right type of training."
The team employed to extend the height of the crane from 60m to 98m had not used the equipment before and had not had any specific training on its use. The crane driver was trapped on the roof for over an hour before rescue services were able to get him down. He suffered extensive injuries, including three compression fractures of the spine, a fractured lumber vertebrae, two broken ribs and a fractured skull.
The driver is still unable to return to work and is suffering from his injuries.
When the incident occurred there were approximately 140 residents, customers and staff inside the hotel. The crane narrowly missed a gas pipe on the roof of the hotel. Fortunately, no one in the hotel was injured.
An Inspector from the HSE commented: "This incident was avoidable and was caused by inadequate training of the team asked to extend the height of the crane. This is a high risk operation and it is essential that operators have the right type of training."