Crane operator trapped by load

A crane operator trapped by load (eight tonne block) in gap centimetres wide.

A company which makes commercial vans has been prosecuted after a crane operator was crushed in a lifting operation at their Luton factory. The operator was working in the press plant in 2011 where he was lowering an eight tonne die block. Having finished the operation he placed the control box on top of the die block while he bent to unhook the lifting chains.

The 50 tonne crane started dragging the block towards him crushing him against another block. There were no witnesses but it was agreed that the operator’s shoulder brushed against the strap attached to the control box causing the lever that moves the crane to operate.

The HSE investigated and decided that there were no other reasons that could have caused the incident. It was also discovered that there should have been a frame around the control levers but this was missing. Formal maintenance of the crane was the previous year during August which determined the guard could have been missing for some time and several of the other cranes had missed annual inspections. Many other maintenance problems had not been acted on e.g. leaking oil missing clips on gantry rails. It also came to light that the drivers of the cranes hadn’t been told to make daily checks before using the equipment to ensure there were no defects.

The operator sustained fractures to his left arm, breast bone, right collarbone and ribs and his lung collapsed.

The company was fined £155,000 and costs of £22,795 were ordered after they pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations and Regulations 8(1) and 9(3)a of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations.