07.04.2017
Crane overturn in Vienna
A three axle city type All Terrain crane overturned in a Vienna street on Monday damaging three vehicles and pulling down some cable suspended street lights.
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The crane came down onto a car, but did not affect the driver's area
The crane a Terex AC City belonging to crane and access rental /heavy transport company Felbermayr was rigged with its full six section boom extended holding a large skip that was being filled with old roof tiles by a crew stripping them from the top of the building. It looks as though a combination of overload and a little wind caused the crane to lose stability,. The heavily laden skip landed in the street and remained upright with most of its load remaining inside.
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The crane had its full boom extended
It landed on a van but missed the drivers cab, while to cars were also damaged. Thankfully not of the occupants of the three vehicles was harmed. Felbermayr sent in a large All Terrain to recover the overturned crane.
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One of the outriggers was distorted in the incident
That’s all we have at this stage.
Well put MIke, Ian will certainly appreciate this being stated that he was exonerated. But, maybe if you posted this in a relevant story, it would have more effect? Just saying
FAO Mr Maf Smith
Deputy CEO
Renewables UK
London.
Good Morning Mr Smith,
Your Press Release caught my attention after Two (2) Two Fatal Incidents in the Wind Turbine Industry within two weeks and is published below for the World to see. Your statement said :
"All wind turbine manufacturers, installers and owners regard health, safety and wellbeing as the very highest priorities, and work diligently to ensure that they meet extremely rigorous health and safety standards. In these rare but tragic circumstances it's important to ensure that our industry learns from incidents and implements any lessons promptly. A full investigation is currently under way. The wind industry works closely with the HSE to ensure that the highest standards are maintained and constantly improved on. We understand that the organisations involved are working with the HSE to establish the exact circumstances of the incident and ensure that the appropriate action is taken."
Your statement is not supported by the facts and deserves closer examination, so lets apply it to the Real world.
On Monday Night 6th June 2011, one of your Members Dropped a Load of circa 80 tonnes in the Port of Mostyn, Nth Wales. This load was a Wind Turbine Tower section and the subsequent HSE Investigation revealed that this Dropped Load was caused by Incorrectly Fitted Lifting Brackets becoming detached from the Top Ring of Bolts on the Tower Section. The Crane Supervisor was Blamed for this Dropped Load, despite him/her having No Input, Control nor Supervision in any way whatsoever into the Fitting of these Lifting Brackets to the Top Ring of Tower section. This person was then dismissed from his/her Job after being scapegoated to protect others, who were indeed in charge of this Fitting, Torquing, Rigging and Lifting Operation of an 80t Wind Turbine Tower section. The final HSE Report exonerated this person, as he/she was not involved in the Fitting of the Lifting Brackets despite being dismissed.
Having now Researched and Recorded 410 Fatalities arising from 388 Crane and Lifting Incidents worldwide since 010907, it is my submission to you that certain sectors of the Construction Industry pay lip service to Managing Safety and mistakenly think that as long as I wear my Hi-Viz Vest and my Hard Hat that my Employer has satisfied his Legal, Duty of Care, this is a fundamentally wrong interpretation of the Employers Statutory and Common Law Duties to protect Employees and Non-Employees from Fatal and/or Non-Fatal Incidents in the Workplace.
So in the absence of any other Safety Initiatives in the Crane or Wind Industry, this then is my submission to you, your CEO and the Wind Industry Worldwide as my 10yr record is Littered with Examples of Dead Bodies and Wrecked Cranes like the example number 388 above. To Underline this point, the CEO of a £100m company based in the West Midlands once confided to me personally that in his opinion Health and Safety was a Load of Bollocks!
1. So the Wind Industry should Adopt Safe Systems of Work (SSoW) so that when something goes wrong it does not Lead to Death(s) or Injury(s).
2. Start a Safety Training Programme called, How to Avoid Crane and Lifting Incidents ? and incorporating the Laws of Physics.
3. Invite the CEO and all others invited to attend, because if he or she is not committed to Crane Safety, No-one else will be.
Because unless we adopt 'Safe Systems of Work' (SSoW) then the £20,000,000 (Euro 22 Million) Fine imposed on Thames Water plc by Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday 220317, will be just the Tip of the Iceberg and is an indication of just how seriously the UK Courts now view matters of Public Safety. Therefore its only a Matter of Time before some other unfortunate CEO is Jailed by a Court for yet another Crane and/or Lifting Incident Fatality, like the Managing Director in Airdrie on 6th January 2017.
Why, because Worker Safety is Very Important.
Kindest Regards
Mike Ponsonby