29.08.2017
Dropped boom in Sydney
A crane working from a barge at Milsons Point- near Luna Park – in Sydney Harbour dropped its boom into the water on Sunday when a wire rope - presumably the boom hoist line - is said to have failed, with a section of the rope flying around 50 metres or more through the air and landing on the top of the Luna Park face entrance. Some reports also say that a hook block was also flung on the shore, but we have not been able to confirm this.
Please register to see all images
The crane was located next door to Luna Park near the Harbour Bridge and dropped its boom into the water
Thankfully no one was hurt in the incident and damage looks to be restricted to the crane, a Japanese built SKK barge crane owned and operated by marine contractor Waterway Constructions, which may have been rigged for dredging work at the time. The contractor had a team on site at the time, but they there unaffected by the incident.
Please register to see all images
A closer look at the crane - the incident is said to be due to a wire rope failure
A small crew was brought in to remove the wire rope from the famous smiling face, which they did wiht the help of an articulated boom lift.
Please register to see all images
A boom lift is brought in to remove the length of wire rope from the Luna Park face
Please register to see all images
A closer look a the operation
Good Morning Mr Wood,
Recent events in London, Crewe and Reading confirms yet again the importance of Pro-Actively Managing Crane Safety (and Fire Safety) from A to Z.
Moreover having now Researched and Recorded Four Hundred and Fifty (Yes 450) Crane & Lifting Related Fatalities Worldwide in the 10 yrs since 010907, it is my submission to you that certain sectors of British Industry continue to pay lip service to 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 widespread misconception is fundamentally wrong and a mistaken 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.
To Underline this point, the CEO of a £135m (146m Euro) company based here in the West Midlands once confided to me personally that in his opinion "Health and Safety was a Load of Bollocks". So is what we are now seeing another manifestation of this Executives misguided opinion ?
Therefore in the absence of any other Safety Initiatives in the Crane or Wind Industry, this then is my submission to you personally as my 10yr record is now Littered with Examples of Dead Bodies and Damaged Cranes like the example above.
1. The Crane 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 untill we adopt 'Safe Systems of Work' (SSoW) then the £20,000,000 (Euro 21.6 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 UK Courts now view matters of Public Safety. Therefore its only a Matter of Time before some other unfortunate CEO is Jailed by a UK Court for yet another Fatality arising from a Crane or Lifting Incident, like the Managing Director Jailed in Airdrie on 6th January 2017.
A useful start point being that the word ?Accident? now be consigned to the Dustbin of History, as the continued usage of this weasel word perpetuates the myth that Safety is not Manageable, when self-evidently it clearly was in London, Crewe and Reading.
Why, because Worker Safety is important, very important and much too Important to leave it to chance ?
Kindest Regards
Mike Ponsonby