Two men died and two were injured on Wednesday when a large bridge beam was dropped during a tandem lift in Lochem, due east of Apeldoorn in the Netherlands.
Two large All Terrain cranes were lifting one of three arch elements of the new Nettelhorst road bridge, that will cross the Twente Canal as part of a new ring road. The bridge will have a span of around 140 metres long, with a 25 metre overall width.
The contractor BAM Infra had employed Belgium’s Aertssen group to install the bridge, which is supported by three large arches, the first of which was being lifted into place at the time, in front of a large local audience.
The scene on Wednesday afternoon
According to a local reader the two cranes, one from the Aertssen fleet and one from its subsidiary Michielsens, were slewing the arch into position, when it seemed to twist or shift causing slings to give way, and then the drop. Sadly, it struck one of the crane company’s employees and another man, killing them both. A third man is said to have been caught but not too seriously injured, while a fourth was involved in a fall from one of the piers and remains in a serious but stable condition.
One of the slings – although this might not have been the first to break
Koen Vroman of Aertssens said: We are deeply shocked by the tragic accident in Lochem in which one of the regretted fatalities is an employee of our company. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victims. We are fully cooperating with the investigation. We do not think that it is appropriate to make any further statements about the incident so as not to influence or undermine the ongoing investigation.”
The Dutch labour inspectorate has now opened a judicial investigation into the cause of the incident.
The video below shows more, you will get more from it if you speak Dutch.
Thank you for your series of questions this past 10 days which I will try to answer to the best of my ability.
1. Centre of Gravity (CoG) in the Load must always be identified in advance of the Lift, because if not then the CoG may find you ?
2. For Maximum Stability of the Load during the lift, the Slings or Chains should alway be fitted above the Centre of Gravity in the load, never below the CoG.
3. A good analogy being How do we Lift a Glass of Beer, always ABOVE the centreline of the glass which generally is the Centre of Gravity.
4. Proper Preparation is the key to Risk Assessment, by always asking yourself, What Could Go Wrong during this particular Lift in this location ?
5. Then put Control Measures in place to mitigate all of the Inherent and Residual Hazards in that particular Lifting Operation.
6. Risk Assessment is NOT a Paper Exercise, it is the means by which a Site Specific Method Statement or Lift Plan is Safely Determined by the AP.
7. A ‘ Safe System of Work’ is an English Common Law obligation and is an infinitely variable procedure expressly assessed for that Lift and location whereby if it goes wrong, no-one gets Killed or Injured .
8. The Override Key should never be left in Rigging Mode, as this has ENORMOUS implications in Law for the Crane Operator personally ?
9. Ground Bearing Pressures, Wind Speeds, Gusts of Wind and the Sail Area of the Load should always be Calculated in advance as part of the RAMS because PPPPPP.
10. Generic Risk Assessments are a Waste of Paper, because to produce a Suitable and Sufficient R.A. requires the Site, Time, Place, Slinging and Wind conditions all to be evaluated expressly for that lift in that location at that time.
In summary, The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2009 has now changed the Legal Landscape for all Directors in the UK. With Pro-Active Management of Lifting Operation now being highly Cost Effective for all CEO’s, Managing Directors and Boards as Vicarious Liable is well established since The Court of Appeal decision in 1951.
As a Vertikal subscriber with personal experience of a Workplace Fatality, may I offer my sincere condolences to the family members of the Two Men involved in this fatal incident in Lochem, Nederlands on 22 February 2024.
The Two Crane companies involved above were both invited by me personally on 9th May 2024 to comment on my explanation of this Fatal Incident above, but for reasons unknown chose not to. However, in the Interests of Worker Safety, I will
The Report into the Tandem Lift Fatality in Lochem, Nederlands on 22 February 2024 makes very interesting reading and the photographic evidence confirms that the Curved Bridge Beam was being lifted by two Large Capacity Mobile Cranes with a Spreader Beam and 2 x slings fitted to one end of the Beam BELOW the Centre of Gravity (CoG). With a 1 x Single Sling attached by a Bow Shackle to a Padeye fitted ABOVE the Centre of Gravity on the other end of this square section beam.
At some point during this Three Point Lift the Centre of Gravity in the Beam turned on its axis which then increased the vertical loading on 1 x Sling which parted, while overloading the other sling which later parted to drop the beam to the earth. This lack of horizontal alignment between the 3 x Lifting points and the CoG allowed the possibility of an involuntary gravitational movement in the Beam. The consequences proved to be Fatal for 2 Men (RIP Brothers) nearby and confirms yet again that a Suitable and Sufficcient Risk Assessment is not only a statutory obligation in the UK, but is also Highly Cost Effective for ALL Lifting Operations worldwide, which the Employers Insurance companies will now have noted ?
Vertikal Readers may know that I have researched 1503 Lifting Incidents worldwide since 7th May 2007 with 1198 Dropped Loads causing a total of 851 fatalities since the Brent-X Flyover Dropped Kingpost which Killed 7 x Men and Women passing by on a bus heading east on the Nth Circular in London on Saturday 20th June 1964.
Thus confirming 1 x Dropped Load every 12 days since that Mobile Crane with a defective LMI and a modified hinged 25 metre jib Dropped a Scotch Derrick Kingpost to cause this Multiple Fatality Crane incident.
This Poor Safety record raises the following questions
1. Was this Complex lift in Lochem planned with detailed RAMS as the Centre of Gravity in this curved beam was critical to Safety in this 3 x point lift ?
2. Were all Site Personnel Instructed NOT to stand underneath this Suspended Bridge Beam during this Tandem Lifting Operation ?
3. Did the Risk Assessment (RAMS) take account of the Possibility, Probability and the Fatal Consequences of a Dropped Load ?
The answers to which should be Yes, Yes and Yes. The reason being that Worker Safety is important, very important and much too important to leave it to chance.
Yours Sincerely
Mike Ponsonby
Sources.
4. Report by Sander Pasterkamp of Delft University of Technology, N.L. 2024.
5. HM Government Report 2768 by Barrister Edgar S. Fay QC dated September 1965.
6. Hansard Report # 737 on Ray Gunter MP (Southwark - Labour) on 1st Dec 1966.
7. The Management (Safety in the Workplace) Regulations 1999. S.I. # 3242.
8. British Standard 7121 Approved Code of practice for Safe Use of Cranes 2016.
o
Good Morning Gentlemen,
Thank you for your series of questions this past 10 days which I will try to answer to the best of my ability.
1. Centre of Gravity (CoG) in the Load must always be identified in advance of the Lift, because if not then the CoG may find you ?
2. For Maximum Stability of the Load during the lift, the Slings or Chains should alway be fitted above the Centre of Gravity in the load, never below the CoG.
3. A good analogy being How do we Lift a Glass of Beer, always ABOVE the centreline of the glass which generally is the Centre of Gravity.
4. Proper Preparation is the key to Risk Assessment, by always asking yourself, What Could Go Wrong during this particular Lift in this location ?
5. Then put Control Measures in place to mitigate all of the Inherent and Residual Hazards in that particular Lifting Operation.
6. Risk Assessment is NOT a Paper Exercise, it is the means by which a Site Specific Method Statement or Lift Plan is Safely Determined by the AP.
7. A ‘ Safe System of Work’ is an English Common Law obligation and is an infinitely variable procedure expressly assessed for that Lift and location whereby if it goes wrong, no-one gets Killed or Injured .
8. The Override Key should never be left in Rigging Mode, as this has ENORMOUS implications in Law for the Crane Operator personally ?
9. Ground Bearing Pressures, Wind Speeds, Gusts of Wind and the Sail Area of the Load should always be Calculated in advance as part of the RAMS because PPPPPP.
10. Generic Risk Assessments are a Waste of Paper, because to produce a Suitable and Sufficient R.A. requires the Site, Time, Place, Slinging and Wind conditions all to be evaluated expressly for that lift in that location at that time.
In summary, The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2009 has now changed the Legal Landscape for all Directors in the UK. With Pro-Active Management of Lifting Operation now being highly Cost Effective for all CEO’s, Managing Directors and Boards as Vicarious Liable is well established since The Court of Appeal decision in 1951.
Kind Regards
Mike Ponsonby
o
Dear Mr Editor,
As a Vertikal subscriber with personal experience of a Workplace Fatality, may I offer my sincere condolences to the family members of the Two Men involved in this fatal incident in Lochem, Nederlands on 22 February 2024.
The Two Crane companies involved above were both invited by me personally on 9th May 2024 to comment on my explanation of this Fatal Incident above, but for reasons unknown chose not to. However, in the Interests of Worker Safety, I will
The Report into the Tandem Lift Fatality in Lochem, Nederlands on 22 February 2024 makes very interesting reading and the photographic evidence confirms that the Curved Bridge Beam was being lifted by two Large Capacity Mobile Cranes with a Spreader Beam and 2 x slings fitted to one end of the Beam BELOW the Centre of Gravity (CoG). With a 1 x Single Sling attached by a Bow Shackle to a Padeye fitted ABOVE the Centre of Gravity on the other end of this square section beam.
At some point during this Three Point Lift the Centre of Gravity in the Beam turned on its axis which then increased the vertical loading on 1 x Sling which parted, while overloading the other sling which later parted to drop the beam to the earth. This lack of horizontal alignment between the 3 x Lifting points and the CoG allowed the possibility of an involuntary gravitational movement in the Beam. The consequences proved to be Fatal for 2 Men (RIP Brothers) nearby and confirms yet again that a Suitable and Sufficcient Risk Assessment is not only a statutory obligation in the UK, but is also Highly Cost Effective for ALL Lifting Operations worldwide, which the Employers Insurance companies will now have noted ?
Vertikal Readers may know that I have researched 1503 Lifting Incidents worldwide since 7th May 2007 with 1198 Dropped Loads causing a total of 851 fatalities since the Brent-X Flyover Dropped Kingpost which Killed 7 x Men and Women passing by on a bus heading east on the Nth Circular in London on Saturday 20th June 1964.
Thus confirming 1 x Dropped Load every 12 days since that Mobile Crane with a defective LMI and a modified hinged 25 metre jib Dropped a Scotch Derrick Kingpost to cause this Multiple Fatality Crane incident.
This Poor Safety record raises the following questions
1. Was this Complex lift in Lochem planned with detailed RAMS as the Centre of Gravity in this curved beam was critical to Safety in this 3 x point lift ?
2. Were all Site Personnel Instructed NOT to stand underneath this Suspended Bridge Beam during this Tandem Lifting Operation ?
3. Did the Risk Assessment (RAMS) take account of the Possibility, Probability and the Fatal Consequences of a Dropped Load ?
The answers to which should be Yes, Yes and Yes. The reason being that Worker Safety is important, very important and much too important to leave it to chance.
Yours Sincerely
Mike Ponsonby
Sources.
4. Report by Sander Pasterkamp of Delft University of Technology, N.L. 2024.
5. HM Government Report 2768 by Barrister Edgar S. Fay QC dated September 1965.
6. Hansard Report # 737 on Ray Gunter MP (Southwark - Labour) on 1st Dec 1966.
7. The Management (Safety in the Workplace) Regulations 1999. S.I. # 3242.
8. British Standard 7121 Approved Code of practice for Safe Use of Cranes 2016.