Fine following crane failure
February 10, 2010
A crane manufacturer and supplier has been fined £10,000 after a near miss involving an electric overhead crane.
Sheffield Magistrates Court heard how Rossendale Group Limited had supplied paper manufacturer Georgia Pacific GB Limited with a crane to lift reels of paper. During a routine lifting operation on 18 February 2006 an anchorage point on the crane failed. The failure caused the crane to drop its combined weight of 1.8 tonnes from approximatley 1.2 metres. The load narrowly avoided the crane operator.
Rossendale Group Limited, of Ellesmere Port were ordered to pay £10,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 6(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
After the hearing HSE Inspector Alison Crank said: "It was extremely fortunate that no one was injured or even killed in this incident. Had the load fallen moments earlier it would have fallen into the path of the crane operator.
"Rossendale Group Limited should have ensured the safety critical anchorage points on the crane had been designed for the typical loading conditions that the crane would experience during routine use.
The Inspector concluded: "Companies that supply lifting equipment must be aware that they will be held to account if the equipment is not well designed or manufactured."
Find out more about Risk Assessment
Sheffield Magistrates Court heard how Rossendale Group Limited had supplied paper manufacturer Georgia Pacific GB Limited with a crane to lift reels of paper. During a routine lifting operation on 18 February 2006 an anchorage point on the crane failed. The failure caused the crane to drop its combined weight of 1.8 tonnes from approximatley 1.2 metres. The load narrowly avoided the crane operator.
Rossendale Group Limited, of Ellesmere Port were ordered to pay £10,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 6(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
After the hearing HSE Inspector Alison Crank said: "It was extremely fortunate that no one was injured or even killed in this incident. Had the load fallen moments earlier it would have fallen into the path of the crane operator.
"Rossendale Group Limited should have ensured the safety critical anchorage points on the crane had been designed for the typical loading conditions that the crane would experience during routine use.
The Inspector concluded: "Companies that supply lifting equipment must be aware that they will be held to account if the equipment is not well designed or manufactured."
Find out more about Risk Assessment
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