A crane company has been prosecuted for breaching health and safety law, prompting the HSE to remind construction companies of the financial penalties of not carrying out full risk assessments or ensuring staff are properly trained.
WD Bennett's Plant & Services Ltd was fined £125,000 plus costs of £264,299 on 31st July 2009 after they were found guilty of two health and safety breaches at Chichester Crown Court at a previous hearing in March. The two breaches led to an incident which caused the deaths of two workers and injuring a third.
Eurolift (Tower Cranes) Ltd have been charged alongside the company and pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 8(3) of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 at the start of the trial.
The incident took place at a construction site in Worthing on 11th February 2005, when Steve Boatman and Gary Miles were working on the jib of a crane. Both men died, with another was severely injured.
The injured man was working in the mast of the crane and was instructed to begin de-tourquing the crane's mast bolts. This should have been carried out one-by-one and then retightening each bolt in turn, however, he was not trained in this area of work and did not retighten the bolts, leaving them part undone. Subsequently the crane collapsed as it turned.
Mr Boatman and Mr Miles, died from the injuries they received after being thrown from the crane.
Peter Collingwood, the HSE inspector who led the investigation said: "This fine reflects the seriousness of the company's breaches of health and safety legislation. The accident, in which two men lost their lives, was avoidable. It was caused by the inadequate supervision of a worker who was not trained, nor competent for the task that he was asked to undertake.
"To avoid future tragedies like this, employers and contractors must ensure that tower crane work including erection and dismantling is only undertaken by trained, experienced and competent people who are supervised adequately."
WD Bennett's Plant & Services Ltd was fined £125,000 plus costs of £264,299 on 31st July 2009 after they were found guilty of two health and safety breaches at Chichester Crown Court at a previous hearing in March. The two breaches led to an incident which caused the deaths of two workers and injuring a third.
Eurolift (Tower Cranes) Ltd have been charged alongside the company and pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 8(3) of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 at the start of the trial.
The incident took place at a construction site in Worthing on 11th February 2005, when Steve Boatman and Gary Miles were working on the jib of a crane. Both men died, with another was severely injured.
The injured man was working in the mast of the crane and was instructed to begin de-tourquing the crane's mast bolts. This should have been carried out one-by-one and then retightening each bolt in turn, however, he was not trained in this area of work and did not retighten the bolts, leaving them part undone. Subsequently the crane collapsed as it turned.
Mr Boatman and Mr Miles, died from the injuries they received after being thrown from the crane.
Peter Collingwood, the HSE inspector who led the investigation said: "This fine reflects the seriousness of the company's breaches of health and safety legislation. The accident, in which two men lost their lives, was avoidable. It was caused by the inadequate supervision of a worker who was not trained, nor competent for the task that he was asked to undertake.
"To avoid future tragedies like this, employers and contractors must ensure that tower crane work including erection and dismantling is only undertaken by trained, experienced and competent people who are supervised adequately."
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