Crane collapse incurs £750,000 fine

The incident took place at Falmouth Docks in the south west of England. Photo: HSE

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) imposed a £750,000 (US$ 974,000) fine following the collapse of a large crane at Falmouth Docks.

On 10 May 2017 the crane operator at A&P Falmouth in the south west of England noticed the travelling port crane’s boom “was descending uncontrollably.” The operator managed to swing the crane away from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship, Tidespring, it had been working above. The boom then landed on the quay, crushing a cage of acetylene cylinders.

It was declared a major incident by emergency services who evacuated and cordoned the area. More than 250 people were working on site at the time.

An HSE investigation found A&P Falmouth had failed to properly maintain the crane. A third party had examined the crane, making recommendations regarding defects, which were not acted on by A&P Falmouth, HSE said.

Guilty plea

A&P pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. In court on 11 October, in addition to the £750,000 fine, the company was ordered to pay £26,792.30 ($34,782.65) in costs.

Commenting on the case Melissa Lai-Hung, HSE inspector, said, “This was a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured or killed as a result of this catastrophic failure at Falmouth Docks.

“We thoroughly investigated this incident and found that A&P Falmouth Limited’s system of maintenance was not effective in preventing the collapse of the crane.

“This case not only highlights the importance of regular proactive maintenance but also the inspection of lifting equipment. Companies looking for advice in these areas can find readily available and free guidance on the HSE website.”