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Plant related incidents top the construction safety agenda
The new Plant Safety Group and HSE have raised plant related safety issues to the top of the agenda for 2009 onwards . The Plant Safety Group (part of the Strategic Forum for Construction SFfC) chaired Colin Wood, CEO of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) is considering cranes and excavators and use of telehandlers has been identified as a topic for future attention.
In view of this focus the PPCS News Desk will increase coverage of plant related incidents across the globe so as to help raise awareness further and enable any lessons to be discussed and shared by the UK industry. We start with two recent incidents in the USA.
Cherry picker operator critically injured: A ’110ft aerial lift’ overturned during inspection of a University residence. The workman is reported to have fallen or jumped from the plant onto a second-floor rooftop as the lift fell. He was employed by a roofing contractor. A construction safety consultant is reported to have said ”from the photos of the accident, it looked as though the lift’s basket had been extended beyond a safe reach” There is also a stack of timber near the wheelbase. MEWP Guidance.
Mobile crane operator death: A crane operator has died while preparing to lift air-conditioning units. It is reported to be the fourth serious accident at the particular site since construction began on the development in 2007. A component is reported to have failed during the crane setup process causing sections of the crane to fall striking the crane operator who was making his daily inspection of the equipment. Crane Guidance.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:36 am
[...] The safe design and use of excavators is high on the agenda for regulators and the industry bodies during 2009. This tragic death shows just why that is [...]
April 6th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
[...] The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) represents over 1,500 companies in the construction plant hire sector and the CPA Chief Executive, Colin wood, currently chairs the industry Plant Safety Group. [...]