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Concrete contractor fined heavily after fatality at Wembley stadium
PC Harrington Contractors Ltd has been ordered to pay over £175k in fines and prosecution costs after a workman died and one other was seriously injured in a incident during construction works carried out at Wembley Stadium in 2004.
A platform became dislodged during a lifting operation, causing it to fall and strike the two workers below. Both men were working on the building of the concrete superstructure of the stadium at the time.
Giles Meredith, HSE Inspector, said: “There were many thousands of crane movements at Wembley. This incident demonstrates that when things do go wrong during lifting operations, the outcome is often very serious. Our thoughts remain with the family of Patrick O’ Sullivan who live with the consequences of this tragic event.”
Comment: In recent years there have been a number of high profile events and tragic deaths involving the collapse of cranes. This case highlights the fact that the majority of lifting operation incidents and deaths stem from the failure to retain control of loads rather than collapse of the crane itself. The training and supervision of all those involved in load slinging (and working near lifting operations) would repay additional investment.