16.09.2019
Crane Safety 2019
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers annual Crane Safety Conference opens in London tomorrow.
This year’s speakers include Carl Sarens, the engineer that devised the 5,000 tonne crane that has just
gone to work on its first job at the Hinkley Point nuclear power station in Somerset, UK, along with Francois Swanepoel, lifting lead from Bylor, the Joint Venture managing this massive project.
Other speakers include David Gostick, a specialist inspector at the Health & Safety Executive, Jennifer Gilmour - senior mechanical engineer, of the Assurance Directorate, Dounreay, Edward Carr – head of lifting solutions at Select Plant Hire, John Carpenter - HSQE Manager, at VolkerFitzpatrick and Stijn Sarens of the Sarens group, to mention just a few.
The full list of speakers at this event, which will be held at 1 Birdcage Walk, London, and other details, including how to buy a last minute ticket can be found
here.
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Good Morning Mr Editor,
Thank you to all the Staff at The Institution of Mechanical Engineers for holding yet another VG Crane Safety Conference in London on 170919.
With lots of Excellent Speakers during the day. As confirmation of my answers to the audience during the midday Q and A session
1. In the UK the Employer is the Duty Holder ( Not the Employee) under S2 and S3 of The HSW Act 1974.
2. The Major Contractor on site is responsible for the Safety of all persons irrespective of their status as Employees, Subbies or Visitors. As detailed in The Occupiers Liability Act 1957.
3. My 12yrs of Research into 632 Lifting Incidents Worldwide leading to 559 Fatalities confirms Mobile Cranes were involved in 37% with Crawler and Tower Cranes at 15%. With Improvised Lifting Ops having the worst Safety record due to many being undertaken without RAMS or Pre-planning by the AP.
Therefore with the Courts now imposing Multi Million Fines for non compliance by Employers the next development may well be Jail Sentences for Managers under Section 36 or Directors under Section 37. With Prosecution Barristers possibly then seeking application of Section 40 to reverse the evidential Burden onto Defendant(s).
All CEO's and Managing Directors should now be energised by the need to proactively manage Safety as 632 Lifting Incidents worldwide causing 559 Fatalities is 559 too many with yet another 2 last week in Redcar.
Because Worker Safety is important, very important and much too important to leave it to chance ?
Kind Regards
Mike Ponsonby