27.06.2010

Lampson cited for 2008 accident

US based crane rental company and manufacturer Lampson, has been cited by federal regulators for the Transilift accident that injured three men at the Black Thunder Mine, Wyoming in 2008.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released its report on the accident on Friday last week. It says that the foundation the crane was traveling on was uneven, which - combined with other factors - resulted in a side loading on the crane. The report states that the soil under the crane, saturated from recent rain, gave way under the machine's weight and concludes that Lampson management failed to prevent the accident by failing to prevent the side loading, failing to consider the nature of the soils and other factors.
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The large tube can that it was lifitng can be seen on the left

The 1,100 ton crane was built and owned by Kennewick, Washington based Lampson, it was lifting and moving a 250 ton, 70 metre long section of conveyor support tubing when it failed. Two men on the ground and one of the crane's operators were injured.
A spokesman for the MSHA which is based in Denver Colorado, said the citation issued against Lampson could result in a fine of up to $70,000.

Lampson says that it has only just received the report itself and need time to digest it before making any comment.
Click here to see the original report
Click here for photos from the scene and more details