29.07.2013

Genie issues Z135/70 safety notice

Genie has issued a Safety Notice regarding the secondary boom angle sensor affecting all Genie Z135/70 machines following the fatal incident near London’s Heathrow airport almost two months ago. The requirement follows its own internal review of the machine and all of its primary and secondary (redundant) control systems, following the fatal overturning incident almost two months ago.
See fatal UK incident

The company says that it has found that some machines that were calibrated in the field may not have been calibrated according to the company’s service manual and therefore recommends that the secondary boom angle range is checked on all machines as a precaution.

The company also states that this in no way indicates that this is what occurred with the recently delivered Kimberly Access machine that was involved in the incident.

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The accident scene almost two months ago

To date very little information has so far emerged from the investigation by the Health and Safety Executive.

The full statement is as follows:

Terex Aerial Work Platforms (AWP) continues to investigate the June 5, 2013 accident that occurred at the Kimberly Access site in London. As our thorough investigation has progressed, the integrity of the Genie Z-135/70 machines in the field continues to be confirmed. Genie Z-135/70 machines are safe to use as intended provided the machine is in proper working order, the operators are properly trained, and the owners/operators follow the warnings and instructions provided by Terex AWP, which are located on the machine.

Terex AWP conducted an extensive review of the Genie Z-135/70 machines and has verified the Genie Z-135/70 production testing and audit procedures. Terex AWP also conducted an extensive review of all primary and secondary (redundant) control systems. These reviews have confirmed the effectiveness of the design and integrity of the Genie Z-135/70 machines. We continue to pursue information specific to the Kimberly Access incident and are fully cooperating with the HSE investigation.

As part of Terex AWP’s review of the Genie Z-135/70, it has been made aware that in some instances, machines that were calibrated in the field were not calibrated in accordance with the machine’s service manual.

Accordingly, we issued a Safety Notice affecting all Genie Z-135/70 machines. This safety notice is being issued to ensure that machines that were calibrated after leaving Terex AWP’s factory were calibrated in accordance with the procedures in the Genie Z-135/70 service manual.
This Safety Notice requires a simple inspection of the secondary boom angle. Completing this inspection procedure will confirm whether the secondary boom angle sensor is properly calibrated and the machine is safe to use. To date, Terex AWP has not made any determination that the cause of the accident at Kimberly Access was due to improper calibration as described in the Safety Notice.

Vertikal Comment

The Health & Safety Executive’s investigation of the machine and the incident is on-going and although it is taking way too long to issue at least a preliminary statement on its findings, we do know – from its earlier statement - that the secondary boom angle settings were one area that it was focusing on.
Hopefully the Safety Notice will provide some comfort for those companies operating this machine that have voiced concerns. Kimberly Access has understandably declined to comment on the notice and we believe is keeping its units ‘stood down’ while the HSE investigation continues.