02.05.2014
Kimberly to return Z135s to service
UK based Kimberly Access has informed its employees today that its will place its fleet of Genie Z-135/70 boom lifts back into service on June 1st.
The letter states that the machines will all be fitted with a secondary safety system that it has developed with the company's engineering advisors, and that the device has been reviewed and approved by independent bodies, which it says have stated that had the system been fitted at the time of the incident it would not have happened.
Kimberly took all of its Z135/70s out of service following the fatal overturn of one of its brand new Z135/70s on June 5th 2013 -
Click here to see original report. Since then the investigation has indicated that the unit had been incorrectly calibrated, allowing the lower boom to extend before it was fully elevated, causing it to have rearward stability issues.
The letter, a copy of which was passed to us by the company, is published in full below.
“Dear Colleague
As you know, the period since the fatal accident at our Iver Depot on 5 June 2013 has been challenging and traumatic particularly for those directly involved and of course Rick’s family.
You will be aware that within an hour of the accident we put aside all financial considerations and took the decision to ground our remaining fleet of 24 Genie Z135’s.
In accordance with the promise to keep you totally informed we are now in a position to inform you that we are emerging from this difficult period in positive shape and ready to press forward with our strategy to be the major operator of large booms in the UK.
During the past months we have been placing great emphasis on investigating the cause of the accident and reviewing all aspects of the 135 operating systems under the guidance of independent forensic engineers who specialise in this work. As a result of a great deal of work and input we are well versed in the cause of the accident, the details of which we cannot comment as this will be the subject of scrutiny by a coroners’ inquest to be held in May.
We can however inform you that Kimberly and its engineering advisors have devised a secondary safety system which has been reviewed by independent bodies who conclude that had this system been fitted to the fateful 135 then the accident would not have happened.
Furthermore, in order to continually improve the 135 operating standards and to encourage our clients to adapt safer working practices we are in the process of introducing new procedures which will include a new handover process.
During the next two weeks we will be issuing detailed information to all of our employees and relevant people will be subject to specific training exercises.
Let me make it very clear that the decision to put our 135 fleet back to work has been taken with the primary and only emphasis being that they are safe to use, and only following the actions described in this letter. i.e. if we were not totally satisfied that the 135 is now safe we would not be reversing our grounding policy and in fact we would have sold them.
Subject to completing certain self imposed hurdles and testing we are aiming to deploy the 135 fleet on 1 June 2014 which out of total respect to Rick’s memory and his family is after the coroner’s inquest.
If you have any queries whatsoever regarding this letter, do not hesitate to call me
Kind Regards
Geraldine Unsworth
Chief Executive”
Rick Jaeger Forza. Gents, can we remember that these are open forums and the family may well have access to your comments. Wife & children? I suggest we all bear in mind that this incident had a name. I'm sure Kimberley and Genie are doing their utmost to ensure this never happens again.
Access Engineer: If things are genuinely as bad as you say and you are making an ethical stand because you genuinely believe peoples safety is at risk you cannot afford to be there a day longer.
You need to resign today. How can you in all conscience stay. Once you have left you can publically voice your concerns through the proper channels without fear.
To stay there believing what you do is just plain wrong.
Or will you continue to take their shilling?
Access Engineer
It's easy to contribute my opinions to someone who has not been with the company for many years now, where that gem of info came from I will never know.
I won't reveal my name damn right. Hopefully the information that comes out over the next month or so will shed a little more light. Throw slander my way all you wish, those that posted are either directly involved with the company, or are totally clueless. Unless you have worked as an engineer, I'd suggest you be the one to button it.
It has come to light that the so called Access Engineer is former worker, I let you work out the rest, this guy is a knob, fact, and he now works for XX, good luck with that. ABUSIVE AND PERSONAL CONTENT EDITED
I can't understand why people who claim to be from the access industry make stupid and unhelpful comments about Kimberly Access, Ray Ledger is not everyone's cup of tea, but let's not use this has a chance to have cheap shot's.
Ray Ledger will never put any one at risk, and the senior staff at Kimberly Access would also ensure that all safety was followed to the law, so this so called guy/ladie who is gutless and won't reveal his/her name, button your lip. have some respect for the family, MUPPET.
I note the comment of the so called 'access engineer' who hides behind his/hers identity because they are not confident enough of their facts.
I was the Chairman of Kimberly until December and will remain involved until this whole matter is resolved.
Whilst I cannot comment on the facts that will be put to the Coroners inquest late in May I would suggest that the spurious comments made by 'access engineer' will not be considered to be worthy of consideration by those that matter because quite frankly they are nonsense.
The Coroners inquest will base its considerations on fact including the HSE report, and not the irresponsible comments of ill-informed idiots
Ray Ledger Chairman Kimberly Group 2007- 13
Access Engineer
I would suggest people look at the financial information online for Kimberly access and then Kimberly rentals group. It's also Interesting to know they completely resurfaced their iver depot with concrete after years of employees complaining to management about the issue.
I'd bet there is more factors contributing to the overturn than just calibration.
It does seem that Kimberley has acted with dignity on this terrible matter, have taken their time, not reacted to calls for hurried reports and only released the machines back into service when they were totally confident.
Good practice!!
Hats off to Kimberly for putting conscience before profit.
You are to be respected for your actions.