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03.08.2015

Major crane incident in Netherlands

Two large cranes have gone over this afternoon in Alphen aan den Rijn, between Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Initial estimates suggested that as many as 20 people were injured. In the end only one person had to be taken to hospital.

The two large All Terrain cranes were tandem lifting the main deck section of the Queen Juliana Bridge - as part of its restoration - from a delivery barge onto the lifting pontoon/barge that they were working from. As the two cranes lifted the deck from the delivery barge and slewed in opposite directions in order to rest the load on the rear of the barge on which the larger of the two cranes was based, the weight shifted, causing the barge on which the smaller crane was located to list a little on one side. This had an impact on the load position which exasperated the listing and load transfer between the two cranes. This caused the smaller one to tip over sideways, pulling the bridge deck with it.
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The scene shortly after the incident occured


Shortly afterwards the bridge deck hit the larger crane - a nine axle model - just as the load settled and applied a further dynamic loading, as a result it went over too.
Between the two cranes and the bridge section, four houses and including a restaurant and shops were flattened and initial reports claimed that 20 people had injuries of some sort or another. Thankfully there were no fatalities, so we assume that the crane operators managed to escape, not only with their lives but without serious injury. The emergency services and investigators are still on site.
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Four buildings were directly affected in the incident


The two cranes are owned by local rental company Peinemann, but we do not know if it was managing and carrying out the lift, or was simply providing the cranes. The event has been captured on video footage.


We will update this item as and when we learn more - many thanks for our locally based readers for your response so far.

The following video was taken with a drone as the lift was set up and shows quite clearly how the two cranes were rigged and what they planned to do.


UPDATE
Shortly after the incident three people working on the project turned themselves into the police and were apparently cautioned as suspects in the causing the incident.

They have now been released given there are now serious injuries or fatalities. and also based on the evidence given. In a series of press conferences we learnt that around 15 people have been evacuated and that the main bridge contractor has already paid out some temporary compensation.

A number of expert witnesses have also stepped forward and criticised the lift, from the way it was conducted, the questionable risk assessment and the use of mobile telescopics on barges.

UPDATE 2
Ad Kornett of Peinmann has issued a video apology for the incident and thanked the emergency services Click here to see the video

Comments

o
Good Morning,

The 8 x second video depicted above is number 399 in my 15 database of 1147 Crane Incidents worldwide, all of which has Killed 614 Men and Women Worldwide since Monday 7th May 2007. This clip is from the longer video of a Complex Tandem lift involving 2 x Hydraulic Telescopic Mobile Cranes of 400t and 700t capacity mounted on 2 x barges at Alphen aan den Rijn, N.L on Monday 3rd August 2015.

The Dutch Safety Board ( DSB) commissioned a formal investigation into this Crane Disaster resulting in an Official Government Report published on 29th June 2016. All of which is now required reading for all UK Crane company CEO’s and MD’s.

To summarise from this DSB report….

1. Both Cranes were loaded to 96% and 104% of the load chart for that Boom Length and Radius with No Margin of Safety whatsoever.
(See page 6 of this DSB Report).

2.The Crane Company failed to apply the expertise required in the Proper Preparation of a Lift Plan for this complex tandem lift on Water. In particular to take account of the Force, Mass and Gravitational effects arising during this complex Lift on water.
(See line 8 of para 2 for what I refer to as 6 x P’s)

3.The Crane Company Under-estimated the Hazards involved in this complex Lift while at same time Over-estimating their own ability to undertake this complex lift on Water. With no strategy whatsoever to Manage the Risks to the Homes of local Residents all of which were within the radius of the Telescopic Booms fitted to these 2 x Cranes.
( ie. No RAMS for Complex Tandem Lift on Water which will always move under the hull of the barges involved).

In conclusion, the end result was 2 x Cranes and 12 x Homes wrecked which together with a complex recovery Operation resulted in a rumoured insurance claim of 10 million Euro. To make matters worse, this entire Bridge section reinstatement was then re-done
correctly 3 x Months later, but without this negligent crane balancing act on water.

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 has now changed the Legal Landscape for all UK Employers with Better Training, Better Instruction and Better Supervision required in Safe Systems of Work (SSoW). If Chief Executives and Managing Directors do not know what SSoW involves, then please consult a person who does. As the legal liability sits on your shoulders 24/7 and this Liability Cannot (Cannot) be delegated to other Managers or employees.

The reason being that Worker Safety is important, very important and much too imprtant to leave it to chance. Unlike what occured so graphically above on Monday 3rd of Aug 2015.

Crane Industry Employers please invite me to your AGM near Henley in Arden to present my 15yrs of Research into 1147 Crane and Lifting Incidents worldwide.

I await your Invitation and remain.
Yours sincerely

Mike Ponsonby
Silver Fox House
Fox Lane
Bromsgrove
Worcs. B617NL.

Jun 20, 2022

Dear Sirs,

In reply to the CEO who told me that “ Health and Safety was a load of Bollocks”. Please allow me to explain …..

a) Risk Assessment is a Legal Obligation in the UK, see Reg 3(1) of The Management Regulations 1999.
and
b) Risk Assessment (RAMS) is not a paper exercise, but is the start point of a Methodology resulting in “Safe Systems of Work’, the Common Law obligation in UK.

This Methodology can best be explained with an Example. So if I were undertaking the RAMS for this complex Lift at Alphen aan den Rijn above, these are just some Questions…..

What is the Weight of Load ?
Where is the Centre of Gravity (Mass) in Load ?
When I Boom out to circa 40m, where will the CoG move to ?
What will be the Outrigger Tm2 Loadings under Load ?
What Mat Size will I need to Reduce the Tm2 Loadings to acceptable figures ?
How will I Chain the Outriggers to Pontoon Decks, to stop them Sliding if Pontoon Lists ?
How will I Ballast the Pontoon(s) Water Tanks on Right for Initial Lift on Left ?
How will I Re-Ballast Water Tanks for Three Left-Right-Left Lifts ?
How will I connect Two Pontoons for circa 100m Transit to the Landing Site ?
How will I Trim Both Pontoons to ensure a Stable Crane Base on Unstable Water ?

The answers to these and many more questions would then be written-up as part of RAMS and submitted to A.N.Other to check my work.
Because if anything is left unanswered, this then poses a Major Hazard for all Staff doing the Lift ?
The RAMS Procedure is well documented on HSE Website in UK and is listed as the ‘ The Five Steps’.

For those Doubting Thomas's in the Crane Industry who think “ It will never Happen to me” then consider this. All Staff should be Trained by All Employers in these matters of Essential Safety as Training is the Only way that we can Defend ourselves EFFECTIVELY in a Court of Law, if charged with Manslaughter for an Unintended or Negligent Fatal Incident. ( That it, without Mens Rea) : BTW if you think that Training is expensive, try Having an Accident, as Mr Peinemann will later confirm ?

Finally and in closing, my ongoing record Confirms that 96 Men, Women and Children have been Killed by Cranes and Lifting Operations Worldwide since 1st Jan 2014, with 18 Killed in June and July 2015.

Worker Safety is my Core Value, please make it the same in all EU Member States.

Kindest Regards to all in NL.
Mike Ponsonby

Aug 12, 2015

FAO The CEO of Peinemann Cranes

Good Morning Sir,

The Crane Disaster at Alphen aan den Rijn on Monday 3rd August 2015 had the potential to cause Multiple Fatalities and therefore requires closer scrutiny, as this is the 684th Crane Incident that I personally have Analysed, Monitored and Recorded Worldwide since 7th May 2007. As you are the CEO of this Crane Company, would your kindly enquire into the following matters…

a) Was this Tandem Lift Planned by an Engineer ?
b) Does that Engineer have an in-depth knowledge of the Newtonian Principles of Force, Mass & Gravity ?
c) Was a Risk-Assessment (RAMS) completed as part of the PPPPPP for this unstable On-Water Lift ?
d) What was the Calculated Tm2 Loadings on each of the Cranes Outrigger Jacks ?
e) How were the Water Ballast Tanks to be Ballasted Longitudinally on right of Barge to counterbalance the Mass in Steel Bridge to be lifted on Left ?
f) How was Water Ballast Tanks to be Re-Ballasted on left of Barge to counterbalance the Mass of Bridge being slewed to Hinge Landing Point on Right ?
g) How were the Water Ballast Tanks to be Re-Ballasted again on right of Barge to counterbalance Mass of Bridge then being Lowered into the Final Road position on Left ?

Please Publish your Report ASAP, so that the rest of the Crane World can learn from these mistakes.

Worker Safety is my Core Value, please ensure that this is the same in all 28 Members States of EU.

Kindest Regards to all in NL.

Mike Ponsonby

Aug 7, 2015

Michael Brown
That's certainly a lift beyond me, they were going to suspend the swing bridge while the tugs move the barges down to where the bridge works are to be lifted into place! If you look at the trees to left there is a definite pick up in wind around the time the bridge section is being lifted look to the right presuming the self erecting crane is free slewed the wind appears to be pressing directly into the bridge section add to that the height of the jib's i get the impression there is an incredible amount of un-calculated leverage on the narrower barge that the smaller crane is on. Its also possible that this caused the slew brake to blow through on the smaller crane. All hypothetical though and we will have to wait for the official reports.

Aug 5, 2015

Michael Brown
Its a miracle there wasn't multiple fatality's. Of all the country's, you would expect the Netherlands to have an abundance of experience lifting from barges.

Aug 5, 2015

That is simply horrific and my thoughts go out to all of those who have been hurt or suffered loss as a result of this terrible sequence of events.
Its going to be a very tricky recovery operation now I bet ! Lifting on a barge on shallow water must carry a unique set of risks - I think we've just seen what they are !

Aug 3, 2015