05.10.2017
Wind takes boom down
The boom and jib of a large crawler crane came down in strong winds last week at a gas plant in Jazan, South West Saudi Arabia.
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The crane before the boom and jib came down
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The crane itself remained stable
We understand that the crane, a Liebherr owned by the Sarens Nass joint venture, was left overnight with the boom at 85 degrees, a long luffing jib and suspended counterweight.
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Although the damage is extensive
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The boom and jib
Overnight winds took the jib and boom over the back of the crane, but no one was hurt or injured in the incident. An investigation is underway to discover how the incident occurred. The companies involved declined to comment while the investigation is ongoing.
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Another view
Note: Jazan is often spelt Jizan and sometimes Gizan or Gazan.
Good Afternoon Mr Sarens,
Thank you for your Press Release detailing your New Advertising Programme, which appears to be a Re-Branding Exercise. What caught my attention was the Statement of your Corporate Values, expressly Value number 3 Safety is our Mantra.
So as I have spent 10 years researching Crane Safety since 010907, lets apply this in the real world to see if its more than just a marketing exercise.
a) On 5th October 2017, a Sarens Crawler Crane at the Jizan Gas Plant in KSA suffered a Major Mechanical Failure due to the Long Luffer not being Lowered to the Ground in line with the Mfrs recomended inverted ^ Lay-Down procedure. Was Safety is our Mantra involved on this occasion, sadly it was not evident and this Excellent Crane was wrecked.
b) On 6th March 2017, a Sarens 500t Mobile Crane in Qatar was Tipped to the Left due to having the Outriggers Retracted on the Fall side, but Extended on the other. This is directly contradictory to all Crane Mfrs recomended Set-Up procedures. That is, Fully Extend the Outriggers Out and Down onto Large Mats to reduce the Tm2 Loading on ground, before even Raising the Boom off the Cradle. Was Safety is our Mantra evident on this occasion, sadly it was yet again not practiced.
c) On 14th January 2015, a Sarens Crawler Crane on a Wind-farm site in Germany suffered a Major Failure due to the Long Lattice Jib (Boom) being Flipped Over the Rear due to High Winds, all of which could have been avoided if the Jib ( Boom) had been Lowered to the Ground the Night before in line with the Mfrs recomended procedures. Was Safety is our Mantra evident on this third occasion, No it is noticeable that yet again Safety is our Mantra was completely missing from this scene.
Therefore it is my submission to you, that Safety is our Mantra is nothing but Words on a page UNLESS they are put into practice on an Hourly Basis. Why, because Cranes are Uniquely Different in having to Defeat Gravity with every Single Lift and given that my 10 year Database confirms that 461 Men, Women and Children have now been killed by Cranes and Lifting Operations Worldwide since 010907. The most cost-effective way to turn Safety is our Mantra into a Cost-Effective Operating Procedure is to ?
d) Adopt Safe Systems of Work, so that when something goes wrong it does not Lead to Death(s) or Injury(s).
e) Start a Safety Training Programme called How to Avoid Crane Incidents and incorporating the Laws of Physics.
f) Invite the CEO and all other Directors to attend, because if he, she or they are not committed to Crane Safety, No-one else will be.
Because Worker Safety is important, very important and much too important to leave it to chance. So lets turn Safety is Our Mantra into the more cost-effective Safe Systems of Work ?
Kind Regards
Mike Ponsonby
Good Afternoon Mr Editor,
Crane Operators already know that Lifting Operations are Inherently Dangerous as we are continuously attempting to defeat Gravity with every single Lift. Moreover with 458 Fatalities arising from Crane and/or Lifting Incidents Worldwide including 35 in the UK since 010907.
The List is ongoing with Alphen, Bangkok, Bridge of Don, Caracas, Didcot, Dunbar, Edinburgh, Falcon, Germany, Hagesund, Hinckley, Invergordon, Japan, Kolkata, London, Mecca, Mostyn, New York, Oslo, Paris, Peterhead, Queensferry, Rio, Saudi-Arabia, Tacoma, USA, Vermont, Washington, Wigan (Scout Moor) and Zeebrugge all witnessing Crane Incidents in recent years.
So as it is Very Noticeable that No-One in the Crane Industry speaks up for the Dead, I will. Moreover in the absence of any other Crane Safety Initiatives, it is my submission to the Crane Industry that we?..
a). Adopt Safe Systems of Work, so that when something goes wrong it does not Lead to Death(s) or Injury(s).
b). Start a Safety Training Programme called How to Avoid Crane Incidents incorporating the Laws of Physics.
c). Invite the CEO and all others invited to attend, because if he or she is not committed to Crane Safety, No-one else will be.
Finally and in closing this weasel word Accident should now be consigned to the dustbin of history, as its use perpetuates the Myth that Safety cannot be managed.
When self-evidently Safety was clearly Manageable both in London, Crewe and Saudi-Arabia : Why, Because Worker Safety is Important, very important and much too Important to leave it to chance.
With Kindest Regards
Mike Ponsonby
Nothing to heavy
Nothing too heavy
Nothing too high!
Ahmed
Fortunately no injuries,but this accident could be avoided if the boom have been lowered to the ground especially when mounted with a luffing jib configuration?