23.09.2009

£100,000 fine for Select

UK based Select Plant Hire has been fined £100,000 for the Croydon tower crane accident in June 2007.

The cranes superstructure flipped over backwards and landed on the roof of the Croydon Park Hotel. The operator, John Young, 39, miraculously survived, but suffered multiple fractures from the accident and was in a body brace for 10 weeks,

Select admitted breaching Health and Safety laws at the Old Bailey which occurred as the crane was being climbed, the erectors had failed to secure the superstructure to the tower before trolleying in a new section.
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The crane thankfully came to rest on the building

The prosecution claimed that staff had not been properly trained to climb the specific crane and that they were not sufficiently supervised.

Andrew Kinnier, speaking for Select, said the company had previously has an "impeccable" safety record and that new safety measures, including improved training, had been put in place.

Unattached superstructure caused accident
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