23.10.2009

Tie down safety

A reader has sent us photographs of a mini crane that rolled off of its truck in the UK earlier this week or last as it negotiated a bend and the Cause?
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The crane went out the side door

The crane at first seemed to not have been tied down, we have since learnt that it was in fact chained down, but as it took a moderate bend in the road the tie down points gave way causing the crane – a Maeda – to roll off the side.
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The crane looks relatively undamaged

Fortunately no one was injured and the crane simply landed on the grass verge and looks to be relatively undamaged. However there could just as easily been a cyclist there or pedestrians, or if it the bend had been in the other direction it could have landed on a car.
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The outriggers were down, at least on one side

It is possible that during its lfe the tie down points have been compromised and a relatively gentle bend at a modest speed was enough to be the final straw.