Operator training and equipment inspections are key to preventing job-site accidents. Sign up for training or schedule your next inspection. But first, read on for the September 2021 accidents list.
Topped boom
This article is reprinted from Vertikal.net from September 3,2021.
A delivery truck loaded with a boom and some scissor lifts struck a bridge yesterday, ripping the superstructure from the telescopic boom lift. The truck, owned by local rental company APL, was travelling south on the M6 motorway near Haydock, northern England.
The incident occurred just before junction 22 when the boom platform of a mid-sized JLG caught the overpass, its superstructure landed on the hard shoulder just before the exit ramp. A van or a truck then ran into the ‘debris’ apparently rupturing its fuel tank causing a minor spillage. Most importantly no one was hurt, and the damage was limited to the equipment.
A statement from Merseyside Police said: ‘A hire truck with a crane crashed between junction 23 and junction 22 southbound of the M6 around 6.25am today.’
While the incident caused major traffic jams the damage was largely limited to the equipment. The road was cleared and reopened later in the day.
A statement from Highways England said: “There are severe delays in excess of 60 minutes on the M6 southbound in south Lancashire/Greater Manchester between J26 Orrell Interchange and J22 Winwick Interchange due to two incidents. Two lanes are closed between J23 Haydock Interchange and J22 following a bridge strike resulting in debris in the road and road surface damage.
‘Related to this another incident has occurred within J22 which has resulted in two lanes of three being closed after a vehicle struck debris from the bridge strike. This has resulted in the vehicle having a ruptured fuel tank leading to a spillage in the road.’
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service added: “MFRS were in attendance at this incident and GMFRS were also on scene, each Service had one fire engine in attendance. A second vehicle had been in a minor collision with the cherry picker. The occupant of the cherry picker was unharmed as were the two occupants of the second vehicle. Firefighters made the scene safe and handed over to the highways agency at around 7.20am.”
APL has issued the following statement
‘One of our delivery trucks was involved in a road accident this week, in which he struck a bridge on the M6. The driver is not hurt, and the Police & highways were exemplary in their approach, the wagon and trailer have gone to the contract hire company to be inspected and all the qualifications of the driver checked roadside and dealt with at the scene by the Police.’
‘All IPAF training, LOLER’s & PMI’s were in date and driver aids were all provided, we have also checked CCTV footage and it seems that the boom lift was loaded in a way that added to the rig’s overall height. Our policy is load up the night before in daylight and ensure all is correct. While this delivery was loaded up the night before, the way it had been loaded was a case of bad judgement. We are investigating why it was loaded in this manner’ and have now implemented new staged checks before, whilst loading and once chained down.’
‘We can also confirm that the Police & Highways Agency were happy with our compliance and conduct at the scene and with the driver’s overall attitude and have advised that they considered the accident to be a freak.’
‘We take safety and good practice very seriously, and going forward we are installing goalpost type overhead test structures at each entrance and exit, which will be set lower than the standard UK bridge height.’
‘Driver error and freak accidents do happen and as a business we are happy to share our findings, with the industry as a whole in order that others can learn from this experience.’
‘We would also like to extend our apologies for causing the congestion on the M6 and can confirm that we are continually investing and trailing new innovative ways to improve driver training and competencies of our delivery services across the country.’
Vertikal Comment
Incidents like this can happen to any company, no matter how well run they are, whenever people are involved human error can, and often will, over ride even the best of protocols. It looks as though the combination of an under-tucked jib, the boom lift’s position on the trailer’s forward ramp with the boom riser therefore elevated, plus the height of the trailer all contributed to taking the overall height of the load above that of the bridge. simple loading area could have resulted in a very nasty incident.”
Crane company boss who died ‘when a hot tub fell on him while it was being lowered into a customer’s back garden’
This article is reprinted from the DailyMail UK site, which has more pictures and a news video from the accident on September 14, 2021.
- Michael Burcombe, 73, died yesterday as he helped deliver a hot tub at a property in Mangotsfield, Bristol
- The father-of-three, who ran Burcombe Crane Hire Limited, is believed to have been hit as the tub fell while being lowered into a customer’s back garden
- A neighbour of the property said: ‘As they were lowering it into the garden. I heard shouting and screaming.’
- Another resident told MailOnline: ‘I think it clipped the wall. They have been doing a lot of work in the garden.’
- Mr Burcombe’s family confirmed that the businessman had passed away when MailOnline visited the home
“This is the crane company boss who was killed yesterday after being crushed by a hot tub which fell while being lowered into a back garden. Michael Burcombe, 73, a father-of-three, died at the scene of the accident in Bristol, just before 9.30am yesterday. He was the owner of Burcombe Crane Hire Limited based a few miles away on the outskirts of the city.
One lady whose house backs onto the garden told MailOnline: ‘They were lowering it into the garden. I heard a load of shouting and screaming.’ Another neighbour said: ‘I think it clipped the wall. They have been doing a lot of work in the back garden. I heard and saw it all, it’s not fair for me to share any more than that.’
A police spokesman said: ‘We were called at 9.26am to assist the ambulance service at a residential address in Bristol after a man was seriously injured by a heavy load which had fallen from a crane. ‘Tragically, the man, aged in his 70s, was pronounced deceased at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts go out to them. ‘Police inquiries are ongoing at the scene in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive.’
One neighbour said an air ambulance, two land ambulances, a Hazardous Area Response Team, an incident response ambulance vehicle and critical care paramedics attended the scene. Avon Fire and Rescue Service said it received a call to assist police and paramedics at 9.54am. Burcombe Crane Hire, a Bristol-based business whose branding can be seen on the crane, declined to give a statement.
A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: ‘We were called at 9.20am to an incident in Bristol. ‘We attended with multiple resources including an air ambulance and the Hazardous Area Response Team.’ The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), has said: ‘HSE is aware of this incident and investigating.’ “
Worker dies in Longmont trench collapse
This article was reprinted from the Longmont Times Call from September 7, 2021.
“Longmont police say a man died Tuesday during an excavation at a private home in the 100 block of Baylor Drive.
According to Longmont police Sgt. Sara Flunker, police were called to the area just after noon for a man trapped in a trench. The man — described by authorities as being in his 80s — was a contractor for a Denver-based excavation company that had been replacing a sewer line.
“It was approximately a 9-foot hole that they had excavated, and unfortunately he was deceased,” Flunker said. “It’s a very unfortunate accident is what it is..
The work was being completed in advance of new owners moving into the home, and the residence was unoccupied at the time. Flunker said there was no danger to any of the surrounding neighbors.
Flunker said it took about two hours to reach the man and remove him from the hole. The Boulder County Technical Rescue Group, a team of emergency rescuers who assist specifically with entrapment situations, responded to the scene to aid in the operation.
According to Longmont Fire Department spokesperson Patrick Kramer, the incident remains under investigation. But, he said, it is known that the trench had not been shored up, a process that uses walls and braces to secure the the trench from collapse and create a safe work space.
Baylor Drive on Tuesday was packed with emergency vehicles. The street was closed between its intersection with Ithaca Court and its west intersection with Mountain View Avenue. Responding agencies from the Longmont Fire Department, Mountain View Fire Department, Lafayette Fire Department, Boulder Fire Department, Boulder Rural Fire Rescue, Longmont police, city utilities and AMR responded to the scene.
Baylor Drive remained closed as of 3:30 p.m. Flunker said she did not know how much longer the road would be closed.”
If you see an accident report you’d like us to feature in the blog, like the ones shown here in the September 2021 Accidents Reports, let us know. Contact heather@cranes101.com with the information.