Overloaded crane accident costs company nearly £30,000
A motor parts manufacturer from Cheshire is facing a payout of
nearly £30,000 after an accident that saw a 31-tonne load dropped
from an overhead crane.
The incident at Mitras Automotive (UK) Ltd in May 2009 caused
severe injuries to one of the company's workers, after the hook
from the crane landed on his left leg and shattered his thigh
bone.
A prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
found that the crane had been gravely overloaded: the chains were
only designed to lift 17 tonnes at the very most, while the crane
itself was only capable of lifting a 27 tonne load.
The company pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court this week to
failing to ensure that their workers were fully aware of the
lifting capacity of the chains and failing to look after the safety
of its workers.
The HSE inspector responsible for the investigation, Martin
Paren, said the incident was "completely avoidable" and that it was
sheer luck that no one had been killed.
"Mitras regularly expected its workers to lift loads well over
the lifting capacities of both the chains and the overhead crane.
It was only a matter of time before something went wrong, which is
why Mitras Automotive was in court today," he said.
"Lifting capacities exist for a reason and it's vital that
manufacturers who use overhead cranes make sure employees aren't
put a risk from falling loads."
The company was fined £20,00 and ordered to pay £8,792 in
prosecution costs.