Safety Alert: Unplanned lift descent

 

 

What happened:

On 21 September 2024, a near miss was reported due to an unplanned descent of a lift on a gantry crane.

Following external engineers using the lift, internal engineers called the lift to the fourth level. Once it had reached the platform and the external gate had opened, the lift slowly descended away from the gate leaving an open edge. The internal engineers then isolated the lift.

The external engineers had accidentally knocked the latch securing the emergency ladder inside the lift car. The shuddering of the lift ascending had caused the ladder to be released completely from the latch (image 1), falling forwards and making contact with the emergency brake release (image 2) which is designed to the allow the lift to descend in situations where power is lost, and personnel are stuck inside.

Key findings:

• External engineers packed the lift with too many people resulting in one of them inadvertently knocking the latch that secured the emergency ladder.
• The ladder was not sufficiently secured in stowed position (image 3), and the latch was not robust enough to prevent accidental release.
• The brake release handle was not suitably protected from accidental contact.
• SWL (Safe Working Load) details in the lift did not include a maximum number of persons.

Considerations for members:

Members may wish to consider the following actions:

• Ensure SWL details include a maximum number of persons the lift can hold and affix signs in the lift clearly stating so.
• Secure the ladder on two permanent hooks, requiring the ladder to be lifted off before use.
• Protect the brake release handle with metal containment to prevent accidental engagement.
• Ensure brake handle has been inspected and approved by a lift maintenance company

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ICHCA International is committed to helping industry to learn lessons fast, learn them once and make sure that they stay learnt. This information is intended to provide all organisations in the cargo supply chain with the opportunity to consider the events and to review and adapt their own health and safety control measures to proactively prevent future incidents.

We are grateful to the Port Skills & Safety and Peel Ports for providing details and for raising awareness. We acknowledge their commitment to sharing learning to benefit others. If you have similar operations, please share this information with managers, operatives and any potentially affected third parties as appropriate. Please also review any of your relevant operations for similar hazardous conditions, risks, and controls. Learning content like this is highly valuable as it is based on real-world experience. We encourage everyone with publishable information about incidents to send it to us, so that we can raise awareness across the whole industry. Please contact us at secretariat@ichca.com; sharing your insight could save a life or prevent injury.

For previous Safety Alerts follow the link: https://ichca.com/safety-alerts