Fatal fall from overhead crane raised walkway following access panel failure
An electrician was repairing wiring that had been causing a short circuit on the lifting equipment of a large overhead gantry crane.
As he was walking along the crane’s walkway, an access panel gave way beneath his feet, causing him to fall through to the ground below. The casualty sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at hospital.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to maintain the crane walkway’s access panels, which had been used to replace lighting fittings some months earlier. Also, the panel itself had been subject to weld repair, and there was no evidence of any steps being taken to ensure that the panel was safely replaced into the void and secured to ensure it did not fail.
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