Work accident news
24/09/2009

Man suffers spinal injuries after crane topples

A crane driver suffered spinal injuries following a work accident involving a fallen crane arm. One of the country's leading plant hire companies have been fined £100,000 after admitting flouting health and safety rules which led to the worker's injuries.

Passers-by reported seeing the crane's arm topple backwards 200 feet in the air and break free from its base before crashing onto the roof of a neighbouring hotel.

Three other workers were left stranded on the top of the crane's base for five hours as fire fighters from Croydon fire station launched a massive rescue operation.

The heavy plant hire company admitted breaching the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, the Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The Judge deciding on the case said: "The defendant company created a very significant risk of an accident occurring. In addition when part of a crane falls to the ground, the possibility of death or serious injury is extremely high."

It has not been reported how much compensation the injured worker is likely to receive from his work accident.