Crane collapse on Falmouth Docks sees company fined £750k

A company responsible for a crane that collapsed onto Falmouth Docks has been fined £750,000 for putting more than 250 people at risk.

On 10 May 2017, A&P Falmouth’s crane had been operating over Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Tidespring whilst the ship was docked. The driver noticed the crane’s jib was in uncontrolled descent, and managed to move the crane away from RFA Tidespring and over the dockside.

When the crane collapsed, it landed on a cage of acetylene cylinders. Emergency services were called, as it was declared a major incident. 258 workers were on site at the time, but none were injured.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found A&P Falmouth had failed to properly maintain the crane in accordance with the law. A third party had examined the crane and found multiple defects, but their recommendations were not followed up on by A&P Falmouth.

Appearing at Truro Court on 11 October 2024, A&P Falmouth Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 –  failures to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees and non-employees alike. The company was fined £750,000 and ordered to pay £26,792.30 in costs.

HSE Inspector Melissa Lai-Hung commented after sentencing:

“This was a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured or killed as a result of this catastrophic failure at Falmouth Docks.

“We thoroughly investigated this incident and found that A&P Falmouth Limited’s system of maintenance was not effective in preventing the collapse of the crane.

“This case not only highlights the importance of regular proactive maintenance but also the inspection of lifting equipment. Companies looking for advice in these areas can find readily-available and free guidance on the HSE website.”

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