Scaling new heights for crane safety
New rules on the safe use of tower cranes in the construction industry will not prevent accidents and injuries, a Shropshire health and safety specialist has claimed.
Matt Reeves leads the Health and Safety division at Newport and Shrewsbury-based insurance broker Henshalls.
He said the new rules, which come into force on April 6, have been introduced following growing concerns about the safety of the cranes - eight people (including a member of the public) have been killed in separate incidents since 2000.
"Around 1800 conventional tower cranes are thought to be operated in Britain, with around 1300 in use at any one time," said Matt.
"But although the new rules put tower crane safety issues firmly in the spotlight, it's not clear how much difference they will really make to safety figures in the sector."
The new crane registration rules require employers to inform the Health & Safety Executive of where cranes are being used and they must also provide the contact details of the crane owners.
The HSE will have to be notified each time a crane is installed or re-installed on a site, and a thorough safety examination of the crane equipment must be carried out before it can be used.
All the recorded details will be kept in a register that will be available to the public.
"The new scheme will track the location of cranes across the UK at any given time, but it won't address the problems caused by mistakes made when the cranes are installed or examined," said Matt.
"It's vital though that insurance brokers continue to keep their clients informed about the rules, and ensure they comply fully with the guidelines."
The Henshalls Health and Safety Division was launched to help local businesses keep up to date with rapidly changing regulations.
Tony Conlon, Henshalls Director, said: "Health and Safety and insurance are inseparable - all insurance policies contain a condition that the business must comply with all legal requirements and safety regulations.
"So launching our own Health and Safety team was the next logical step and it's the perfect solution for every business that is not fortunate enough to have access to in-house safety experts."
