Inspectors with WorkSafe ACT have been busy in recent days overseeing the salvaging and restoration of an upturned crane in Hume.
The crane has been safely righted following a carefully planned operation.
ACT Work Safety Commissioner, Greg Jones said inspectors worked in partnership with engineering and crane experts, as well as ACT Fire and Rescue, to ensure the delicate operation was conducted safely.
“The large mobile crane had tipped up during maintenance activity and rolled on its end,” Mr Jones said.
“The investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing,” he said.
“Workers who were at the site at the time of the incident have been offered incident trauma counselling noting the significance of the incident and the close proximity of some workers to the crane when it tipped up.”
He said it was very fortunate that no workers were injured in the incident.
“This was a large crane that essentially tipped on its end with the boom landing very close to workers,” Mr Jones said.
“The consequences of this could have been fatal.”
In an unrelated incident in Gungahlin, a counter-weight that was being removed from a large mobile crane dislodged and fell damaging a small truck parked in the vicinity. The truck, a work vehicle on the same construction site, was unoccupied at the time and no-one was injured.
WorkSafe ACT is currently investigating the incident to determine the cause.
Mr Jones said he was concerned that this was the second crane safety incident in as many days.
“I strongly remind all employers and workers to ensure they carefully plan all operations, especially those involving high risk activities such as cranes or plant equipment,” he said.
