A crane hire company has agreed to make more than $350,000 of safety improvements after one of its cranes toppled over in Adelaide.

SafeWork SA last week accepted an Enforceable Undertaking from hire company Crane Services Pty Ltd following an incident on 11 February 2021.

The crane was being used on a job at Heathfield High when it slid off the outrigger timbers and eventually toppled over.

No one was physically injured, but the psychological impact of such a near miss can still be traumatic for people. The crane operator had his high-risk work licence suspended and has gained employment in another industry.

SafeWork SA was notified and issued enforcement notices that prohibited use of the crane and the lifting chains involved in the incident. In response, the company disposed of the lifting chains.

Crane Services is a South Australian hirer of mobile crane with more than 40 years of industry experience. The company has also been internationally certified for its safety management systems.

Following the incident, an investigation was conducted by SafeWork SA during which time Crane Services applied to the regulator to consider their application for an Enforceable Undertaking (EU). 

Despite no charges being laid, Crane Services said it understands the characterisation of an allegation that could be made with respect to the incident. The EU was accepted by the regulator.

In its statement, the company said the undertaking gave it the opportunity to review its own processes and procedures in respect to the crane set up and share its lessons with other businesses in the industry.

Under the terms of the Enforceable Undertaking, Crane Services has committed to 12 activities with an estimated total cost of $351,261 to promote the objectives of the Act that will deliver benefits for their workers, the wider industry and their community. These include:

  • employing a compliance officer to assist with onsite compliance and management of administrative controls

  • implementing a GPS tracking and vehicle immobilisation system so only operators that have been signed off as competent are able to start vehicles

  • developing a training and information session for crane supervisors on Geotechnical ground conditions

  • developing an animation video based on the incident and findings to share learning with industry

  • sponsoring an individual to undertake the MATES In Construction Suicide Prevention Program ASIST