MEC&F Expert Engineers : Crane operator drops a heavy concrete panel and crashes worker to death

Friday, March 6, 2015

Crane operator drops a heavy concrete panel and crashes worker to death


March 4, 2015 

A man waiting in a partially lowered platform was killed on Monday when a crane dropped a heavy concrete panel on him at a building site in Tromsø, Norway
The 19 tonne lift shaft panel dropped around 12 metres (36 feet), following some sort of sling or rigging failure. The man was stood in the platform of a Dinolift trailer mounted platform - owned by rental company UCO - when the panel landed on him, killing him almost instantly.

The crane operator, seeing what had happened, immediately jumped from his cab to run to the aid of the crushed man, but broke his foot on landing.

Norway Tromso
The panel landed directly on top of the platform in which the man was standing

This part of the housing project is being managed by Betonmast, the deceased was employed by a subcontractor. The company is investigating the incident along with the labour inspectorate and the local police. This accident affects us all.

Betonmast chief executive Jørgen Evensen said: “Our thoughts go first and foremost with the families, colleagues and others that are affected.”