Cradles without graves

摘要

ACCIDENTS and prosecutions in the UK and the US involving suspended access equipment (also known as cradles, jibs, building maintenance units and gantries) have been in the news of late. In the UK we've seen: a 30,000 pounds fine and costs for a cradle maintenance company after two of its workers were left dangling nearly 15 metres in the air at a shopping centre in Norwich. 200,000 pounds in fines and costs for two companies after a man died and three were injured at a Sheffield office block; the cradle owners paid 160,000 pounds and the operators 43,000 pounds(see HSW September 2008, page 3 or www.health andsafetyprofessional.co.uk/two-firms-pay-203000-for-cradle-death). rope access teams from the emergency services rescuing stranded window cleaners from an office block in the centre of Birmingham. equipment failure at a Glasgow cinema where the equipment was used despite warnings in a risk assessment following installation.