NSW: Second crane collapse sparks calls for improved safety
Published in: AAP General News
Date: 11/6/2003
NSW: Second crane collapse sparks calls for improved safety
SYDNEY, Nov 6 AAP – The second crane collapse in Sydney in less than a week today sparked
renewed union calls for tougher safety laws in the construction industry.
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union organiser Phil Davey said it was a
miracle no-one was seriously injured when the crane collapsed across a four-lane road
in Parramatta shortly after 10am (AEDT).
Mr Davey said the 50-tonne crane was operating on a Meriton Apartment building site
at the corner of George and Charles Streets when the accident happened.
He said early reports suggested the crane was overloaded.
The crane operator had managed to “wriggle free” from the structure and was uninjured,
although “still suffering shock”, Mr Davey said.
“The final analysis of the cause of the accident will be dependent on the findings
of the union and WorkCover safety experts,” he said.
Today’s incident follows a similar crane collapse on Monday, when a 200-tonne machine
toppled into Sydney Harbour following the failure of its base locking mechanism.
Operator Craig Smith, 46, suffered serious chest and leg injuries when he fell four
metres from the crane’s cabin to the ground.
“He underwent surgery on Monday afternoon and I believe he’s doing fine,” Mr Davey said.
The two incidents, and the death of 16-year-old roofing
labourer Joel Exner, who fell 15 metres at a construction site in Sydney’s west last month,
have sparked union calls for tougher work safety laws.
“It certainly speaks to the need for stronger laws from the state government,” Mr Davey said.
“They need to beef up the laws and beef up WorkCover’s capacity to fine, and in extreme
cases jail, employers (who don’t meet safety standards).
“These accidents are happening way too often and the laws need to be toughened so that
building workers can go to work with some confidence that they won’t be involved in some
terrible mishap and that they’ll be able to get home to their families at the end of the
day,” Mr Davey said.
“We need zero tolerance in the building industry.”
NSW Industrial Relations Minister John Della Bosca last month announced a new taskforce
had been set up to speed the development of guidelines for workplace safety investigations.
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