Glasgow builder dies after Work platform collapse

A construction worker has died after a truck-mounted lift collapsed on a building site in the centre of Glasgow.

The accident happened at Buchanan House on Port Dundas Road at midday Wednesday 20 June 2012.

Another man has been taken to the Royal Infirmary suffering from “severe head injuries”, the Scottish Ambulance Service said.

The boom of the 43 metre work lift buckled bringing the workers crashing to the floor.

The victims were believed to be fixing safety netting on the site as part of ongoing refurbishment work.

The machine involved is believed to be a Bizzocchi 43m cherrypicker.

One eyewitness told the Daily Record: “I saw the two guys up in the basket about an hour earlier.

“One of them will have been operating the cherry picker and the other will have been the contractor who was working on the building.

“So far as I know, it is the contractor who has died and the cherry picker operator was injured.

“I heard a massive bang at around 12.30 when the basket hit the ground. The police and ambulance were on the scene within minutes.

“My heart goes out to the family of the man who was killed.

“I would imagine the health and safety investigators will be all over this one because the crane has just snapped in two.

“It looks like some pins inside the arm have snapped and the thing has just buckled.”

Source – Construction Enquirer

LST Comment: The reasoning behind this accident has yet to be established and we would not like to preempt any investigation, especially while a family is grieving.

Other operators of similar equipment should consider the requirements of the PUWER & LOLER Regulations, which outlines the need for regular service and maintenance, along with statutory 6 monthly combined test and inspections. There is also a legal requirement to train users to operate such plant to be considered. IPAF training and a PAL License is considered as industry best practice or its alternative of a relevantly annotated CPCS card.