Falcon doubles inspection times

Falcon Crane Hire has doubled its tower crane inspection regime for all cranes from the industry norm of every 12 months to every six months.

And in future, the hire firm will use a team of external inspectors, at its own expense.

Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, equipment requires periodic examination by a competent person every 12 months. Inspections for cranes with a manbasket are required every six months.

The measures follow an inspection of 170 of the hire company's cranes, following a prohibition notice served by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).

The HSE served the notice after it transpired that two fatal tower crane accidents in London and Liverpool, occurring over the space of a few months, had both involved Falcon's machines.

The company completed the inspections over two weeks. All 170 machines were given a clean bill of health. Falcon indicated that although it had not counted the full financial cost of the inspections it performed after the prohibition order, it had run into the "tens of thousands of pounds".

It also dismissed industry rumours that business had suffered following the negative publicity generated by the accidents. A spokesman for Falcon said: "All Falcon's clients have been terribly supportive and we haven't lost any business." He also pointed out that no one had been laid off from the firm.