Fake crane parts pose danger to contractors

UK contractors must be on their guard over counterfeit tower crane sections, a leading manufacturer has warned.

While there have long been rumours regarding fake parts and bad practice, the issuing of two technical notes by the manufacturer has renewed safety concerns across the industry.

The company's note to its customers warned: "Use of counterfeit parts may result in the collapse of a tower crane, which may cause property loss, personal injury or death."

The current boom in the construction industry and the increasing height of buildings mean crane hire companies have come under extreme pressure to get more crane sections - a demand crane manufacturers are struggling to meet. Many have order backlogs running to several months.

A UCATT spokesman said: "This latest information is very disturbing to anyone concerned with crane safety. The issue of counterfeit crane sections shows potential problems for the future," he added.

A spokesman for the Construction Confederation added: "Contractors need to be vigilant at all times. Where replacement parts have not been supplied by the original manufacturer, they should carry a CE mark."

However, some of the copies carry counterfeit CE identification plates that pose particular problems for those tasked with checking the integrity of the crane.

Although the Health & Safety Executive is aware of the situation, it said it had received no report of counterfeit sections in the UK.

Fears have also been expressed that full orderbooks may lead companies to mix crane sections in an attempt to meet demand. In a second note, the same company warned: "Anyone who combines crane parts from different manufacturers effectively puts a new machine into circulation. A declaration of conformity for the entirely new crane must be drawn up."

The UCATT spokesman said the situation was just as worrying. "To find that the practice of joining sections from different crane manufacturers occurs at all is frightening, but especially as it throws all the manufacturers' safety standards into doubt."

Colin Wood, chief executive of the Construction Plant-hire Association, said: "Companies should think very carefully before using any non-OE part in a safety critical application."