£8,000 fine for crane that crushed a power station

A crane company has been fined £8,000 after a 60 tonne mobile crane overturned, crushing a nearby electricity substation.

Cheshire Crane Hire of Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, was also ordered to pay £8,842 in costs by Wirral Magistrate’s Court after pleading guilty to a health and safety offence.

The court heard the crane overturned on soft soil while attempting to lift a 23m chimney from the Champion Spark Plug premises in Wirral on 29 March 2007.

Managing director Frank Preston estimated the weight of the tower at only six tonnes when the actual weight was more than double.

And although the machine was parked on tarmac, the crane’s outriggers were positioned on soft ground.

When it fell the crane’s cab crushed an electricity substation and days later the crane’s diesel and hydraulic tanks leaked out and contaminated a local brook.

No one was injured.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Neil Jamieson said Mr Preston also failed to explain the type of contract to his client or ask him to sign any papers.