HSE serves prohibition notice on Falcon

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has served a prohibition notice on up to 180 Falcon Crane Hire tower cranes, following two fatal accidents involving the company’s machines in less than four months.

The notice requires Falcon to take any tower cranes in its fleet out of service that have not been examined by an independent competent person.

HSE has not yet established the exact cause of either of the accidents involving Falcon, the first of which killed two in Battersea in September. The second collapse occurred earlier this week in Liverpool, killing a construction worker on the site below.

In a statement, the HSE said: “HSE would like to emphasise that Falcon Crane Hire has cooperated fully and has agreed the steps they will take to comply with the Notice. HSE will be working with Falcon closely to ensure the remediation process is carried out as quickly as possible so that the cranes can return to use.”

“We are conscious of the severe disruption this will cause but we are sure that the industry will support our action in the interests of the safety of workers and the public.”

HSE indicated that the move was a precaution.