Signaller Violation Results in $100,000 Fine

Two workers were repairing a malfunctioning truck crane. One would work on the crane while it was stopped, then step clear of the crane’s swing path. The other worker would then operate the malfunctioning throttle and swing the crane upper. This worker began to swing the crane upper after seeing his co-worker standing clear of the swing path. But while it was swinging, the operator lost sight of the other worker, who was next seen lying on the crane deck under the crane counterweight. He died from head injuries. The MOL investigation found that the crane operator’s sight lines were either fully or partly obstructed during certain orientations of the crane. Similarly, the deceased worker would periodically lose eye contact with the crane operator, depending on their relative positions. The employer pleaded guilty to failing to have signaller directing their activity and was fined $100,000 [Equipment Sales & Service Ltd., Govt. News Release, March 6, 2015].