A BAE Systems press officer said, “At approximately 0800 on Monday 5 May a crane at the Govan yard sustained damage when the jib snapped after being lowered out to begin routine operations. None of the employees involved have been seriously injured. The crane passed its annual statutory inspection in March 2008 and the cause of the incident is currently being investigated. The Health and Safety Executive was notified immediately and will investigate the incident with the full support of the business. At this time our priority is the safety and well being of our employees and until the investigation has been completed it would be inappropriate to discuss the potential cause of the incident.”
The crane’s operator and a shipwright were treated for shock, and a second shipwright was treated for minor injuries. According to the spokesperson, the crane had passed an annual inspection in March.
The incident is the second crane collapse to affect a BAE Systems shipyard in recent months. In San Francisco Bay, a crane operator was tipped into the sea, when a similar crane he was working on collapsed into the dock. BAE Systems’ press officer said that a comprehensive action plan has been implemented at the San Francisco repair yard.
