The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is in the early stages of an investigation after an operator scrambled free from his crane as it toppled over the edge of a steep ravine, in Durham, UK.
The operator, and other workers on the site, avoided injury but were shaken up.
Initial HSE probes into the incident suggest that the bank beneath the Terex Demag 100t mobile crane, rented from Aberdeen-based hirer GBK, gave way while lowering piling. The reinforcements were to be used to strengthen and extend a culvert for Durham County Council.
HSE inspectors were on the scene within two hours of the incident at 10am on 1 August and investigations are now continuing away from the site.
Michael Brown, from the HSE, who is supervising investigations, refused to elaborate at what he called an early stage in proceedings.
