The incident occurred on August 1 2005 in Front Street, Pelton Fell, County Durham, when the council was constructing an extension to an existing culvert and repairing the head wall of the culvert.
Health and Safety Executive inspector Michael Brown said:
“The council ordered a crane and operator from contractors to lower materials into the culvert where they were working, which was about 30 metres below road level. A 60-tonne crane was sent to the site but did not have sufficient reach, so a 100-tonne crane was sent.
“Its outriggers were placed on the earth at the top of the embankment where there was insufficient bearing capacity. The ground gave way and the crane toppled into the culvert. It missed the five men working in the culvert by no more than five metres.
“The site manager had been called away and the foreman who was left in charge did not have training or knowledge of lifting operations, and the operation was not properly planned or adequately supervised.
“In addition, a nearby public footpath from a housing estate to Front Street had not been closed off, though there is no evidence that members of the public were in the vicinity at the time”.
The council was fined £7,000 each for failing to ensure the safety of its employees; and failing to ensure that people affected by their work but not employed by them were not exposed to risks; and £2,000 each for failing to ensure every lifting operation was carried out in a safe manner; failing to ensure every lifting operation was appropriately supervised; and failing to ensure every lifting operation was properly planned. It admitted all the offences.
The council was also ordered to pay £3,103 costs.
