Baldwins guilty of corporate manslaughter

Baldwins Crane Hire has been found guilty of corporate manslaughter and to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act following the death of an operator at the Scout Moor wind farm in Edenfield, East Lancashire.

Baldwins Crane Hire will be sentenced on December 22

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UK crane rental company Baldwins Crane Hire has been found guilty of corporate manslaughter and two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act, following the death of its operator Lindsay Easton, at the Scout Moor wind farm in Edenfield, East Lancashire in 2011.Chairman Richard Baldwin and managing director Wayne Baldwin had pleaded not guilty to all three charges, on the company's behalf, but it was found guilty of all three.The five week trial at Preston Crown Court arrived at its verdict after hearing that Easton, was driving the 500 tonne All Terrain crane down a steep road away from the wind farm when the crane's brakes failed. After managing to negotiate one bend in the road, the crane was going too fast to take a second bend, he had no option but to try his luck on an escape road where he collided with an earth bank.During the HSE investigation following the accident it emerged that a number of the crane’s engine braking systems were disconnected, broken or not fully working. Seven of its 16 wheel brakes were not functional and the other nine were worn or damaged.DS John McNamara of Lancashire Police, said: “There was a lack of organised preventative maintenance and as such Mr Easton sadly lost his life.”Baldwins will be sentenced on December 22 and faces the prospect of an unlimited fine.Vertikal CommentThis is not the easiest time to be commenting on what is a very emotional subject for the UK crane industry. Lyndsey Easton was a well-liked and respected crane operator. He had left Baldwins in the past, apparently due to safety concerns, and had voiced concerns that something like this might happen. We can only be relieved that it did not occur on a public road where many people could have lost their lives in addition to Easton.The tragic incident does raise some practical issues that the industry as a whole and others should take to heart and learn from. Road worthiness needs to be taken seriously by everyone, as calls for an annual MOT third party type inspection are sure to increase on the back of the findings from this trial. It is best that the industry moves forward firmly on this subject in advance of new rules being imposed. The better crane companies already pay due attention to this aspect of crane maintenance, but there are a good few older cranes out there on public road each day that could be better.The design of escape roads might also benefit from a fresh look, given that heavy cranes all have low cabs that cannot withstand a high impact into a high bank with up to 100 tonnes behind them.The court’s findings, released today make for unpleasant reading if you are in or associated with the industry. While these failings are not representative of the industry as a whole it does reflect on all us.