Incident Report
January 2015
Surrey, United Kingdom Project
Mobile crane in transit
Crane
Two-axle Demag All-Terrain Crane
The Outcome
• Three damaged cars, no injuries.
Key Learning
• An audible and visual alarm should be installed to alert the driver if the outrigger is not fully secure.
• Checking the outrigger pin is correctly engaged should form part of any pre-departure inspection procedure.
• Proper maintenance should be undertaken on hydraulic and electrical systems, including the outriggers.
In January 2015, the outrigger beam on a city type all-terrain crane severely damaged three cars when it extended while travelling to a job in Surrey, United Kingdom. The two axle Demag crane was driving along a residential street when the beam extended damaging three cars but fortunately causing no injuries. A statement from Surrey Police stated that the crane experienced “a hydraulics failure, causing the support leg to be extended outwards.” Modern cranes with outriggers have safety features that prevent the outriggers from deploying while in transit, however, the crane experienced a possible hydraulic 22
LIFTING MATTERS
JUNE 2019
fault and the outrigger deployed itself, bypassing its safety features and opening while travelling. The crane driver could not see the deployed outrigger from the cabin and therefore continued driving, subsequently striking several cars parked on the side of the street. Fortunately, the incident occurred very early in the morning, and therefore, there were no members of the public in the immediate area. Incidents involving extended outrigger beams during travel - while not impossible, are relatively rare with all-terrain cranes. The cause is likely to be related to some form of contamination in the hydraulic system or an electrical fault.
