Flybe fined for lift shaft fall
The incident
On 15 May 2016 an employee was moving a loaded lift trolley in the tool department of Hanger 2 at Exeter airport. Somehow during this task an employee fell to the bottom of a lift shaft, sustaining several broken bones.
Following the incident, the HSE was unable to determine the exact sequence of events leading up to the accident. However, it did find that employees were using the emergency door release key for the lift as a normal part of day-to-day operations. This had the effect of bypassing the lift’s safety features which would have ensured that doors could only be opened when the lift car was in position.
Flybe pleaded guilty to breaching s.2(1) Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £100,000 plus £9,963 in costs.
What caused the lapse?
It emerged during the HSE’s investigation that there was a fault with lift doors which caused them to stay locked. Staff then took the initiative to resolve this though use of the emergency override feature, which should only have been used during specific lift maintenance tasks.
The HSE inspector said staff had been “compelled” to break the rules because they were busy and needed to move heavy parts and tools.
This combination of circumstances seems likely to have led to the accident, although without absolute evidence of this the prosecution did not bring its charges on that basis.
Use lifts safely
Lifts are complex pieces of machinery which have many safety devices to protect users, but these are only effective if used properly. A door release key enables the landing doors to be opened even when the lift car or platform is not present. The option to do this is essential during maintenance or rescue measures, but in everyday situations it shouldn’t be used.
What can happen?
The risks include not only falling into an empty shaft, but also shearing hazards which arise as the car passes through the shaft, i.e. an arm or other body part which is in the way of the lift could be severed.
Tip 1. If there is evidence of a defect with your lift, be prepared to put it out of use, regardless of how inconvenient that may be. If users could be unsure who to contact in the event of a defect, display a notice to let them know.
Tip 2. Store door release keys for lifts in a secure location where only trained and authorised members of staff have access to them. Instruct all other staff that they must not use them.
Tip 3. Those responsible for overseeing premises which contain lifts will find it useful to familiarise themselves with the Lift and Escalator Industry Association’s (LEIA’s) information sheet on this topic (see The next step ). It will enforce the importance of prohibiting the use of keys for unsuitable reasons and unsafe practices.
For a copy of the LEIA Safety Information Sheet Misuse of Lifts, visit http://tipsandadvice-healthandsafety.co.uk/download (HS 18.15.02).
Create your profile to unlock this advice and many more.