The words "complete" and "incompentence" came to mind, until I read further and realized that complete was nowhere near sufficient to describe the extent of it.

Wow - a very generalized report with few specifics it seems....and a staunch perspective that government should be responsible for workplace safety?

The recommendations were akin to: "Hey you guys...do a better job of safety in the workplace!!"

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The bit I liked was " Both companies over estimated their own abilities and underestimated the risks involved" !!!

Both cranes were also apparently at 100% of load at their lift radius.

The sort of mess they seem to have got into with multiple parties and sub-contractors is one reason the UK has a regulation which nominates a Principal contactor who has to take overall responsibility for safety of all subbies. Not to say this catastrophe couldn't happen, but tries to make it harder to do what these guys seem to have done on a bit of a wing and a prayer.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

And we all know the government is expert at managing things....

Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com

To the contractor, I guess this could be considered a Dutch Treat...

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

Second thought that comes to mind is the low bid at a Dutch auction.

Granted I have never worked on water, but from a distance I thought barge cranes had those long post on the corners they would drop to bottom for stability

Not all barges have spuds, but it certainly sounds like this one could have used them. Then again, if these guys had had them, they might have overlooked the advantages of trying to use them.

Actually I'm a bit surprised as I have always thought that the Dutch were rather clever at doing these kinds of things.

If you look closely at the cover photo, you can see that these were terrestrial cranes, and their stabilization feet were extended. The issue is that the barges themselves weren't sufficiently stable, and they don't have stabilization pontoons...

TTFN (ta ta for now)
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And if spuds had been available, they wouldn't have used them: Having got the bridge suspended between the two barges, their plan was to tow the whole fandango 100m up the waterway!

A.