Building Collapse in Cologne

By James Wray Mar 3, 2009, 19:30 GMT

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Concrete mixers seen at work at the site of the collapsed Historic City Archive in Cologne, Germany, 03 March 2009. Despite the fact that the building did not house any flats, it could not be ruled out that people were present in or in front of the archive during the accident. At the time nine persons were reported missing. New tunnels for Cologne's tube system are currently being dug underneath the premises, but whether the collapse is linked with these construction works remains unclear.

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Emergency forces seen at the site of the collapsed Historic City Archive in Cologne, Germany, 03 March 2009. Despite the fact that the building did not house any flats, it could not be ruled out that people were present in or in front of the archive during the accident. New tunnels for Cologne's tube system are currently being dug underneath the premises, but whether the collapse is linked with these construction works remains unclear.

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2 hurt as crane crashes down on cars

Samir Al-Saadi | Arab News

JEDDAH: Two people were injured when a construction crane came crashing down on top of two passing vehicles and a government building during morning rush hour in Jeddah’s Al-Rawdah district yesterday.

FATAL FALL: Rescue workers prepare to clear the road after a crane crashed at a constuction site in Jeddah’s Al-Rawdah district on Tuesday morning. (AN photo by Ghazi Mahdi)

The incident took place at 8 a.m. and the area was sealed off for more than six hours. Three Civil Defense rescue units were dispatched to the scene.

“I was taking my son to school when the crane came crashing down right in front of us, smashing several cars,” said Kariema Abou Baker, a 42-year-old Australian mother of six from Melbourne.

“I screamed and my son was terrified. I am still in a state of shock,” Kariema, who is married to a Saudi, told Arab News in a phone interview a few hours after the incident.

She added that the loud sound of the impact had people rushing out from the surrounding shops to investigate the cause.

“I feel sorry for those injured. I take the same route every day to drop off my son. It could have been our car crushed under that crane,” she said. “I am disgusted with the construction company and municipal officials who inspect the site.”

Civil Defense spokesman Capt. Abdullah Al-Amri said a construction worker and the driver of one of the vehicles were injured in the accident.

“The crane fell on two cars and a government building located on the opposite side of the road,” he said. The accident also damaged parts of the road.

“The crane was attached to the fourth floor of a building under construction,” said Al-Amri. “We are investigating what caused the accident,” he added.

“Either the crane was very old or it was overloaded,” Civil Defense Director in Jeddah Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Ghamdi told reporters at the accident site.

But a construction supervisor who did not want to give his name told Arab News that the crane was fairly new. “It was three years old and was scheduled for maintenance,” he said before rushing off not wanting to disclose further details.

The two cars damaged were a Lexus and a GMC suburban. The injured driver of the Lexus was taken to King Faisal Specialist Hospital for treatment.

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Building sites safety blitz to cut deaths

Rochdale has been targeted by the Health and Safety Executive for an initiative to reduce the death toll in the construction industry.

Starting on Monday, HSE inspectors will be out in force visiting sites to drive home the safety message — especially in the refurbishment, repair and maintenance sector.

Around 1,500 construction sites — including 200 across the North West — are part of a campaign to tackle poor safety standards.

In 2007/08 there were 72 deaths on construction sites, with 38 in the refurbishment sector.

Inspectors will make unannounced visits to sites to raise awareness of the problem, with the refurbishment sector accounting for 50% of all accidents, but representing only 40% of all construction activity.

In a similar initiative last year, 187 inspections were carried out in the region with enforcement action being taken in 103 cases.

The HSE has warned that contractors can once again expect strong enforcement action.

Inspectors will be targeting principal contractors to see how they are managing working safely at height; good order on site and the risks associated with the removal of asbestos.

HSE’s chief inspector of construction Stephen Williams said: “While workers in the refurbishment sector continue to be injured and killed, HSE will continue to target the contractors and principal contractors on those sites which flout health and safety law and come down hard on them where necessary.”

Other boroughs involved in this first crackdown are Oldham, Barrow, Kendal, Lancaster, Morecambe, Macclesfield, Knutsford, Crewe, Nantwich, Congleton, Chester, Warrington, Northwich, Ellesmere Port and Neston, Runcorn and Widnes.