Safety experts make progress in collapsed crane probe at Southampton docks (From This is Hampshire)

Safety experts make progress in collapsed crane probe at Southampton docks

1:22pm Monday 20th July 2009

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HEALTH and safety officials have identified some “significant lines of enquiry” in their investigation into what caused a crane to collapse at Southampton Container Terminal.

Crane operator Jay Squibb, 33, miraculously survived after plunging more than 100ft in his driver’s cabin on to the containers on board the NYK Themis.

The father-of-two from Woolston is recovering at Southampton General Hospital with his wife Ali at his bedside after his neck bore the impact of the fall, crushing his windpipe.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo, she told how Jay – who has worked at the docks for about 13 years – was her “miracle man”, having been plucked from the wreckage with a shattered knee as the only broken bone in his body.

Mike Wilcock, the Health and Safety Executive’s regional head of operations, refused to elaborate on what lines of enquiry were being followed up in light of the accident, which happened a week ago today.

But he said that investigators were working as quickly as possible to establish what caused the Morris crane’s boom – attached to the driver’s cab – to collapse.

Two similar cranes at the container terminal have been withdrawn from service until further notice.

Mr Wilcock said: “We have identified some significant lines of enquiry and we have issued some precautionary advice to the ports industry as a result.

“We now know that there are no cranes of an identical design anywhere else in the UK.”

He added that a team of HSE staff, including inspectors, a specialist mechanical engineer and a metallurgist, were working on the investigation, which would take “some time” to reach a conclusion.

He said: “We continue to keep both management and trades unions on site informed of progress. Our thoughts are with the injured crane driver, Jay Squibb, and his family.”

As reported, the crane collapsed at about 5.15am and all emergency services were involved in freeing Jay from the cab before he was rushed to hospital.

He underwent surgery the following day, when ear, nose and throat surgeons delicately repaired his voice box.

Jay, who has two sons called Wilson and Finn, is understood to have been moved from intensive care after being taken off a ventilator late last week.