Jan 4 (edited) • General discussion
Case Study 58: Nobody Stopped It Safety Culture & Behaviour
Incident Overview
It wasn’t one lift. It wasn’t one person. It was one of those days on a busy construction site where
nothing felt right, yet everything carried on as normal.
Throughout the shift, several lifting operations took place with clear warning signs: questionable
slinging methods, rushed decisions, missing supervision, and loads travelling over active work
areas. At multiple points, people noticed that something wasn’t right. Conversations happened.
Looks were exchanged. A few comments were made quietly between operatives. But no one stopped the lift.
Each time, the assumption was the same: “It’ll be fine.” The crane moved. The load landed.
Nothing went wrong — this time.
By the end of the day, the site had avoided an incident, but only by luck.
The real failure wasn’t technical. It was cultural.
What Went Wrong
The lifting team relied on experience and familiarity instead of formal control. Although risks were
recognised, no one exercised stop-work authority. Responsibility became diluted, and silence replaced leadership.
Key Lessons Learned
- Recognising risk without acting changes nothing
- Silence is still a decision
- Luck is not a control measure
Safety Recommendations
Stop-work authority must be actively encouraged, supported, and expected at all levels. Lifting
operations depend on people having the confidence and backing, to intervene when something doesn’t feel right, even if the lift has worked before.
•LOLER 1998
Regulation 8 – Organisation of lifting operations
Requires lifting operations to be properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a safe manner.
➜ Failure here was not technical planning, but lack of active supervision and intervention.
•PUWER 1998
Regulation 8 – Information and instructions
Regulation 9 – Training
Workers were able to recognise unsafe conditions, indicating awareness, but training and instructions were not translated into action, highlighting a behavioural gap.
•BS 7121-1
Roles, responsibilities and safe systems of work
Stop-work authority and communication during lifting operations
BS 7121 makes clear that any member of the lifting team must stop the lift if unsafe conditions are observed.
➜ This case demonstrates a breakdown in safety culture, not lack of knowledge.
•CDM Regulations 2015
Management arrangements to plan, manage and monitor construction work
A culture where unsafe lifts continue unchecked indicates inadequate management arrangements, even if documentation exists.
Wolf Lifting Dynamics – Safety HUB | Case Study 58
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Case Study 58: Nobody Stopped It Safety Culture & Behaviour
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