Jan 25 (edited) • Planning & Pre-Lift Failures
Case Study 94: Crane Mats Wrong Size. Ground Pressure Miscalculated
Incident Overview
A mobile crane overturned during a lift after the ground and outrigger support arrangement proved inadequate. The lift had not been properly planned for ground bearing and the support strategy was not engineered. The incident led to enforcement action and fines.
What Went Wrong
Ground bearing pressure was not verified against outrigger reactions
Mat/pad selection did not match the ground conditions
The lift proceeded as if “standard mats” were a safe default
Key Lessons Learned
Mats are an engineering control, not a guess
“Looks solid” is not a calculation
Outrigger loads can exceed what sites assume
Safety Recommendations
Calculate outrigger reactions, confirm ground bearing capacity, and select mats/pads using verified dimensions and load spread. Stop work at the first sign of settlement.
Incident source
UK mobile crane overturn prosecution reported in industry press.
●LOLER Reg. 4 – Stability must be ensured.
●LOLER Reg. 8 – Lift must be properly planned.
●PUWER Reg. 4 – Equipment must be suitable for conditions.
●BS 7121-1 – Ground bearing capacity must be verified.
Key point
Mats are an engineering control, not an assumption.
Wolf Lifting Dynamics – Safe Lifting UK | Case Study 86
0
0 comments
Case Study 94: Crane Mats Wrong Size. Ground Pressure Miscalculated
powered by
skool.com/wolf-lifting-dynamics-9548
This community shares real lifting case studies, consultancy insights, and site-proven lessons covering cranes, supervision, planning, and execution.
Suggested communities
Powered by