A company has been fined thousands of pounds for a crane accident in 2007, serving as a warning to builders liability insurance customers on correct training.
Select Plant Hire was fined more than £130,000 at the Old Bailey, London, after an incident left a crane driver with severe injuries.
The Kent-based company pleaded guilty to breaching two regulations of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Act 1998 and section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
At the trial, the court heard how the jib of a crane which was owned and operated by Select Plant Hire toppled from its mast and crashed into the roof of the Croydon Park Hotel.
The crane driver suffered three compression fractures of the spin, fractured vertebrae, two broken ribs and a fractured skull.
Amanda Huff, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector, said: "This incident was avoidable and was caused by inadequate training of the team asked to extend the height of the crane. This is a high-risk operation and it is essential that operators have the right type of training."
The HSE recently warned builders liability insurance customers of the danger of crane procedures after a worker died during the construction of Wembley Stadium.
Patrick O'Sullivan was hit by a platform which became dislodged during a lifting operation at the stadium, while another worker was seriously injured in the incident.