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Lift Fall Kills Two
6th Sep, 2006 to 6th Dec, 2006
Lift operating company Otis was fined £400,000 plus £145,000 costs following an incident that claimed the lives of two men who were killed when they fell down a lift shaft at Shirley Towers, a high-rise block of flats in Southampton.
The incident took place early one morning in 2001, when the pair fell against the lift doors, which swung open like a cat flap because of inadequate fixings on the lower rail of the opening. Both men plunged about 30m and are believed to have died instantly.
Speaking after the case, Antony Thompson, HM Specialist Inspector of Health and Safety, said: “The tragic deaths of Daniel Digby and Michael Dawson are a reminder for all those with responsibility for lifts that they should be properly maintained so that they are safe and do not put people at risk.
“The hearing today also highlighted the importance of the maintenance regime taking particular account of the door retaining system.”
Otis Investments and Otis Ltd pleaded guilty to a single breach of section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at an earlier hearing.