our people sustained bone fractures in the incident at the popular London landmark on 11 May 2009 after a vital mechanism failed and the lift fell into a service pit. A further six were treated for shock as walking wounded.
The lift car they were travelling in was ascending to the Tower Bridge Exhibition when it suddenly fell down the shaft from a distance of approximately 3m.
The company responsible for maintaining and servicing the lift, Temple Lifts Ltd, was sentenced on Friday following a complex technical investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), supported by the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL). It identified failures linked to the maintenance of two refurbished lifts at Tower Bridge.
Southwark Crown Court heard that 10 people, including one agency worker serving as a lift operator, were in the lift when it fell. The other passengers, all tourists, included an elderly couple and a young family.
The car ended up in a pit below the ground floor lift entrance after a counterweight mechanism failed.
The HSE investigation revealed that there had been a number of historic component failures in the counterweight mechanism on two separate lifts at the attraction prior to the catastrophic failure. However, these components had simply been replaced without a proper review and investigation as to why they were failing early.
HSE concluded that the uncontrolled fall could have been avoided had more in-depth analysis occurred, and that the fact this had not happened was indicative of wider failings.
Temple Lifts Ltd, of Baring Lane, London, SE12, was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £50,000 in costs after pleading guilty to two charges covered by Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
After sentencing HSE inspector Michael La Rose said: “This was a truly disturbing incident that affected a number of people and that could have resulted in even greater injuries.
“It is vital that lifts are properly maintained, and that urgent action is taken if any possible issues or concerns are identified. There were warning signs here that were seemingly overlooked, and missed opportunities to properly rectify recurring faults.
“Temple Lifts could and should have done more to ensure the lift was properly maintained, and there were clear failings in this regard.”
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