Crane Safety 2019

Michael Ponsonby: Managing Director, Michael J Ponsonby Ltd

Lifting Operations are inherently dangerous due to having to defeat gravity with every single lift. So on Monday 7th May 2007 Technical Consultant Mike Ponsonby started to Research and Record all Crane and Lifting Incidents worldwide with 619 Incidents to date, causing 548 Fatalities. Appointed Person Mike Ponsonby now uses his Technical knowledge and Experience to all Train Directors, Managers and Employees in all of the Common Law and Legislative Duties involved and the Safe Systems of Work (SSoW) required to minimise the Hazards involved in Lifting Operations. Mike Ponsonbys personal objective being to stop Men and Women from getting Killed at Work, as 548 Fatal Incidents is 548 too many.

David Gostick: HM Specialist Inspector (Mechanical Engineering), Health & Safety Executive

David Gostick is a Chartered Engineer, working as a Specialist Mechanical Inspector with the HSE. His work includes the investigation of incidents and provision of specialist advice to regulatory inspectors, industry and local authorities, on the safe use of plant, machinery and lifting equipment. He is a trained Appointed Person, and has been involved in investigating incidents involving lifting equipment and the associated safe systems of work, giving expert evidence in court. David graduated from Southampton University where he studied Mechanical Engineering. Prior to joining HSE he spent 20 years working in the aerospace and scientific instrumentation industries.

Francois Swanepoel: Lifting Lead Hinckley Point C, BYLOR

Francois Swanepoel has worked in the construction industry for the past 34 years. This includes civil engineering and building projects in South and Southern Africa. In 2001 he started work in the UK and got involved with the management of lifting operations on the Heathrow Terminal 5 project for Laing O Rourke where he qualified as an Appointed person for lifting operations. After working on various projects as a General foreman with appointed person as a secondary role he became the principle contractors Appointed person for lifting at the Heathrow Terminal 2A project ( Laing O Rourke/ Ferrovial JV) for the next four years. He was then transferred to Select lifting solutions as the Laing O Rourke Group Lead Appointed Person. After four years in this role he moved to the Hinkley Point C project as Lifting Lead.

Jennifer Gilmour: Senior Mechanical Engineer, Assurance Directorate, Dounreay

Jennifer Gilmour is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, responsible for mechanical processes and procedures across the site. In tandem with this she is the site Senior Advisor for Lifting and Pressure Systems. A Chartered Engineer she graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering before transitioning into Nuclear via Marine Renewables and Oil and Gas. Jennifer has extensive knowledge of mechanical design and a keen interest in forensic engineering, which has allowed her to be an integral part of site investigations and the Technical & Governance team.

Stuart Smith: Head of Design & Technology, Sparrow Group

After starting his career with Sparrows Group as an apprentice draughtsman in 1993, Stuart progressed into the engineering side of the business in 2001. His time in engineering has ranged between design of lifting equipment, development of Mechanical handling studies, crane manufacturing and managing crane integrity, working across Europe, USA and India. He is currently responsible for worldwide design and technology services within Sparrows group.

Edward Carr: Lifting Solutions Business Stream Leader, Select Plant Hire

Edward has worked in the lifting industry in the UK for 20 years since joining Kier on their graduate programme in 1999. In his current role he leads the Select Lifting Solutions business which includes their main products such as tower cranes, crawler cranes, construction hoist, MEWPS and their specialist lifting business.

Carl Sarens: Director Global Operations & Technical Solutions, Sarens Cranes

Carl Sarens is an industrial engineer with a master in electromechanics. In August 1995 he started his professional career at Sarens as project engineer, and after five years he became senior project engineer. As the own family business wanted to expand their worldwide heavy lift activities, Carl was appointed Director Technical Solutions in 2008 and a few years later Director Global Operations. In 2015 his responsibilities were extended to technical solutions, projects and engineering, an operational director role which he holds till today. Since January 2018 Carl succeeded his father Benny as board member of Sarens Bestuur. The Sarens Group has a turnover of 560 million EUR and entities in more than 50 countries, owns 1.500 cranes, 2.400 axle lines, barges, lifting gantries, and has a staff of 3.800 people worldwide.

Stijn Sarens: Key Account Manager, Sarens Cranes

Stijn Sarens has a degree in ICT. In January 2007 he started his professional career at Sarens as Lattice Boom Cranes planner and since then he has taken several positions in operations, sales and management. Currently as Key Account Manager he is responsible for the sales in the power segment (wind, nuclear, coal, …). Besides his actual function Stijn is also President of VBKV (Belgian National Crane Federation) as well as Board member of ESTA (the European Association of abnormal road transport and mobile cranes). Stijn Sarens is a fourth generation member of the family owning and governing the international Sarens Group.

John Carpenter: HSQE Manager, VolkerFitzpatrick

John Carpenter is a specialist HSQE manager, covering the rail, civil & build sections within Volkerfitzpatrick. He has been working in the industry for 29 years, working on many high profile projects including HS1, Kings Cross roof, Ely bridge derailment plus a large number of depots and structures throughout the UK, John was the HSQE Manager on MAFA Package3, were the team received the National Rail Awards “PROJECT OF THE YEAR” in 2013 for the 10 day blockade works Dec 2012 at Balham station. When he isn’t glued to the computer screen or giving HSQE advise he spend time working on behavioural change & mental health.

Steve Bradby: Technical and Engineering Leader, Select Plant Hire Co Ltd

Steve Bradby studied Mechanical Engineering at Liverpool university and is a fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering.. He started as a graduate trainee in Kier Construction’s Plant department in 1995 and worked through the ranks gaining experience in both Electrical and Mechanical plant and depot management. In 2005 he moved to Manitowoc Cranes where he become After Sales director for Grove mobile crane and Potain tower crane products providing technical support and service for UK, Ireland Scandinavia and Baltics. In 2014 he moved to Select plant as Engineering leader where he pushes Selects and Laing O’Rourke’s ambitious innovation agenda with suppliers and customers as well as representing Select at CPA and British Standards committees.

Sam Pitt: Project Engineer - Special Projects, Ainscough Crane Hire Limited

After being awarded an honors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Teesside University in 2012 a career–start with Mammoet UK developed his main area of expertise in the transport and heavy lift sector. Sam then joined Ainscough Crane Hire as a Project Engineer for the Special Projects Division of Ainscough Crane Hire dealing with technical and commercial matters for large project work.

Martin Banasik: Principal Engineer (Lift & Crane), Allianz Engineering

As Head of the Lift and Crane division, for the last 22 years, Martin has advised many clients on risk management techniques and practical methods of risk reduction for complex lifting activities within high risk engineering projects, such as:

• Power generation equipment build.

• Petrochemical industry equipment build.

• London Eye erection.

• Wembley Arch erection.

Previously, Martin was Engineering Manager within the Rolls-Royce IPG, mechanical handling division for 10 years, designing, manufacturing and erecting high integrity and heavy duty cranes for the Nuclear, MOD, Steelworks and Waste Handling industries.