Surfers Paradise crane drops seven tonne container in workplace site accident

A seven tonne metal skip bin has fallen 20m from a crane at a Gold Coast construction site after the cables holding it snapped.

The yellow hook and the container that fell 20m from the sky. Picture: Brianna Morris-Grant

INVESTIGATIONS are underway after an almost seven tonne metal bin fell 20 metres from a crane at a Gold Coast construction site this morning.

Workers were moving the container at Weemala Street at Surfers Paradise, which was filled with steel, when the crane cable snapped.

The yellow hook wherein the cables snapped, dropping the load. Picture: Brianna Morris-Grant

The container suddenly dropped a little, then began to spin in the air before finally crashing to the street.

No one was on the street at the time.

Last week, a similar accident happened in Mermaid Beach, where a woman was just 2m away from a hook that fell to the ground in front of her.

It’s now believed site managers will be facing a fine as they failed to notify Workplace Health & Safety officials.

The crane is nine years old and had issues last week too, according to CMFEU. Picture: Brianna Morris-Grant

They also cleared the site before investigators could arrive.

Construction industry union, CFMEU, claims it’s just the latest in a string of incidents at the same site, with the more than nine-year-old crane already having dropping issues last week.

No one was walking on the street at the time, however officials have already removed one of two traffic managers after he failed to produce documentation on site showing he was qualified.

Workers have been sent home and investigations are continuing.