Liliana's story

On 26 September 2006 a 165 foot crane collapsed in Thessaly Road, Battersea onto a block of flats killing Michael Alexa, 23, and the crane driver, Jonathan Cloke, 37.

Michael was changing a wheel on his car in the street outside his mum's home - his body was trapped under the collapsed crane and was left there for five days until the he could be moved safely.

Michael's mum Liliana Alexa has subsequently campaigned remorselessly for better protection for workers and the public from such crane collapses.

"My life stopped that day", she says. "He was a wonderful young man who wanted to achieve so much. He left behind a son who is nearly two and who will never know his father".

Michael, a bus driver, and his partner Angela Bedy were members of the Transport and General Workers Union, now UNITE. 

Battersea Crane Disaster Action Group, BCDAG, was set up right away with the help of Julia Brandreth from Battersea Trades Council and the Construction Safety Campaign, a group made up of building workers and relatives of those killed on building sites. 

Following its initial meeting BCDAG has continued to grow in size and involves the local community, councillors and MPs.

London Hazards Centre has assisted with technical health and safety information and background research.

Initial investigations at Thessaly Road showed faults in the crane,  including missing, bent and worn bolts and that the crane was very old.  From the beginning BCDAG demanded an enforcement blitz of the construction industry and a national public register for all cranes in the UK. 

Sadly, as they campaigned, there were more crane collapses and more deaths. BCDAG has responded to other crane incidents in Forest Hill and Croydon, alerting press and public to the risks.

In January 2008 the group met with Lord McKenzie and discussed their submission to an enquiry into health and safety regulation and in January 2009 the HSE launched a consultation on new Regulations to set up the register, which ended on 9 October 2009.  BCDAG has some criticisms of the proposed regulations, but is optimistic that when they become law a step forward will have been made to prevent construction deaths, and this step will have been made because of their efforts.

Every year on 26 September at Thessaly Road, where there is now a plaque to commemorate Michael and Jonathan, a vigil is held by the local community to remember them.

London Hazards Centre has been awarded £440,000 over the funding period 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2012 to improve health and safety in the workplace and in communities through information, advice and training, focusing on women, black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) individuals and trade unions.