On any construction site, cranes are recognized as among the most expensive, important - and most dangerous – pieces of equipment.
Construction accident attorneys at Associates and Bruce L. Schiner, Attorneys for the Injured, know that when a crane fails or is improperly handled, not only do companies miss deadlines and grapple with property damage, there is the high potential for injury. Crane injuries on construction sites are often catastrophic, if not fatal.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration reports there are an estimated 250,000 crane operators and approximately 125,000 cranes in use – not counting the 100,000 used in the maritime industry. But operators aren’t the only ones who risk injury. Everyone on the construction site is at risk, and so too is the general public, depending on where the accident happens.
Potential risks include:
The dangers are heightened when construction companies fail to use the proper crane for the job, don’t properly set up the crane, allow the crane to be operated in bad weather or allow debris and other unsafe conditions around the crane.
The Center for Construction Research and Training conducted a study examining crane accidents across the country in recent years.
What they found was this:
Crane accidents can occur anywhere construction takes place. One of the worst in Florida’s history was the 2008 crane collapse in Miami, in which two workers were killed and five more injured when a seven-ton crane plummeted 30 stories onto a Miami home. The crew had been working on a 46-story luxury high-rise building.
Until 2012, Florida did not license or regulate cranes. That changed with the passage of H.B. 521/S.B.992, which amends F.S. 489.113. Prior to that, counties were enacting a patchwork of regulations concerning cranes, given the state’s years-long failure to act on the issue. This statute pre-empts all local regulation, and seeks to make into law the recent standards set forth by OSHA.
OSHA regulations govern a host of practices, including development of a site plan for the location of the crane, clearances from above-ground power-lines, proper securing of cranes during high winds, retraction and storage of booms on hydraulic cranes not in use, instructions for use of cranes within the same swing radius and proper inspection of all tower cranes and rigging.
Further, employers are responsible for funding certification and qualification of their current riggers and crane operators, and they have to make sure any new workers tapped for such jobs are properly certified. Certification for crane operators takes four years.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure prevention of crane accidents and fatalities. When OSHA enacted these rules in 2010, the government anticipated it would reduce the crane accident rate by 20 percent.
Product Liability in Crane AccidentsUnfortunately in cases where the crane is defectively designed or manufactured, employers and operators could take all the precautions in the world, and it wouldn’t matter. Cranes that are poorly-designed, prone to malfunctioning or are missing essential components may be the subject of product liability litigation if someone is hurt.
Standards for the design of cranes and hoists are set by the Crane Manufacturers Association of America. Manufacturers also have to comply with specifications set forth by the ASME/ANSI, which outline safety regulations for commercial hoists and cranes.
Those regulatory standards include the following requirements:
Our experienced crane accident attorneys are prepared to thoroughly examine the facts of your case and determine the best course of action.
Contact Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. There are no fees or costs unless we win. Offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples and Port Charlotte.
Call 800-646-1210 for a Free Consultation