N.Y. City Officials Tell Congress They’re Tightening Crane Safety

June 26, 2008

  • June 26, 2008 at 2:28 am
    A Toland says:
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    Dear Mr. Barrett:

    I have been a Crane Underwriter for many years in the insurance business. What
    happened to these tower cranes? The tower
    crane used to be installed and cemented into the ground in the middle of the building and work was started, when the job was completed the construction workers took the crane down piece by piece and finished the building. Since when is it acceptable to have a “tower crane hanging off the side of the buildings”, in the middle of Manhatten? I think it is probably a cost issue, less expensive to put the crane on the outside of the building instead of inside the building.

    If individual New Yorker’s are telling the
    City of New York that the cranes are not secured to the buildings, who’s fault is that if the crane comes down? Education of the crane operators is the key to these huge accidents, the newspapers tell us that they are paying off the individuals who are giving the tests for the licenses.
    The City of New York has to keep on top of this! It was evident to me when I saw the
    cranes that they were not secured to the building like they should have been!

    More inspectors are needed and the crane operators must understand that the crane has a maximum lifting capacity, on newer cranes the pounds are computerized, the crane operator will go to managaement and tell them this! It is managements’ decision if the lift should continue. Crane operators are afraid that if they don’t comply with managements’ request, they will fire them! These operators are
    risking their lives by exceeding the manufactures lifiting capacity of the crane.
    In both large losses on the Tower cranes just recently. The operators were both killed along with several other people.
    Thank you for allowing me to say what is needed to be said!

    A Toland

  • June 26, 2008 at 3:36 am
    Alex says:
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    Thanks for the info AT. To take it a step further, the GC and the Crane company should face criminal negligence charges if they violate safety codes, and lose their licenses to do business. If that sounds draconian, it is. Some people need to be hit with a 2×4 to get their attention.

  • June 27, 2008 at 10:41 am
    Reality Bites says:
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    Property developers or the GC should be required to carry OCIPs, CCIPs or Wrap-UP policies covering ALL subs on a project. No one should be allowed to dodge a bullet and declare bankruptcy just because they have inadequate limits.



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