The construction industry lags behind only the transportation industry in the number of work-related accidents each year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Crane accidents, in particular, have been a focal point for safety experts over the past decade because of the sharp increase in their number and severity nationwide. According to the BLS, there were 72 fatal crane-related accidents nationwide in 2006 and hundreds of injuries.
Earlier January 2013, a crane collapse left seven construction workers injured at the construction site of a 25-story residential building in Queens, according to news reports. Witnesses said the cable snapped on a mobile crane being used to move a stack of wood. The cable recoiled back toward the crane, after which the crane buckled and came crashing down. One witness described seeing “the top horizontal arm of the crane dropping, but it folded on itself, accordion-style, including the vertical tower, which seemed to snap in half.”
Three construction workers were trapped underneath the crane, requiring extrication by FDNY. The most serious injuries appear to have been broken bones. Authorities were investigating the cause of the collapse.
In the State of New York, the number of crane accidents in recent years has prompted new guidelines and regulations for crane operators within the state. In a single year, from 2006 to 2007, the number of crane accidents jumped from 19 to 27. The following year, a crane accident left seven people dead, caused numerous buildings to be evacuated and destroyed a nearby building.
Causes of Crane Accidents
Despite the new regulations relating to crane operators, crane accidents continue to occur. There are a variety of potential causes for a crane accident, including:
• Operator inexperience or inattention
• Overloading
• Lack of proper maintenance on the crane
• Failure to properly inspect the crane prior to use
• Failing to hire an experienced and properly licensed operator
Because so many potential factors can cause, or contribute to, a crane accident, it is sometimes difficult to know who was responsible for the accident. The contractor, subcontractor, operator, third-party maintenance company or manufacturer are all possible defendants when a crane accident causes injuries to workers.
If you have been injured in a crane accident, you could be entitled to third-party compensation in lieu of, or in addition to, workers’ compensation. All too often, workers’ compensation benefits fail to adequately compensate the victim of a construction accident. Furthermore, given the fact that numerous different companies are often working at the same site, there is a chance that someone other than your own employer may have contributed to your injuries.