The Most Common Causes of Crane Accidents
Crane accidents are all too common in New York, especially during what has become a construction boom throughout the metro area. Any time you are in a large city, you are almost certain to see a crane or two working on tall buildings, which means no place is immune from crane accidents.
These accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, but there are some types of crane accidents that happen more frequently than others. Below are a few examples of the most common types and causes:
- The crane drops materials to the ground, which then fall on other people or vehicles
- A crane makes contact with power lines, leading to electrical surges or spark showers
- A crane attempts to lift too much weight, resulting in a collapse
- A crane is assembled improperly, causing it to malfunction or collapse
- A worker falls from a crane
- A crane experiences part failures, such as rigging issues or boom collapses
- An unqualified crane operator causes an accident due to lack of experience
- A construction crew fails to properly maintain a crane, causing it to break down
Information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicates that cranes making contact with power lines make up about 45 percent of all crane accidents. In addition, crane accidents can occur if a construction company chooses the wrong type of crane for the job. There are many different varieties of cranes to choose from, each of which specifically designed for different weights, job types and functions. Construction managers are expected to do their research and select a machine that’s right for the job site.
No matter how a crane accident happens, it is important that you take action to exercise your legal rights if you have been injured. To learn more, contact a trusted Long Island construction accident lawyer with Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia LLP.