A unique opportunity to fundamentally improve crane safety in New York
On February 5, 2016, a Liebherr LR 1300 crawler crane collapsed at 60 Worth Street, Manhattan due to high winds, killing one bystander and seriously injuring another. At the time of the accident, the crawler crane was set up to install a new generator and cooling tower onto a building at 60 Hudson Street, Manhattan.
Further, on February 24, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Commissioner Rick Chandler established the Crane Safety Technical Working Group. The working group was charged to report its findings and recommendations within 90 days. Upon completion of the investigation, the working group was also charged with issuing a final report.
The recommendations in the 2016 Crane Technical Working Group Report identify “…a unique opportunity to fundamentally improve crane safety in New York City.” Further, the report highlights the continuous evolution of technological advances and best practices, enabling cranes to expand in reach and increase in specialization.
Identifying first, numerous areas for improvement, and second, numerous areas not accounted for in the current New York City crane regulation, the 2016 Crane Technical Working Group Report examines the following four areas of crane operation, safety, regulation, and enforcement:
- Present state of cranes;
- Existing New York City regulatory and enforcement framework;
- National and international crane regulations, and;
- Best practices from other jurisdictions and industries.
(Source: 2016 Crane Technical Working Group Report)
More in the next blog about crane operations, crane safety, weather events, weather risk, and the New York City Crane Safety Technical Working Group…