Monitor forecasts, receive weather advisories, and coordinate with the operator.
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. The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) “…ability to regulate the crane industry, and the industry’s ability to mitigate hazards, will be improved by embracing the latest technological innovations.”
To improve crane safety and prevent future accidents, the Crane Technical Working Group makes 23 recommendations, divided into four topical areas of technology, standards, accountability, training, and licensing. “Greater industry accountability” is the third topical area. The working group highlights the need to “…develop a regulatory framework to shift the responsibility for certain regulatory activities to qualified and monitored private entities.”
In the third topical area of “greater industry accountability,” the Crane Technical Working Group recommends “monitoring weather conditions during work.” New York City rules and regulations “…assign responsibility to the crane operator to monitor wind speed and to stop work and secure the crane if winds prove unsafe.” Further, the Crane Technical Working Group advocates that the lift director monitor forecasts, receive weather advisories, and coordinate with the operator to cease operation and secure the crane if necessary.
(Source: 2016 Crane Technical Working Group Report)
More in the next blog…