2021 almost comes to an end. Let’s take a look at the crane accidents that happened during this year and last year.
When dealing with heavy and large equipment like a crane, safety can be at risk and even at higher-risk when proper training and safety protocols are not in place.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that an average of 44 people die in crane-related accidents in the U.S. every year. When a crane collapses, the surrounding people and environment are the most susceptible to the risk, it gets more complicated and has a more serious collateral damage when it happens in public areas.
Serious Crane Collapses in 2020 and 2021
What are the serious crane-collapses that happened this year and last year? Let’s take a look at the list below.
2021 Crane Collapses
- February 11; A crane partially collapsed at a 31-story building in downtown New York.
- April 7; A crane collapsed and made contact with a power line causing an electrical explosion in Fort Lauderdale — a man is critically injured.
- July 12; Five people are dead and serious damage to surrounding buildings after a tower crane collapsed in downtown Kelowna when crews were working to dismantle it.
2020 Crane Collapses
- February 6; High wind toppled a crane in Pinellas County, Florida, causing the roadway to close overnight after severe weather.
- February 28; A 300-foot crane collapsed at the SoFi Stadium construction site in Inglewood after collision with a smaller crane.No injuries. No structural damage to the stadium.
- May 2; An offshore crane collapsed during an overload test at the Liebherr yard in Rostock, Germany — The failure of the crane hook took place at 2,600 tonnes, way below the crane’s maximum capacity of 5,500 tonnes.
- August 6; A stationary crane falling into the intersection of River Street and Dundas Street East in Toronto. Mechanical failure partially caused the collapse of a crane.
- September 6; A 350 ton mobile crane collapsed at the Port of Taichung, Taiwan leaving one worker dead , and another was injured.
- September 16; More than 20 people were injured after two cranes got entangled on a construction site in Austin, Texas.
Safety Tools to Prevent Crane Collapses
There are many possible reasons that cause crane collapses — such as mechanical failures, contact with electrical lines, improper crane assembly, incompetent personnel and environmental factors such as extreme weather conditions. In most cases, crane collapses can be avoided when there is a compliance with safety standards.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has listed detailed safety protocols for every part of the crane-related precautions. The first and most basic thing to start with is to make sure that personnel are properly trained to check, operate and function cranes. When it comes to construction jobs, proper training can mean the difference between life and death.
In addition to having proper training, it is also important for the personnel to utilize safety tools to help them perform better and safer when operating cranes. Here are some useful tools that crane supervisors and crane operators can use:
| Product | Benefits | Useful For |
 Wireless Crane Camera | -Improve lifting area visibility-Avoid blind lift-Easier coordination and communication with ground staff | -Crane Operator-Crane supervisor-HSE Managers-Project Managers |
 Wireless Crane Anemometer | -Monitor Wind speed, Temperature, and Air Pressure-Record Wind Data for Further Analysis-Avoid High-wind Related Accidents | -Crane Operator-HSE Manager-Field supervisor-Project Manager |
Conclusions
When it comes to safety, one small mistake can lead to catastrophe. Safety in construction sites requires integrated effort. This means everything from having well-trained personnel, complying to safety regulatory standards, to having safety equipment that supports a better and safer operation, all play a part in implementing a safer work environment.
