Why are crane accidents prevalent in New York City?

New York City is known for its vast number of high-rise buildings that dot the city skyline. Erecting high-rises requires lifting heavy beams and other materials to substantial heights, and various types of cranes are essential for this type of construction work.

According to an article released in 2016, at any given time, about 300 cranes are in operation for construction in NYC.

What types of accidents often occur with cranes?

The following are some crane accidents that occurred at various points during recent years in NYC:

• The TriBeCa crane accident in 2016 occurred when a crane operator was lowering the crane to a secure position based on a decision that the 20 mile per hour winds were too high for the construction workers to work that day. While lowering the crane, it collapsed killing a pedestrian who was walking by on his way to work.
• In 2015 a crane cable broke while hoisting an industrial air conditioner to the top of a midtown building and the AC unit fell 30 stories. It injured two construction workers and eight pedestrians.
• In 2013, a faulty crane toppled at the site of a Long Island City luxury development.
• In 2012 during construction work on the 7 train extension at 34th Street, the upper section of a crane broke off. It killed a construction worker and injured four other people. The crane operator was also injured while operating the crane controls.
• In 2008, a crane collapsed that was being used on high-rise construction in Midtown East. Seven people died and 24 people were injured.
• In 2007 during construction on the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park, a crane dropped a five foot tall bucket that it was lifting to the roof. Windows shattered and glass shards fell onto the sidewalk, injuring 8 people.
• In another 2007 crane accident, a nylon sling broke while hauling seven tons of metal studs at the 43-story Battery Park City building being erected for Goldman Sachs. As a result of the accident, an architect suffered severe injury.

If you have suffered serious injury in a crane or heavy equipment accident, arrange a free consultation to discuss legal prospects with our attorneys at Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP.  We can determine whether you have a potential case.

Crane accidents in the construction industry are relatively common, and this is because of the inherent dangers involved with operating cranes.

In June of 2017, PIX 11 reported a crane accident in Queens, where two injured workers were in critical condition and rushed to a hospital. The third worker, who was finally also extracted, was in serious condition and hospitalized. The accident occurred at 31-25 28th Road in Astoria. The crane’s load fell through the building after being placed on the roof. The roof caved in and trapped the workers.

Crane Collapse

At first, reporters thought the crane load accident was caused by crane collapse. This assumption was not unusual because crane collapse happens fairly often in the construction industry. Live Science  published an article about Phillip Ezzell, a former crane operator and the CEO of Crane Safety Associates of America, and he said that crane collapse accidents are an inherent danger in construction projects.

To make his point, he gave various examples of crane accidents. One occurred in Manhattan in 2008 when a crane collapsed and killed seven people and injured more than 10 people. Then a few months later, another crane accident killed two construction workers in Manhattan. In the same year, a crane lifting beams over a Texas river from an old bridge became overloaded and collapsed, killing one worker and injuring another. During the same year, a crane collapsed in a Houston oil refinery. It killed four workers and injured seven.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set new standards for crane safety in 2008, and violations of the safety rules, may provide grounds to take legal action for workers injured in crane accidents.

Get Legal Help with Crane Accident and Construction Accident Injuries

If you suffered serious injury in a crane accident or construction accident, get a legal opinion about pursuing compensation.  Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP https://sacksteinlaw.com offers a free consultation to discuss a potential claim.