In April 2019, a tower crane disassembly turned deadly when it suddenly toppled into a Seattle, WA street below, killing two ironworkers and 2 others that were crushed by the falling crane while sitting in their cars. With the hopes of a tragedy like this never happening again, state lawmakers have proposed new legislation for crane procedures.
Several months after the incident, the Washington State Labor & Industries (L&I) group, which handles public safety issues in the state, cited 3 separate companies involved in the project. According to the investigation, the pins that hold the sections of the crane together were prematurely pulled, which allowed the crane to topple. Manufacturer approved procedures call for the pins to be removed from only the sections that are actively being worked on.
Fearing that pulling all of the pins early is “becoming industry practice,” lawmakers have proposed Senate Bill 6171, which would require a representative from L&I to witness future crane disassembles, the Seattle Times reports. If passed, contractors would have to give L&I 48 hours’ notice and pay up to $1,000 in fees. Those fees would go towards an Industrial Insurance program for worker’s comp claims involving crane accidents.
Opponents of the bill cite the fact that the entire state of Washington currently only has 7 total crane inspectors and that a 48-hour notice may cause additional safety concerns if there is an unsafe crane that needs to be taken down immediately.
The bill is currently “In Committee” in the state Senate and has yet to be scheduled for a voting.
Although this may not affect our readers that live in other states, it does show how and why safety regulations are made. It may also be wise for your company to change its current practices if this incident serves as a warning for the impact unsafe crane disassembly.
Full story: After Seattle crane collapse, proposed legislation would require more oversight of construction companies | The Seattle Times
Shane is the creator of Construction Junkie and an active construction project manager. In his career, he has managed interior remodel projects, site development, construction safety, governmental project compliance, and facility maintenance. He has a strong passion for construction technology and safety, as well as sharing the knowledge or insights he has gained throughout his career.