Dashcam Video of Deadly Seattle Crane Collapse Surfaces, Giving Clues to the Cause

via YouTube

On Saturday afternoon, tragedy struck downtown Seattle as a tower crane that was being dismantled suddenly fell to the street below, killing two ironworkers and 2 people that were in their cars, as well as injuring 4 others. Dashcam footage of that collapse has recently surfaced, giving some clues as to why the crane fell as it did.

After reviewing the video and pictures from the scene, many believe that the pins, which secure the tower crane sections together, were pulled prematurely.  King5 News reports that experts point to the fact that the base section of the crane did not move at all.  Many initial reports pointed to wind gusts that rolled through the area, but it now appears that the wind only played a small part as the structure was significantly weakened.

In King5’s story, attorney David Kwass, who has worked on the litigation for crane incidents in the past, drew comparisons to a 2012 crane collapse in Dallas.  In that case, many thought the wind was a big factor, but it was later discovered that the crane had been prematurely de-pinned.

As the investigation rolls on, let’s not lose sight of the fact that 4 people lost their lives and many others will be affected by witnessing the incident for years to come. King5 also reported that the victims were 33-year-old Travis Corbet and 31-year-old Andrew Yoder, both ironworkers, as well as a 19-year-old college freshman Sarah Wong and 71-year-old Alan Justad.

The video of the incident shared on YouTube is below.

May 6 Kicks Off 2019 Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

via OSHA

Every year since 2012, OSHA, NIOSH, and CPWR have teamed up to lead a National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.  The campaign helps build awareness through supplying resources, organizing webinars, and other outreach techniques in hopes that it will help save lives in the construction industry.  The 2019 Stand Down has been scheduled for May 6-10.

In preparation for the campaign, the organizations involved have already released plenty of resources to help contractors prepare ahead of time.  The event is, of course, voluntary for all companies to participate in, but OSHA provides several tips for preparing for a successful stand down:

1. Try to start early

2. Think about asking your subcontractors, owner, architects, engineers, and others to participate

3. Consider reviewing your existing fall prevention program

4. Develop presentations or activities to meet your needs

5. Decide when to hold the stand-down and how long it will last

6. Promote the stand-down to your employees or outside the company, if it will be public

7. Hold your stand-down

8. Follow up

Free and Public Events

In addition to planning and performing your own stand-down activities and presentations, you can also find free and public events that are scheduled throughout the country through the events page on the National Safety Stand-Down webpage.

Resources

OSHA, NIOSH, and CPWR already have a lot of resources available for download and use on their respective websites. For example:

• 5-day Stand-Down Plan

• Free Hard Hat Stickers

• Hazard Alert Cards and Other Toolbox Talks

• A Playlist of Fall Prevention Videos

• And Infographics, like the ones below:

via NIOSH

via NIOSH

Certifications

After the event is over, contractors can visit OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down page to receive a Certificate of Participation and provide feedback about how their campaign went.  Documenting your training achievements and being recognized is a great way to show that your company is committed to reducing injuries and fatalities on your jobsites.

More Information: National Safety Stand-Down To Prevent Falls in Construction | OSHA