Tower Crane Accidents:

Causes, Concerns, and Correct Procedures

Presented By: Jim Getting, Ph.D.

Consultation Education & Training (CET) Division
Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth
www.michigan.gov/miosha
(517) 322-1809
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 MIOSHA Training Institute
Certification

What is it?

Through this certification you will begin the

process of developing a safety and health
management system while becoming familiar
with MIOSHA Standards and other relevant
topics.
 MIOSHA Training Institute
Certification

What are the benefits?

• Conducted by credible MIOSHA consultants

• CEUs, CSPs, Maintenance points
• Validation of a set of knowledge
• Standardized curriculum path
• Increased recognition for employee & employer
• Tracking of course completion
 Objectives

• Analyze the scope and magnitude of the problem.

• Summarize recent tower crane accidents.
• Describe specific actions that can prevent tower
crane accidents.
Tower Cranes: Defined
Luffing Jib

Hammerhead
 How many tower crane accidents?

• Short Answer: Nobody knows exactly.

• Web sites inconsistent, not comprehensive.
• Industry sources are not comprehensive.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI)
– Commonly used and widely accepted.
– Limitations.
• Fatalities only.
• Data sometimes incomplete, little accuracy checking.
– McCann (2008) cites 632 crane related fatalities from 1992
– 2006.
– First report from CPWR cited 323 crane related fatalities
from 1992 – 2006*.

* As reported in Greene, M.V. (Sept 2008) Many sided problem. Safety and Health Magazine.
National Safety Council.
 BLS Classifications

Portal Crane
(portalcranes.com)
Two Groups May Apply:
• Portal, tower, and pillar Pillar crane
(hoists.apluswhs.com)
(grouping comes from ASME B30.4).
Hammerhead Crane
• Hammerhead cranes. (freefoto.com)
 Tower Crane-Related Deaths in
Construction by Year, 1992-2008

14
12
Number of Deaths

10
8
6
4
2
0

Year of Incident

•1992 – 2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries

•2008 data summarized from news sources
 Crane-Related Deaths in Construction by
Year, 1992-2006

60
Number of deaths

50
40
30
20
10
0

Year of incident

Data summarized by: McCann (2008) Crane Related Deaths and Injuries in Construction.
Center for Construction Research and Training.
Original Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational
Injuries Research File.
 Tower Crane Versus All Crane Deaths in
Construction by Year, 1992-2008

14 60

12 50
Tower crane deaths

10

All crane deaths

40
8
30
6
20
4

2 10

0 0

Year
•1992 – 2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
•2008 data summarized from news sources.
 Expected Frequency of Tower Crane
Accidents and Fatalities

• 2.1% of cranes are tower cranes.

– 2000 tower cranes and 96000 cranes total*.
• 5% of crane accidents are tower cranes
– (16 of 306)**.
• 42 crane related fatalities per year (average)**.
• Expect .84 tower crane fatalities per year, if
accidents were proportional.
• Actual for 1997-2008 = 34 fatalities or 2.83 per year.

•OSHA press release (2008)

•McCann (2008)
Is it just recently that tower cranes
have started having accidents?

• No.
• Crane type has changed:
– internal vs external to the structure.
• Far more tower cranes in use.
• There appears to be an increasing incident
rate.
 What Does It All Mean?

• Increased rate has been happening for years,

but barely noticed.
• Still very infrequent compared to:
– 5 fatal falls in Michigan in 2008.
– 3 electrocutions in Michigan in 2008.
– Crane accidents in general.
• Digital cameras, 24 hour news:
– Sometimes cause us to over-estimate dangers.
– In this case, it made us more aware of an important
problem!
 Recent Tower Crane Accidents

1. New York, (3/15/2008), 7 dead.

– Rigging failed, collar dropped, crane fell.
2. Miami, FL, (3/25/2008), 2 dead, 5 injured.
– Dropped section of crane while “jumping” crane
3. New York, NY, (5/30/2008), 2 dead.
– Weld on turntable fails, jib and cab fall.
4. New York, NY, (9/4/2008), 1 dead.
– Guardrail removed. Erector falls.
5. Annapolis, MD, (4/30/2008), 1 dead.
– Crushed between boom sections while disassembling.
6. Bellevue, WA, (11/16/2006), 1 dead.
– Inadequate base. Collapse onto apartment.
 Review of accidents:
Bellevue, Washington, 11/16/2006

• Crane severed 15’ from base.

• No load on crane.
• Landed on 3 buildings.
• One bystander killed.
• Minor injuries to operator.
• Operator drug use?
• Excessive leaning? 3 feet.
• Proper weathervane prior to
incident? 80 mph winds.

Photo courtesy: Andrea James and

John Iwasaki (Nov 17, 2006) Seattle
Post Intelligence
Bellevue, Washington, 11/16/2006
 Bellevue, Washington, 11/16/2006

Citations:

• $5,600 – Magnusson Klemencic Associates – Engineering firm that

designed the foundation.
– The base did not meet manufacturer requirements.

• $9,200 – Lease Crutcher Lewis – The general contractor.

– Not ensuring the crane was maintained and used properly.
– Not inspecting the tower.
– Hanging two large banners on it that could affect the crane's operations.
 12/1/2006
Near Miss

• Another Bellevue,
Washington.
• Cracks in the tower.
• Cause: Water collected
inside. Weepholes
were clogged. Water
froze and burst the
steel.

Photo courtesy: Scott Eklund (Dec 1, 2006)

Seattle Post Intelligence
 12/1/2006
Near Miss

• Duct Tape???
• Note: same company erected
this one as the crane that fell
in Bellevue.
• Note – 2 other cranes were
found to have 2’ long hairline
cracks in the next week in the
same city.

Photo courtesy: Scott Eklund (Dec 1, 2006)

Seattle Post Intelligence
 Review of Accidents
New York: March 15, 2008
 New York: March 15, 2008

Photo courtesy: New York Times
• Seven Fatalities.
• Rigger offered FOUR new
slings by construction
manager.
• No inspection of slings.
• Used FOUR slings.
Manufacturer said use EIGHT.
• Did not use softeners.
 New York: March 15, 2008

Photo courtesy: New York Times

 The Red Flag That Got Overlooked
New York: December 15, 2007

• Load dropped. One worker injured.

• Lifting over construction office trailers.
• Sling failure – 14K load with a 19K nylon sling.
Photo courtesy: Jin Lee (Dec 14, 2007) New York Times
 Review of Accidents
Miami: March 25, 2008

• Two Fatalities.
• Dropped section of mast while
“jumping” crane.
• Crashed through house being
used for storage.
• One deceased was insurance
safety inspector.
 Review of Accidents
New York: May 30, 2008

• Two Fatalities.
• Failure of a repair weld on
turntable.
• Jib and cab fall.
• Crane was a Kodiak,
1982 or older.

Photo courtesy Associated Press, Dima Gavrysh

Canada Tower Crane Accident Review

Includes: Near Miss, Property Damage, Injury,

and Fatality Accidents

Year Number of Incidents

2005 19
2006 15
2007 19
2008** 19
Total 72

* WorksafeBC.com
** Through September of 2008
 Canada Tower Crane Accident Type

Assembly / Disassembly 2
Other 4
Collision 4
Crushed by / Struck By 5
Crane malfunction 10
Collision - other crane 12
Electrical 17
Dropped Load 17

0 5 10 15 20
* WorksafeBC.com
What Do We Learn:
The 331 Rule Applies

Fatal/Catastrophic

Injury/Property Damage

Near Misses
 What Do We Learn?
Causes of Accidents

• Lack of sufficient crane inspections.

• Improper repairs.
• Failure to follow manfacturers’ procedures.
– Operators, riggers, erectors, crane owners, general
contractors.
• Failure to follow OSHA/MIOSHA rules.
– Operators, riggers, erectors, crane owners, general
contractors.
• Human error.
– Miscalculation.
– Forgetting.
– Misunderstanding, miscommunication
• Failure to act:
– If something looks wrong, DO SOMETHING about it!
 So is it Over-hyped?

• NO!!!!
• Accident severity warrants the Photo from Dubai
attention.
• Many non-fatal accidents.
• Increased use in the future.
• Changing nature of use:
– self erecting.
• World market: use some
places is scary!
 What Can I Do to Help?

General Contractors

• Know the crane inside and out.

– Read the manual.
– Meet with the owner, erector, operator.
– Learn history of the crane.
• Age.
• Repairs/modifications/replacement/damage.
• Strengths/weaknesses with crane model.
• Where/how it has been used.
• Previous inspection history.

• Third party inspections before erecting.

• Qualified erectors.
 What Can I Do to Help?

General Contractors
• Operator certification and more.
• Don’t push the schedule.
• Process in place to verify correct procedures
at every step.
• Widen public barriers.
• Watch for the near misses.
 What Can I Do to Help?

Subcontractors on site:
• Know crane limits.
• Stay on schedule – when plans change
accidents happen.
• Plan ahead – need to give operator and riggers
advance information.
• Keep job-site orderly – less visual distraction.
• Observe “no lifting over” rules.
• Report near misses.
 What Can I Do to Help?

Everybody:
• Stay out from under loads.
• No rigging or landing loads unless trained.
• Be an inspector: keep an eye on the crane.
• Report near misses, even the little things.
• Help the operator, rigger, erector:
– Remember they are humans who;
• WILL make mistakes – forgets, misunderstands.
• Get tired, frustrated, distracted.
– Do not distract, interrupt their routines.
– State things twice, have them repeat it back.
– Keep site clean, orderly.
– Keep job on schedule.
 Sources of Additional Info

• ANSI Standard B30.3 – 1996 Construction Tower Cranes

• Tower Crane Management: Avoiding Problems Through Proper
Selection, Erection, Testing, Maintenance, Operation, and
Dismantling (1985) D. E. Dickie; Construction Safety Association of
Ontario.
• http://towercraneaccidents.blogspot.com/ - Listing of tower crane
accidents world wide.
• http://www.craneoperator.com/index.htm - Listing of many crane
accidents.
• http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-21993.pdf - Proposed
new OSHA rule: Cranes and Derricks in Construction.
• http://www.liftlink.com/ - Lift and Crane Magazine.
• http://www.cpwr.com - Research articles on safety, including
McCann (2008) Crane Related Deaths and Injuries in Construction.
Center for Construction Research and Training.
 Thank You for Attending

Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Consultation Education & Training Division
7150 Harris Drive, P.O. Box 30643
Lansing, Michigan 48909-8143
 
To request consultation, education
and training services, call (517) 322-1809
or
www.michigan.gov/miosha