No one ever wants to think that a piece of construction equipment as big as a crane could cause serious injury or even death should it fail. However, large construction equipment can and does fail. The Fresno Bee reported in late April 2019 that there was a crane accident on the construction site of the new Google Campus in Seattle. It had collapsed, causing four deaths and minor injuries to three others, including a mother and young child.
Crane Accident Types
While this latest crane accident was a collapse in which the crane landed both in the construction site and on the cars of innocent bystanders, crane accidents can occur in many situations. When transporting a crane to another area, there is a great risk that this large machine could strike workers, but also that it could strike bystanders or damage the property of bystanders, such as a personal vehicle.
There are two other common types of crane accident injuries. One type is those where an individual is struck by the load the crane is carrying. In this event, the load doesn’t fall. Instead, it strikes someone or causes damage to physical property. A crane’s load can fall, however, and cause even more damage. Bystanders near the site can be injured by the falling materials or by the shrapnel and other debris that results. This debris can also damage personal property such as vehicles or even a privately-owned building.
Crane Accident Causes
Human error is always a possibility when a crane accident has occurred. If an inspection wasn’t completed properly, repaired weren’t made quickly and correctly, or if the crane operator was distracted, bystander injuries are possible. Sometimes, however, equipment can fail even if nothing was suspected wrong with it. Mechanical errors like this are often studied so that heavy equipment manufacturers can make their products safer in the future.
Weather can also play a factor as a common cause of crane accidents. High winds seem to be the most likely to cause these types of accidents. In instances of very windy conditions, it’s often advised to stop using the crane. Other types of severe weather can also cause problems, such as freezing rain adding weight to the boom, which causes it to collapse. It’s usually up to the site foreman or a manager to keep heavy equipment such as cranes in operation during poor weather.
Recent Crane Accident Tragedies
As mentioned above, the most recent accident involving a crane happened in late April 2019. Many experts have decided that poor weather played a part in the cause of the accident, but most likely, so did human error. In October 2018, the steel beams being moved by a crane operating in Evanston, Illinois had fallen. In this instance, one man died while another suffered severe injuries after being trapped under the steel beams.
If you’ve been injured by a crane accident as a bystander, you’ll most likely need medical attention and perhaps even psychiatric care and physical therapy. Hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer can help ensure you get the help you need. If your loved one has passed away due to a crane accident, you need to know you’ll have support, and also the financial help to pay for final expenses. Martin Gasparian is the personal injury lawyer that will fight for your needs. Plus, you owe nothing unless we win. Contact the Maison Law Firm to schedule your free consultation by calling (559) 203-3333.
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article229771149.html
