Several crane accidents have occurred near the Philadelphia area over the last decade. This often deadly type of construction accident can affect construction workers working at a job site as well as bystanders around a construction job site.
Modern cranes lift heavy materials at construction sites and are often a necessary part of a construction job, but the recent lack of safety measures taken during crane use have caused this tragic type of construction accident to make front page news all too often.
In 2009, a tall construction lift toppled over and struck a downtown Philadelphia apartment building. The construction accident killed one New Jersey construction worker who fell 125 feet after the crane went down. Three people in cars driving close to the scene were hit by heavy falling debris, causing one seventy year old woman to be treated for a broken arm and two other passengers to be treated for minor injuries.
In another recent accident, an inexperienced crane operator failed to understand the length of his crawler crane’s boom, or arm. As he was off-loading a 20-ton steel slab, the load shifted, causing the boom to twist and collapse killing two construction workers standing 30 feet away.
Crane accidents often involve tipping cranes that have been loaded beyond their weight limit. Cranes that aren’t inspected properly for mechanical issues as well as proper load weight before use can be extremely dangerous. Cranes should always be equipped with the proper devices to secure workers should the crane tip. Cranes can also hurt workers as they accidentally snag power lines or nearby buildings causing construction workers to become injured or even killed by falling debris or by way of electrocution. If you have been affected by a construction accident, contact an injury lawyer.