At the law office of Champ Lyons, III, P.C., we know that it can be dangerous, if not deadly, to work with any type of equipment on a construction site. As one of the largest and most complex pieces of machinery commonly used at worksites in Alabama and across the country, cranes may top the list of extremely dangerous construction equipment. You may be interested in learning about the new OSHA regulations regarding these massive pieces of machinery.
Numerous devastating accidents have recently made headlines regarding construction cranes. You may remember hearing about the tower crane that fell onto a downtown street in Seattle, Washington, last April, resulting in numerous injuries and four fatalities. According to Construction Dive, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration placed new regulations, which also went into effect that month and address the training and certification of construction crane operators. The new rules mandate that all crane operators be licensed or certified in the type of crane they operate. Additionally, they must receive ongoing training to ensure they can knowledgeably and safely operate new crane equipment.
Each year, about 175 people are injured and 44 are killed in construction crane accidents throughout the United States. An Alabama crane inspector, who also trains crane operators, claims that human error is the main cause of most crane accidents, citing a lack of knowledge and skill in operating the machinery or a failure to properly inspect and maintain construction crane equipment. Our page on construction accidents explains further about your options in pursuing compensation after a construction-related injury.
