There are many people in the Birmingham area who work in the construction industry. For the most part these are well-paying jobs that allow a person to support their family. They are also dangerous jobs with many people getting seriously injured or even killed each year. One piece of construction equipment that can be dangerous are cranes.
Types of crane accidents
Although cranes are necessary on many construction sites they can also be dangerous. There are several different ways in which a person can be injured in a crane accident.
- Crane or boom coming into contact with energized electric lines.
- Overturned cranes
- Under the hook lifting device
- Boom collapse
- Dropped loads
- Crushing by counter-weight
- Outrigger falls and rigging failures
Basic crane safety guidelines
There are basic guidelines that should be followed to operate cranes safely. These include:
- Cranes should only be operated by qualified and trained employees.
- Cranes should be inspected by a qualified person before they are used.
- Cranes must be a on a firm surface and level.
- Crane assembly and disassembly should not have pins unlocked unless sections are blocked and stable.
- Maintain at least 10 feet from overhead power lines.
- Do not exceed the load capacity
- Do not move loads over workers
- Raise a load a few inches and inspect the load before lifting it to its destination.
If a person has been injured on a construction site, they may want to speak with a legal professional who is skilled in personal injury. An attorney can review the circumstances that caused the accident and help figure out what happened and who is responsible. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, future medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other damages.
