Page 173 - Urban Construction Project Management

128 Chapter Six
Exhibit 6-10
Climbing crane-
support collars.

CRANE SAFETY

Crane safety is an especially poignant issue in the urban environment. Accidents in
cities receive prominent news coverage that has prompted state legislatures to consider
strengthening their regulations. A major crane accident occurred in New York City on
March 15, 2008, killing seven people. On May 31, 2008, another crane accident
occurred in New York City killing two construction workers. See Chapter 5 for more
information on crane safety. California, New York, the State of Washington, and Dade
County in Florida have enacted strong crane laws and other jurisdictions, including
OSHA, are weighing the enactment of new rules. New York City and California have
the most stringent crane requirements:

1. Only approved crane models are permitted to be used. Each crane must be registered
and inspected annually.
2. Crane operators and riggers are licensed. Tower crane erection dismantling and
climbing requires a licensed rigger.
3. Crane installation on new buildings must be engineered and the engineering is then
reviewed by the building department.