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Fatal crane accidents claimed the lives of more than five hundred people between 1984 and 1994. In 1993, seventy nine people were killed in fatal crane accidents related to cranes, derricks, hoists, or hoist accessories. It is estimated that fatal crane accidents kill between fifty and one hundred people each year in the United States. Fatal crane accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry. When cranes are designed and manufactured properly and proper safety precautions are taken, fatal crane accidents are highly preventable.
There are currently 125,000 cranes in operation in the construction industry. At least 80,000 to 100,000 additional cranes are operating in the general and maritime industries. This means that at least 250,000 people are at risk for suffering fatal crane accidents if proper precautions are not taken.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that the following are major causes of fatal crane accidents: crane or boom contact with power lines, dropped loads, boom collapse, complications with assembly and dismantling of crane, crushing by a counter weight, falls, outrigger use, rigging failures, and overturned cranes. Electrocution is the cause of death in fatal crane accidents in approximately forty percent of all cases.
An OSHA referenced study indicates that approximately eleven percent of all fatal crane accidents are the result of mechanical errors. Mechanical errors can be caused by defective crane design or production. In these cases, crane manufacturers can be held liable for fatal crane accidents. In other cases mechanical error can be attributed to lack of compulsory equipment inspections and other inadequacies in preventative maintenance measures. In these cases, fatal crane accidents can be caused by negligence on behalf of an employer or other supervisor.
In accordance with a number of OSHA implemented standards, employers in crane-related industries must take a number of safety precautions in order to mitigate or eliminate the risks of fatal crane accidents. Employers have a duty to adequately train and supervise all crane operators and other crane-related workers. They must also de-energize and visibly ground electrical transmission and distribution lines in order to prevent possible electrocution which could cause fatal crane accidents. They also must comply with and post all information about rated loading capacities, safe operating speeds, special warning information, and other important instructions related to crane operation. If employers fail to meet these and other safety standards they can be held liable for fatal crane accidents.
When loved ones are killed in fatal crane accidents, the families and other beneficiaries of the decedent have the legal right to seek compensation for the losses resulting from fatal crane accidents. These victims may be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses, loss of income, psychological suffering, and more. If you are interested in learning more about fatal crane accidents, you may wish to contact a qualified attorney.