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Overhead crane accidents have the potential to cause serious injury or death to workers and others involved. Overhead crane accidents are often the result of defective crane design, or negligence on behalf of an employer, safety inspector, or any other party responsible for reducing the risk of overhead crane accidents through compliance with safety standards. These safety standards are outlined by the manufacturer of a crane and its related parts and the federal labor agency known as OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Approximately 125,000 cranes are currently used in the construction industry. Another 80,000 to 100,000 cranes are currently operating in the maritime and general industries. This means that about 250,000 crane-related industry workers and thousands of other “non-crane” workers can be exposed to hazards that can lead to overhead crane injuries each year in the United States.
Between 1984 and 1994 overhead crane accidents claimed the lives of more than five hundred people. In 1993 fatalities related to cranes, derricks, hoists, and hoist accessories were recorded at 79 people in that one year period alone. Approximately 50 or more people die, and hundreds more are injured every year in the United States as a result of overhead crane accidents. Overhead crane accidents are considered one of the leading causes of death or serious injury in the construction industry.
Overhead crane accidents can be attributed to a number of causes. Electrocution is the most common cause of injury in overhead crane accidents. Approximately 40 to 45 percent of all overhead crane accidents involve electrocution that results from the crane contacting a power source during operation. Other major causes of overhead crane accidents include assembly and dismantling problems, falls, crushing by counter weight, dropped loads, outrigger use, crane overturns, boom buckling or collapse, and rigging failure.
One study referenced in OSHA literature indicates that approximately eleven percent of all overhead crane accidents are the result of mechanical errors. Mechanical error in overhead crane accidents is often the direct result of negligence on behalf of crane-related professionals, including employers and safety professionals. These overhead crane accidents can be caused by lack of preventative maintenance or compulsory routine inspections. They can also be the result of lack of adequate operator training or experience.
OSHA requires that employers take every precaution possible to prevent overhead crane injuries. When an employer’s negligence causes or contributes to injury or death in overhead crane accidents, they can be held liable for any damages that were caused. Parties who have been injured in overhead crane accidents caused or contributed to be another party’s negligence have the legal right to seek compensation for there losses. For more information on overhead crane injuries, you may wish to contact an experienced and competent attorney who can protect and maximize your legal interests.