When the Spotlight Shines
February 25, 2004 -Lifting equipment accidents, often involving fatalities, happen every day. Many of these accidents garner little attention beyond those immediately affected. Yet, occasionally, an accident generates significant scrutiny and discussion. Such is the case with a pair of unrelated bridge construction accidents that happened February 16 and 17, respectively.
The first is the truss crane collapse that occurred on the Maumee River bridge project in Toledo , Ohio . The second took place in Stratford , Conn. , where a barge-mounted crawler crane fell into the Housatonic River , killing the operator.
Sometimes that scrutiny comes when a job is high-profile, as the Maumee River Bridge crossing is. In 2002, Fru-Con Construction Corp., Ballwin , Mo. , was named the general contractor to build the cable-stayed bridge for nearly $220 million. The bridge is the State of Ohio 's largest ever transportation investment. What's more, this is the first job taken on by the company's heavy civil construction division since it was re-opened in 2001.
Other times the scrutiny is due to the death toll and property loss. To date, four ironworkers and operating engineers on the Toledo job have died. Three others remain hospitalized, while one injured worker has gone home.
Even the equipment itself generates curiosity. Such was the case with "Big Blue," the crawler crane that collapsed at the Milwaukee Brewers' Miller Park stadium in 1999. In the Toledo case, two sets of "launching gantries," built to specification by Italian manufacturer Paolo de Nicola, are both unique and irreplaceable.
According to a press release posted on Paolo de Nicola's website, the launching gantries consist of an over-slung machine and an underbridge unit for self-launching. "This permits the self-launching of the equipment in a fast and safe way and will also permit the shifting of the launcher sideward when the viaduct opens in two different lanes."
And occasionally, timing invites attention. Just one day after the accident in Toledo , Balfour Beatty's job in Stratford , Conn. , on the Sikorsky Memorial Bridge came to a halt. Two barge-mounted crawler cranes were lifting a girder during the demolition phase of the bridge. One crane fell off the barge, killing the crane operator, and causing the boom of the second crane to buckle. Balfour Beatty is based in the U.K. and has U.S. headquarters in Atlanta , Ga. Despite the seriousness of the event, I wonder just how much attention this accident would have received if it hadn't happened when it did.
As I read the ongoing news reports about these accidents, the coincidence of these two bridge construction crane accidents occurring within 24 hours of each other is overshadowed by the contrasts.
Fru-Con boasts an excellent safety record in general and on this job specifically. Just last year, the company was awarded a Construction Excellence Award from the Associated General Contractors of America . Whereas Balfour Beatty, has reportedly been cited numerous times for safety violations, including two serious violations in 2001 on this same job.
The people working on the Maumee River bridge project seem proud of their work. In one report, it was mentioned that retired construction workers considered returning to work just for this job. And although lawsuits are inevitable when someone dies on the job, no mention has been made of it yet. In contrast, shortly after the Sikorsky Memorial Bridge accident, reports began circulating about alleged unsafe equipment and practices. Within a week's time, the crane operator's family is threatening to sue.
All accidents deserve the investigation of experts, not for the fines they generate, but for the awareness they cause. It is the wise employer that looks inwardly and makes positive changes for the future. It is the thorough employee who takes responsibility for carrying out safe work practices.
No accident, especially ones involving fatalities, should be taken lightly. But isn't it better to have already established a positive safety culture within your company when the spotlight is shined and the scrutiny begins?
In memory of those who died in Toledo , members of Ironworkers Local 55:
Robert Lipinski, Jr., 44
Mike Moreau, 30
Mike Phillips, 42
Arden Clark , 47
And of the crane operator in Stratford , a 12-year employee of Balfour Beatty:
Charles Jordan, 60
Much of the information for this editorial came from articles published by The Toledo Blade , www.toledoblade.com , and The Connecticut Post , www.connpost.com , which have both done excellent jobs reporting about the accidents. Visit their websites for more information and ongoing reports.
The first is the truss crane collapse that occurred on the Maumee River bridge project in Toledo , Ohio . The second took place in Stratford , Conn. , where a barge-mounted crawler crane fell into the Housatonic River , killing the operator.
Sometimes that scrutiny comes when a job is high-profile, as the Maumee River Bridge crossing is. In 2002, Fru-Con Construction Corp., Ballwin , Mo. , was named the general contractor to build the cable-stayed bridge for nearly $220 million. The bridge is the State of Ohio 's largest ever transportation investment. What's more, this is the first job taken on by the company's heavy civil construction division since it was re-opened in 2001.
Other times the scrutiny is due to the death toll and property loss. To date, four ironworkers and operating engineers on the Toledo job have died. Three others remain hospitalized, while one injured worker has gone home.
Even the equipment itself generates curiosity. Such was the case with "Big Blue," the crawler crane that collapsed at the Milwaukee Brewers' Miller Park stadium in 1999. In the Toledo case, two sets of "launching gantries," built to specification by Italian manufacturer Paolo de Nicola, are both unique and irreplaceable.
According to a press release posted on Paolo de Nicola's website, the launching gantries consist of an over-slung machine and an underbridge unit for self-launching. "This permits the self-launching of the equipment in a fast and safe way and will also permit the shifting of the launcher sideward when the viaduct opens in two different lanes."
And occasionally, timing invites attention. Just one day after the accident in Toledo , Balfour Beatty's job in Stratford , Conn. , on the Sikorsky Memorial Bridge came to a halt. Two barge-mounted crawler cranes were lifting a girder during the demolition phase of the bridge. One crane fell off the barge, killing the crane operator, and causing the boom of the second crane to buckle. Balfour Beatty is based in the U.K. and has U.S. headquarters in Atlanta , Ga. Despite the seriousness of the event, I wonder just how much attention this accident would have received if it hadn't happened when it did.
As I read the ongoing news reports about these accidents, the coincidence of these two bridge construction crane accidents occurring within 24 hours of each other is overshadowed by the contrasts.
Fru-Con boasts an excellent safety record in general and on this job specifically. Just last year, the company was awarded a Construction Excellence Award from the Associated General Contractors of America . Whereas Balfour Beatty, has reportedly been cited numerous times for safety violations, including two serious violations in 2001 on this same job.
The people working on the Maumee River bridge project seem proud of their work. In one report, it was mentioned that retired construction workers considered returning to work just for this job. And although lawsuits are inevitable when someone dies on the job, no mention has been made of it yet. In contrast, shortly after the Sikorsky Memorial Bridge accident, reports began circulating about alleged unsafe equipment and practices. Within a week's time, the crane operator's family is threatening to sue.
All accidents deserve the investigation of experts, not for the fines they generate, but for the awareness they cause. It is the wise employer that looks inwardly and makes positive changes for the future. It is the thorough employee who takes responsibility for carrying out safe work practices.
No accident, especially ones involving fatalities, should be taken lightly. But isn't it better to have already established a positive safety culture within your company when the spotlight is shined and the scrutiny begins?
In memory of those who died in Toledo , members of Ironworkers Local 55:
Robert Lipinski, Jr., 44
Mike Moreau, 30
Mike Phillips, 42
Arden Clark , 47
And of the crane operator in Stratford , a 12-year employee of Balfour Beatty:
Charles Jordan, 60
Much of the information for this editorial came from articles published by The Toledo Blade , www.toledoblade.com , and The Connecticut Post , www.connpost.com , which have both done excellent jobs reporting about the accidents. Visit their websites for more information and ongoing reports.
