Crane Related Accidents – Preventable!

/in /by

There are some jobs in which you must be on the top of your game at all times, and operating a crane is one of them. Operating a crane can be a dangerous job, and there are hundreds of crane accidents each year. Many of these accidents prove fatal, while most of them were totally preventable.

Common Crane Accidents

TIPPING – While there are accidents involving all types of cranes; accidents with mobile cranes account for three quarters of all crane accidents. The most common type of mobile crane accident is tipping over. This is, obviously, a danger not only to the person operating the crane but to anyone who happens to be nearby at the time that the crane tips over.

FALLS – When you count all types of cranes, there are two types of accidents that are the most common: falls and electrocutions. Believe it or not, there are some operators who fail to wear a safety harness. This simple piece of equipment could have saved the lives of some who were involved in this type of crane accident had the operator not gotten lax with their safety procedures.

ELECTROCUTION – Electrocution, like tipping over, is a danger to people around the crane as well as in it. Failing to be aware of the surroundings, i.e. nearby power lines, has proved fatal to many crane operators.
While there are fewer accidents now than there used to be in this industry, recent accidents show that crane safety is as important as ever.

Recent Crane Accidents

  • This accident that happened in Texas is a good example of how it is not only the crane operator that is placed in danger. A crane knocked over a power line which proceeded to fall onto a fast food restaurant. Luckily, there were no injuries. Click to Read the Full Story
  • A crane operator in Toronto was not so lucky. When his boom grazed some power lines he ended up in the intensive care unit. Click to Read the Full Story
  • Another example of a dropped load occurred in California. The crane was moving a newly restored 1957 fighter jet. While there were no injuries, the plane restoration project had to start back at square one.  Click to Read the Full Story
  • An Arizona crane accident had a tragic ending when a 28-year-old was killed when the rough terrain crane that he was operating flipped over. Click to Read the Full Story

The common thread in all of the above accidents is that proper crane safety procedures very likely could have prevented them.

Crane Training Prevents Accidents

Nationwide Crane Training is dedicated to making sure that everyone who goes through our crane safety training has the knowledge that they need to operate the machines safely. We offer a variety of classes and certifications such as Crane Safety 101 and Overhead Crane Safety. There are classes to suit all types of cranes and we can even customize classes to meet your specific needs.
Crane training prevents accidents by making sure that operators are up-to-date on their knowledge of crane safety and that safety is at the forefront of their minds.
While all crane accidents cannot be prevented, most can. Crane training is a very important step in preventing crane-related injuries and death.