NEWTON

Many varieties of lifting devices have come and gone over thousands of years. Although the cranes, derricks and gantries and the skills of people needed to operate them have gradually changed, Sir Isaac Newton’s Law of Gravity has remained a constant force to be reckoned with.

The hazards around cranes have been known for years, but a string of recent rigging, mechanical and operational failures has them yet again under the microscope. Public awareness is growing. A study done this summer by the Center for Construction Research and Training found that, besides the hundreds of workers that have died in recent crane accidents, several bystanders have been killed, and dozens more, including first responders, have been hurt.

Many crane owners and users are also waking up to the fact that the crane operator is not the only person involved in a crane pick. Accidents happen nearly every day, all over the world. More cities are building up, and that requires bigger and more complex lifting systems as well as more people to make it possible.

Like all machines, cranes will eventually fail, and workers will always be fighting the triple hazards of gravity, wind and their own judgment. Cranes are designed to resist the first two forces but not the third.

Guy Lawrence / ENR

It is no surprise, then, that new rules are coming in the aftermath of failures. Like a heavy load, regulations should be handled with care. Certification is one area that has received a lot of attention. While it sets a good baseline for training, the industry should not stop there. For one, it is crucial that operators receive regular refresher courses on the specific make and model of equipment they use. Riggers, signalers and inspectors should also be certified and required to retrain on a regular basis. Supervisors need to learn more about crane and rigging hazards and maintenance. Finally, cranes from new sources, such as China, should be scrutinized before being placed where they could pose a risk.

The tension between man and machine is as constant as the force of gravity. Only training programs and rules that are intelligent, practical and widespread will ensure that safety keeps up with the state of the art.