Construction Deaths Commonly Caused by Preventable Crane Accidents

There are nearly 225,000 cranes in use around the United States, with 125,000 cranes operating for construction use. Hundreds of people annually are injured or killed in crane accidents - whether it's the construction workers themselves or bystanders. Even as technological advancements improve the use of cranes in constructions projects and their speed, capacity and strength - improvements to the cranes have done little to address safety concerns or to help prevent crane accidents.

Despite hundreds of construction deaths caused by crane accidents each year, many are actually preventable.

Construction Company Responsibilities

The construction company is required to provide a safe worksite for their employees. There needs to be safety procedures in place, employees must be qualified to run the machines they operate and be equipped with appropriate safety gear for their jobs. If you become injured because the company you work for has not provided a safe worksite, because the crane has not been maintained properly, or because you were not trained properly to use the equipment - you should contact experienced personal injury lawyers for assistance.

Common Causes for Crane Accidents

About 11% of crane accidents are a result of mechanical failure of the machines, due to improper assembly or dismantling of the crane. The remaining crane accidents are generally a result of dropped loads or overturned cranes, outrigger use, rigging failure, falls from the crane, or boom collapsing or buckling.

Surviving Family Members or Injured Workers

If a family member has died in a construction accident due to an unsafe work environment or improperly maintained cranes, you may be entitled to financial assistance. If you've been injured in a construction accident, a personal injury lawyer like Lever & Stolzenberg can help.