New York City has imposed stricter safety regulations for cranes following a two-year investigation into a Midtown collapse that injured several people in July 2023. The new requirements are part of an effort to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Under the revised rules, diesel-powered tower cranes must be equipped with fire suppression and detection systems. Additionally, operators and supervisors of these machines must meet more stringent experience qualifications, including having more than 3,000 hours of experience and certain industry certifications.
The investigation found that a fire broke out on the crane's deck, weakening the structure supporting its long boom. The report concluded that the fire started when flammable hydraulic fuel oil sprayed out of a disconnected hose near the engine compartment and came into contact with the hot surface on the deck. The operator was unable to put out the fire using the on-deck extinguisher, and the boom subsequently gave way.
The incident occurred during a construction project on 10th Avenue and West 40th Street, where 14,000 pounds of concrete were being lifted. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but several people did suffer injuries as the wire rope holding up the boom snapped. The crane's owner, New York Crane and Equipment Corp., had leased the machine to Cross Country Construction LLC for the job.
The Department of Buildings has issued four safety violations to the project's general contractor, Monadnock Construction Inc., and Cross Country. While one violation was dismissed, the other two are being challenged in court.
In a statement, Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo described the crane collapse as "a singular nightmare scenario" but noted that construction injuries and incidents have decreased significantly due to rigorous enforcement of safety codes and regular reevaluations of those rules.
The investigation also analyzed similar collapses involving cranes from the same manufacturer, Favelle Favco, worldwide. The company had previously recommended measures to prevent crane fires and boom failures after similar incidents in Australia in 2012 and 2016. However, these recommendations were not being followed at the Midtown construction site.
As part of its efforts to improve safety, the Department of Buildings has created a new license class for operators of smaller hoisting machines, requiring them to have more than 3,000 hours of experience and certain industry certifications.
Under the revised rules, diesel-powered tower cranes must be equipped with fire suppression and detection systems. Additionally, operators and supervisors of these machines must meet more stringent experience qualifications, including having more than 3,000 hours of experience and certain industry certifications.
The investigation found that a fire broke out on the crane's deck, weakening the structure supporting its long boom. The report concluded that the fire started when flammable hydraulic fuel oil sprayed out of a disconnected hose near the engine compartment and came into contact with the hot surface on the deck. The operator was unable to put out the fire using the on-deck extinguisher, and the boom subsequently gave way.
The incident occurred during a construction project on 10th Avenue and West 40th Street, where 14,000 pounds of concrete were being lifted. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but several people did suffer injuries as the wire rope holding up the boom snapped. The crane's owner, New York Crane and Equipment Corp., had leased the machine to Cross Country Construction LLC for the job.
The Department of Buildings has issued four safety violations to the project's general contractor, Monadnock Construction Inc., and Cross Country. While one violation was dismissed, the other two are being challenged in court.
In a statement, Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo described the crane collapse as "a singular nightmare scenario" but noted that construction injuries and incidents have decreased significantly due to rigorous enforcement of safety codes and regular reevaluations of those rules.
The investigation also analyzed similar collapses involving cranes from the same manufacturer, Favelle Favco, worldwide. The company had previously recommended measures to prevent crane fires and boom failures after similar incidents in Australia in 2012 and 2016. However, these recommendations were not being followed at the Midtown construction site.
As part of its efforts to improve safety, the Department of Buildings has created a new license class for operators of smaller hoisting machines, requiring them to have more than 3,000 hours of experience and certain industry certifications.
! I mean, it's crazy that they had to impose stricter rules after a crane collapse in Midtown back in 2023 
. But think about it, if they didn't learn from that incident and take action, who knows how many more people could've gotten hurt 
? At least the operator wasn't seriously injured, so that's a blessing 
.
. It's like, if you're gonna do this stuff, make sure you're doin' it right, ya know? And with new license requirements for smaller hoisting machines, I hope more people are takin' safety seriously 
.
. It just goes to show that safety is a global issue, and we all gotta look out for each other 
. So yeah, these new regulations might seem like a bummer at first, but I think they're a necessary evil 
I mean, come on, New York City is cracking down hard on these safety regulations after a near-miss incident in Midtown, but it's still not enough 
Meanwhile, the real question is how many other cranes are out there ticking time bombs just waiting to happen 
The fact that Cross Country Construction LLC didn't follow basic guidelines from Favelle Favco, a company that already knew about similar incidents in Australia, raises serious eyebrows 
What's the deal with all these loopholes and exemptions? Shouldn't we be holding companies accountable for prioritizing profits over public safety 
It's time to question whose interests are really being protected here 
. I mean, can you imagine if more people had gotten seriously hurt? 
The fact that they're not blaming the contractor or the crane manufacturer (although there is a bit of finger-pointing) is a good sign that safety comes first 
. Now, let's see how this new license class for smaller machine operators shakes things up and keeps our city safer 
. I'm all for increased safety measures, especially with more stringent experience qualifications for operators 
. I mean who wants to deal with broken boom wire ropes 
? The new rules also make sense since crane owners like New York Crane and Equipment Corp. didn't seem to be following Favelle Favco's own recommendations 
. It's always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to construction safety 
!
. the city is being super strict now tho, all diesel-powered tower cranes gotta have fire suppression systems installed 
so yeah lets just say it's good they r makin these new rules now 
lesson learned: stay vigilant, check those connections, and never underestimate the power of a simple system failure 
thank god no one was seriously hurt but several people did get injured cuz the wire rope snapped 
the general contractor got hit with safety violations though 
. So, this new crane safety regulation thingy is a big deal, right? I mean, who wants to see people get hurt on the job site, especially when it comes to somethin' as big and complicated as a crane?
. Only time'll tell if they're effective, but it's definitely a step in the right direction! 
I mean, it's not like this is a new concept, we've had crane collapses for ages... But I guess better late than never? 