From the June 2008 issue of  Lift & Crane

MT. CLEMENS, MI - A telehandler tipped over at a construction site and railroad bridge. The machine was grading gravel at the bridge when the operator sent the boom out too far, causing it to fall forward. No injuries were reported. (See photo at left)

LAUDERHILL, FL - No one was injured when a crane dropped part of a roof from a 10-story building. The crane was moving a mansard roof when a 12-foot x 4-foot section fell. The debris landed on an unoccupied passenger car. Additional flying debris damaged the window of an apartment with a hole the size of a baseball. Building and city officials responded to the scene to investigate.

SAN ANTONIO, TX - A large crane flipped over onto a road and was left standing at a near 90-degree angle at a construction site. The operator was moving a sign that was too heavy for his machine. The sign was made out of 12 or 15-inch steel high beams and “extremely heavy," according to fire department officials. Witnesses said that once the crane toppled over, they saw the man jump out of the crane, leap over the debris and continue to run straight down the street. Emergency workers believe wind may have also been a factor in the accident. A few businesses in the area had to evacuate for a short time because of a chemical leak the crane caused as it fell. OSHA is investigating the accident.

AUBURN, WI - A crane tipped onto and crushed a car while traveling on the highway. The 73-year-old man driving the car was killed, while the passenger in the front seat was injured and flown to a nearby hospital. The truck crane operator was sent to the hospital and later released with no major injuries. The crash occurred when the car pulled out in front of the crane truck. According to state patrol officials, the car had a stop sign and the crane truck driver had the right of way. Officials said the crane truck driver “braked and swerved” to avoid hitting the car. The crane then turned sharply to the right and around a tight curve. For a short time, the two vehicles were traveling alongside each other before the crane truck tipped over on top of the car. The crane tipped to the left, with the front driver’s section of the crane landing immediately on top of the front seat of the car. The crane truck was traveling 30 to 35 mph at the time. Officials described the accident as “one of the strangest they’ve ever witnessed.” OSHA is investigating.

BURNS HARBOR, IN - A steelworker died at a mill after being pinned between two girders. The 60-year-old man and another steelworker had just finished moving two spare girders with an overhead crane. The man and his co-worker maneuvered the two girders side-by-side on the floor of the facility in a three to four-foot space in width. The co-worker began to re-position the crane, unaware that the man was still in the space. One of four dangling chained hooks, attached to an O-ring on the crane’s boom, caught a girder and pulled it with sufficient force to tilt it. The girder fell against the other girder and “pinched” the man’s head between the two. State IOSHA officials were called on the scene to investigate.

INGLESIDE, TX - A crane operator died at a facility that specializes in large offshore oil platforms. The 50-year-old died after being taken to a nearby hospital. Workers at the facility were hoisting a 20-ton pipe when it broke free and came crashing down on top of the cab the man was operating, pinning him inside. Witnesses and employees are currently being interviewed. OSHA is investigating.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - A crane toppled over in a mobile home park when the rear outriggers failed trying to move a tree limb that was too heavy. The 200-foot boom was pulled downward by the tree limb, while the cab of the crane was suspended 40 feet in the air. Two homes were destroyed by the boom and the limb. The driver was not injured. The homes were unoccupied at the time. Officials are investigating. (See photo at right)

MOUNT AUBURN, OH - Two men were injured at a construction site near an interstate when a crane collapsed on them. The crane struck one man and then landed on another, according to police. Officials said the second man managed to free himself before emergency crews arrived. The men were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. No detailed information has been released about the men’s injuries, and the incident remains under investigation.

ESTERO, FL - A crane collapsed at an interstate-widening project. The crane operator did not suffer any injuries. An expert in crane safety said one possibility was that the crane’s brakes gave out, and the force sent the boom to the ground. The crane was being used to carry concrete pilings for an overpass. As the construction workers ran away, a driver plowed through the fallen crane, ripping a hole through its lattice of metal. The driver was not injured. Officials are investigating the accident.

DENVER, CO - A small crane toppled over onto a building, trapping a worker. Denver fire officials said the crane damaged local power lines near the warehouse. The crane operator was forced to remain inside the machine to avoid electrocution while crews cut power to the area. The operator was not injured. The cause of the accident was not known. Officials are investigating.

PAROLE, MD - A construction worker died after being crushed in a crane 200-feet above a building site. The 44-year-old man was dismantling a crane when a large portion came loose and pinned him. The man was trapped for hours and was dead when rescuers finally freed him. An official said possible causes for accidents like these can include the improper attachment or detachment of the large section of the crane, improper use of tools and failing to follow the sequence of procedures prescribed by the manufacturer. Officials are investigating the accident.