The construction industry in Cleveland and other Ohio cities is thriving. While this is great for the economy and industry workers, prosperity in any industry often comes with an increase in employee accidents and injuries.
The construction field is no exception and is actually one of the most dangerous industries for its workforce. There are many factors that lead to construction accidents, but this post will look at incidents involving cranes. Raising your awareness about the dangers associated with cranes could help you avoid suffering serious injuries or even death.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes the seriousness of crane-related construction accidents. In its analysis of these issues, OSHA has identified the main reasons crane accidents occur. The following list contains a few of these reasons.
- Contact with live power lines accounts for nearly half of these accidents
- Improper balancing, which can cause cranes to topple
- Outrigger or stabilization failures, which often lead to accidents
- Falling and dropped crane loads happen if the cargo becomes unsecured
- Crane counterweights can crush workers if their use is not carefully supervised
The accidents above often occur because workers have not received proper training in how to use crane equipment. However, there are times when crane-related construction accidents happen because of negligence such as defective cranes or crane parts. For example, after an accident or injury occurs, it may come to light that the crane manufacturer knew that its product was defective.
In such instances, injured workers or their surviving family members may pursue third-party injury claims targeting the manufacturer of the defective items. This allows victims to recover compensation, which helps families continue to thrive in the wake of a severe injury. If you have suffered a negligent crane-involved construction accident, you may find that an injury attorney can help you pursue your claim.