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Crane Related Accidents
February 2003

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By Company Name

February Reports Received: 17
February Deaths: 15
Accident Reports Received for 2003: 34
Deaths to date for 2003: 21
Late reports are included in the above numbers.
The above numbers are global.
Statistics for prior years

ATTENTION! The numbers above indicate there is a great need for more training and safety awareness. Anyone having anything to do with cranes should take heed. The majority of the accidents were caused by human error. Translation: smart people doing dumb things.                                      
11/16/02: Broken Rules Cited In Death

"Mark Black, the operator of the EZ Hauler model 2500 crane used to set the utility pole, had little experience with that piece of equipment. Black told investigators he had only set one other 40-foot pole with the EZ Hauler, and said when he gets close to a primary electric line "I take a deep breath and hold it."
See first listing

- 01/04/03: City of Lakeland, Florida Agrees To Pay Widow


Enhanced Reports — February 2003

Icon: Fatal 02/28/03: Greensburg, Indiana — Greensburg Man Dies | Dead Link |
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"He was apparently trapped between a metal bar at the rear and the hydraulic boom arm. The men were using the LS180 to lift pallets of wood, used in home building, at the time of the accident."

Icon: Fatal 02/27/03: Columbia, Tennessee — Fall from crane fatal to worker
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Icon: Power Line Contact 02/26/03: Newberg, Oregon — Electricity fuels fire in construction crane | Dead Link | | Cache Copy |

This is the 7th. AVOIDABLE incident reported to this site this year in which power lines were involved. There were 35 reported to this site in 2001 and 33 in 2002. Again, all were avoidable. Just don't work cranes near energized power lines.

Power Line AccidentFatal2003: EMS Injury 02/26/03: Sydney, Australia — Crane hits powerlines; driver dies of massive shock | Dead Link | | Cache Copy |

Rail worker electrocuted | Cache Copy |

This is the 6th. AVOIDABLE incident reported to this site this year in which power lines were involved. There were 35 reported to this site in 2001 and 33 in 2002. Again, all were avoidable. Just don't work cranes near energized power lines.

2003: EMS Injury 02/24/03: UK — Worker injured in fall on crane
A 60-YEAR-OLD man received serious injuries to his chest after falling from a crane at Kimberly-Clark on Saturday. | Dead Link | | Cache Copy |

02/22/03: Faribault, Minnesota — Crane Mishap Knocks Hole in Buckham Library | Dead Link |
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A 10-ton crane accidentally slid down a hill and into the Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault, Minnesota, February 17, knocking a hole in it. A Met-Con Construction crew was positioning the crane for roof work on the nearby community center when it suddenly slid down the hill toward the library's south wall, the Faribault Daily News reported February 19. “I'll never forget the sound,” said Director Renee Lowery. “It was the loudest bang I've ever heard.”

The incident happened shortly after library staff arrived for work on Presidents Day. “Luckily, the library was closed to the public and none of the staff was in that section of the library,” Lowery said. “There were no injuries. And other than dust, there was no damage to library materials in that section of the library.”

The adult nonfiction collection has been sectioned off and is unavailable to the public until the wall is repaired. The construction company's insurance will cover the damage.

02/21/03: Manilla — Crane rams mayor's car  | Cache Copy |

Icon: Power Line Contact 02/21/03: Sharon, Pennsylvania — Crane hits power line, triggers outage | Cache Copy |

This is the 5th. AVOIDABLE incident reported to this site this year in which power lines were involved. There were 35 reported to this site in 2001 and 33 in 2002. Again, all were avoidable. Just don't work cranes near energized power lines.

02/17/03: UK — Driver trapped by steel is rescued | Dead Link |
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Icon: Fatal 02/16/03: Singapore — Crane operator dies after 2000kg steel bars fell on him | Dead Link | | Cache Copy |

Icon: FatalIcon: FatalIcon: FatalIcon: FatalIcon: FatalIcon: FatalIcon: FatalIcon: Fatal 02/16/03: Kota Tinggi, Malaysia — Eight missing after pontoon crane crashes onto a tugboat
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Power Line AccidentIcon: Fatal2003: EMS Injury 02/12/03: Matairie, Louisiana — I-10 worker electrocuted, 2 injured
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This is the 4th. AVOIDABLE incident reported to this site this year in which power lines were involved. There were 35 reported to this site in 2001 and 33 in 2002. Again, all were avoidable. Just don't work cranes near energized power lines.

Editorial Comment: A local phone call to the power company would have prevented this incident.

Icon: Fatal 02/12/03: Canada — Crane operator killed
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02/08/03: Anaheim, California — Crane falls onto Anaheim house
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Reportedly, contractor Pouk and Steinle was using the 65-ton crane to replace power poles for Anaheim's public utility.

Photo

NBC News link with an aerial view photo.
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2003: EMS Injury 02/08/03: Lebanon, Oregon — Man critical after being pinned by crane boom
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An Albany & Eastern Railroad employee is in critical condition today after a crane boom fell on him Thursday.

Icon: Fatal 02/07/03: Long Branch, New Jersey — Construction accident claims second brother | Cache Copy |



Ironworker killed by falling pile | Cache Copy |

02/02/03: Piscathaway, New Jersey — Crane's boom crashes into roof of house
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