Last week, we examined the first of the four R

SAFETY TRENDS

Aftermath of New York City crane accident

Falling Cranes

By Glenn Demby

Cranes are falling all over the country. The recent spate of fatal accidents in Houston, Las Vegas, New York and Miami has drawn national attention to the problem. But it's been going on for years. Consider these grim numbers:*

What's the problem? Part of the answer is lax regulation. Although operating a crane is one of the most dangerous and intricate functions on any job site, only 15 states require workers to have a license to perform it.

Nor has the federal government picked up the crane safety slack. Of the approximately 4 million construction sites in the U.S., OSHA inspects only about 23,000 in a given year. And federal crane safety regulations haven't been significantly revised since 1971.

* Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/os/osh_crane_2006.pdf

CRANE FATALITIES IN 2008

Miami crane collapse

6 Notable Incidents

New York City, March 15

A 19-story crane breaks away from an apartment building under construction in New York City, demolishing a townhouse and killing six, including the crane operator and a tourist visiting the city.

Miami, March 25

A seven-ton section of a crane at a condo project falls 30 stories onto the "Mary House," the home used in the film There's Something About Mary, killing two workers and injuring five.

New York City, May 30

Lightning strikes twice when a 200-foot crane being used in a midtown condo construction site collapses into another apartment building and the street below, killing the operator and another construction worker.

Las Vegas, May 31

The day after the New York City disaster, a crane falls from a Las Vegas resort. A worker caught between the crane track and its counterweight system is crushed to death.

Houston, July 18

One of the nation's largest cranes, a 400-foot monster, topples over at an oil refinery, taking down a smaller crane as it falls, killing four workers and injuring six others.

Oklahoma City, July 24

In a particularly poignant accident, a 79-year-old onlooker is crushed to death as a crane raising a steeple to the top of a brand new church falls over and smashes into his parked car from where he's taking a snapshot.

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