Are Construction Standards Enough to Prevent Vermont Crane Accidents and Injuries?

Just as in every industry, there are safety standards that the Federal government makes to ensure safe crane operation. However, Vermont has recently had two crane accidents and work injuries, which has caused some to take a closer look at crane safety.

The main causes of crane worker injuries and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), include:

  • Mobile crane tip-overs: Crane tip-overs tend to happen when a crane operator is performing work outside of the manufacturer's safe lifting capacity.
  • Boom collapses: Crane booms collapse due to improper rigging, overloading, and poor disassembly procedures.
  • Uncontrolled hoisted loads: Tip-overs and boom collapses occur as a result of workers being struck by uncontrolled hoisted loads or parts of the crane.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) suggests that the research and investigations surrounding crane accidents in Vermont and throughout the country indicate that construction and crane workers may not fully recognize the potential hazards of mobile cranes.

NIOSH has looked at eight deaths and two injuries from crane accidents and believes each one could have been prevented by using proper safety procedures, including following proper set-up and dismantling procedures, not working under a suspended load, not exceeding the lift capacity, and doing regular maintenance to make sure the crane is working safely.

Crane owners and construction companies should have safety procedures that include posted instructions and warning signs, procedures for safe crane operation, scheduled maintenance and crane inspections, wire rope and cable requirements, and clearance from overhead power lines. In addition, spotters and signal people should be used, records should be kept regarding a crane's inspection and test results, and only certified crane operators should work the crane.

NIOSH is requesting that construction companies, mobile crane companies, crane operators, riggers and ground workers all communicate this prevention information in order to prevent Vermont crane accidents and work injuries and fatalities from occurring.

If you were injured in a crane accident or construction accident in Vermont, or if you lost a loved one in a deadly crane accident, you may have rights to compensation for your damages and losses. Please call a knowledgeable Vermont workers' compensation attorney at the Law Office of Charles Powell to schedule a free, no obligation consultation at 877-295-7773.




Charles L. Powell represents injured workers throughout Vermont and is available to speak with injured workers in all Vermont counties and towns including:
Windsor County - Andover, Baltimore, Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Cavendish, Chester, Chester Depot, Hartford, White River Junction, Wilder, Hartland, Ludlow, Ludlow Village, Norwich, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Royalton, Sharon, Springfield, Stockbridge, Weathersfield, Perkinsville, West Windsor, Weston, Windsor, Woodstock and Woodstock Village
Windham County - Athens, Brattleboro, West Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Grafton, Guilford, Algiers, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Newfane, Newfane Village, Putney, Rockingham, Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Somerset, Stratton, Townshend, Harmonyville, West Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, North Westminster, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Windham and South Windham
Orange County - Bradford, Braintree, Brookfield, Chelsea, Corinth, Fairlee, Newbury, Orange, Randolph, Strafford, Thetford, Topsham, Tunbridge, Vershire, Washington, West Fairlee and Williamstown
Washington County - Barre, Websterville, Berlin, Cabot, Cabot Village, Calais, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fayston, Marshfield, Marshfield Village, Middlesex, Montpelier, Moretown, Northfield, Northfield Village, Plainfield, Roxbury, Waitsfield, Warren, Waterbury, Waterbury Village, Woodbury and Worcester
Caledonia County - Barnet, Burke, West Burke, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, East Hardwick, Mackville, Kirby, Lyndon, Lyndonville, Lyndon Center, East Lyndon, Newark, Peacham, Ryegate, South Ryegate, East Ryegate, Center Ryegate, Sheffield, St. Johnsbury, St. Johnsbury Center, Stannard, Sutton, Walden, Waterford and Wheelock
Chittenden County - Bolton, Burlington, Charlotte, Colchester, Essex, Essex Junction, Hinesburg, Huntington, Jericho, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, South Burlington, St. George, Underhill, Westford, Williston and Winooski.


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