Held at the department's headquarters in Lower Manhattan, the conference, according to a prepared DOB statement, serves as "a step forward in developing an ongoing worldwide dialogue among responsible parties in the crane industry, including government regulators, crane owners, manufacturers, operators, contractors, engineers, and riggers."

In the coming months, commissioner LiMandri plans to hold a safety summit with major crane manufacturers to discuss how to make cranes safer and build upon ideas generated at the conference. "We each represent different cities, states, and countries, but we are all facing the same challenge--how to make cranes safer," said commissioner LiMandri at the conference.

"Recent accidents in New York City and other jurisdictions around the world have made it clear that crane safety is a critical issue affecting all of us," he continued. "Cranes easily move across state lines and international borders with varying degrees of oversight, and this conference will foster an international dialogue to help standardize regulations and better protect millions of New Yorkers and others around the world."

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, cranes have caused 323 fatalities across the country between 1992 and 2006, 68 of which were due to collapsing cranes like the one that led to the death of six workers and one civilian on March 15 in New York City. Following two crane collapses in New York City this year, the Department has hired engineering experts to study crane operations, expanded crane inspection checklists from 35 items to more than 200, and implemented tougher regulations, as GlobeSt.com reported, including mandatory training for tower crane workers and the submission of detailed rigging and jumping plans as part of the crane application process.

At the conference, officials reviewed crane safety standards for permitting, licensing, maintaining, repairing, and operating cranes in order to identify ways to collectively address the problems that have plagued the crane industry. Earlier in the day, Commissioner LiMandri joined the officials in a brief tour of a construction site at 123 Washington St. in Lower Manhattan where a 200-foot-high crane has been erected.

Instant Insights /

Crane Conference Reviews Safety Protocols

Related Stories

Recommended For You