16.06.2015
Mobile tower crane overturn
A large mobile self-erecting tower crane has gone over in Uitikon on the west side of Zurich, Switzerland earlier today.
The crane - one of a fleet of mobile tower cranes owned and operated by Flück Zurich- was apparently lifting a pallet load of glass panels when it lost stability and tipped over onto the new apartment block it was working on. No one was injured in the incident, with damage restricted to the crane and part of the building.
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The overturn may have been caused by outrigger set up?
It looks as though the crane may have slipped off of its cribbing although this may well have occurred after it tipped? We will update this if and when we receive more information.
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The jib came down across the road as the tower came to rest on the building
Flück operates mostly a Liebherr MK fleet, but also runs at least one Spierings.
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The recovery seems to have involved a long boom loader crane
Gideon
Did the crane have it's counterweights on, or did they slip off after it tipped?
Sherm
Those of us who follow this forum daily are seeing many accidents that seem to be caused by human error rather than wrong choice of equipment or equipment breakdowns. Last week a young man was crushed after another worker hammered out a large support pin of a crane assembly. For a long while Vertikal posted a poll in the right margin of the web site asking if a ground supervisor, banksman or other person designated to oversee a job should be utilities on every lift. The screams by those who must bury the dead and meet the costs and settle insurance claims. Our industry needs a rude awakening and time for a cool change...to save lives equipment losses and job deliveries. We need more people to scream through their writing their lectures their orientations and delivery of sold equipment.