22.02.2016

New York crane rules affecting construction

Construction companies across New York are being affected by the Cities stricter rules on the use of crawler cranes working in high winds.

Following the Manhattan crawler crane collapse earlier this month in which one man died and two others were seriously injured, the Department of Buildings announced that all crawler cranes must be safely stowed whenever winds of 20 mph (8.9 m/s) are reached. However, the Allied Building Metal Industries, amongst other trade unions, insist that winds regularly hit 20 mph or more, and are calling for the Department to re-examine the new, temporary regulations.
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Temporary regulations have been brought in following the Manhattan crawler crane collapse earlier this month

In addition, all 380 crawler cranes operating in New York were forced to stand down until being inspected causing further delays to construction.

William Shuzman, of Allied Building Metal Industries, said: “This reduced wind speed has had a disastrous impact on the industry. Stopping a crane from operating can bring significant components of a project to a halt and delay others, causing a cascade of logistical and financial problems. In the week following the accident, for example, one of the organisation’s members could only work for three days. In fact, on nearly half the days over the last two years, ground-level winds measured at Newark Liberty International Airport reached a 20 miles per hour winds for at least two minutes.”

“Many of the crawler cranes sidelined by the city’s temporary rules are rated for wind speeds higher than 20 miles per hour, and constantly raising and lowering crane booms may create an even greater safety concern.”