Three men were injured last Monday, when the three telescopic boom lifts they were working from were caught up in the collapse of the steel frame for a new building, in Rockford, Illinois.
The incident occurred on Monday 20th May, at the Hennig machine tool component plant, north of the city, where a new facility is being built. The steel erection work was continuing as strong winds began to pick up, when something caused the entire structure to collapse. The falling steelwork took down all three JLG boom lifts, tipping one of them forward as the roof landed on the basket, while another was knocked onto its side and the third tipped backwards onto its counterweight.
We assume all three operators were wearing a harness and lanyard as they injured but not dead – to put it bluntly. One of them refused any treatment while the other two, both in their 30s were taken to hospital. We understand that one of the two was more seriously injured.
A Grove Rough Terrain crane which was also working in the building was unaffected.
The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating the incident, which involves the steel erector - Area Erectors and the general contractor Cord Construction.
The news bulletin below shows more from the scene.
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