tower crane

While New York is facing a massive clean-up in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, one problem looms above all others: the tower crane with a broken boom atop the 306-metre tall One57 building beside Central Park.

We have been asked to warn tower crane owners on the East coast of the United States, of the need to ensure that their cranes are at the very least left to ‘weathervane’ in to follow the wind rather than fight it.

Potain supplied two cranes, including a giant MD 1100, to work on the recently-completed, record breaking, Russky Island Bridge in Vladivostok.

A tower crane is reported to have collapsed near to the fairway of the Alcaidesa golf course near Sotogrande, Spain, due to neglect. No one was hurt in the incident and property damage was minor.

Strong winds brought a tower crane down across the main road/promenade and onto a passing car yesterday evening in Larnaca, Cyprus killing a woman and seriously injuring her husband. It also damaged several parked cars.

Eric Etchart, president and general manager at Manitowoc Cranes, gave Alex Dahm an insight into his company and the crane market worldwide from the perspective of a truly global manufacturer.

“If they had stuck to their verbal agreement, none of this (action) would need to have happened,” the CFMEU say. “Instead, they knowingly had information in relation to safety tests on the crane and withheld it.”

There have been several recent protests about the number of workers who have died or been injured while working on tower cranes.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals workers wondering what the view will look like out their office windows after the Cambridge firm’s big move to Fan Pier should ask Chris Rand. But they might have to climb up 18 stories to find him.

The final criminal case related to two New York tower cranes that collapsed in March and May 2008 has convicted inspector Edward Marquette of misconduct and offering false documents.