crane industry news

The crane driver involved in the ‘run-away’ crane that killed a farmer has been acquitted by a jury of any blame. Allan Woodrow was acquitted in under an hour at Bradford Crown Court of causing the death of Colin Chew by dangerous driving on March 26, 2009, and an alternative charge of causing his death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

The case of a tractor driver killed by a run-away crane last March has begun. The jury heard yesterday how the driver of a mobile crane had used his brakes for “too long and too much” as he came down a steep hill at East Morton, near Bingley.

A trio of Potain tower cranes are being used on a hydroelectric dam expansion project in the USA. The project is the Holtwood Dam on the Susquehanna River near Holtwood, Pennsylvania.

We have been alerted to a tragic crane accident on a wind farm in South America, almost certainly in Brazil. The accident, which we have been told occurred last wednesday, involves a 1,200 tonne Liebherr LTM11200-9.1. which was lifting a full blade and rotor assembly into place when – we are told – a strong gust took the load out to the side, creating a massive side load on the crane’s boom.

Using its Liebherr LTM 1160-5.1 all-terrain crane, Southern Crane, Columbia, S.C., was hired to help South Carolina’s Capitol building twice. The first instance was to repair the 186-foot flag pole…

New York City’s department of buildings has released a new report by consulting engineers Ove Arup on the tower crane collapse last March that killed seven people. The new report lays the blame squarely on improper use of slings, and also addresses the question of whether the friction base used at the foot of the crane may have contributed to the accident.

The tower crane erector/rigging contractor who was responsible for the crane that collapsed and killed seven people in Manhattan, had his license revoked today by New York’s Department of Buildings.

Predictive Solutions, Pittsburgh, Pa., announced that its customer, Turner Construction Co., was recognized by the Associated General Contractors of America as one of the safest construction companies in the United States with a 2011 Construction Safety and Excellence Award (CSEA).

Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will introduce its new crane safety rules and initiatives on September first. They will include regulations that will stipulate the requirement for a comprehensive lifting plan to be developed and implemented before a lifting operation can be carried out, with an appointed person responsible.

The blades of the world’s biggest wind turbine don’t just sprout from the impeller like leaves. And at 364 tons, you’ll need a pretty hefty crane – like the Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1. It’s is strong enough to lift three of them simultaneously. The LTM 11200-9.1 is both the the strongest and tallest telescopic crane in the world,