TOWER CRANES

Tower Cranes: A Beatable Death Machine

Abstract

Companies in the US have taken major steps to enhance health and safety issues with regards to the workers who operate tower cranes. This is because of the challenges such as recruitment and training, absenteeism and losses in productivity and motivation that are faced by the transportation and construction companies. Tower crane regulations are inherently limited because complying with comprehensive standards and procedures has been found difficult. Therefore, rules are often written in vague, limited language, which consequently opens the door for individual interpretation and imagination. Loose Government oversight on area projects may have contributed to a fatal tower crane collapse on Nov.21, 2006 in Bellevue, Washington. The Seattle office of Skanska USA recently made policy changes for crane inspections following the Bellevue accident. Therefore, third party inspection is required by the companies to ensure that the factors such as location and positioning, testing and certification, lifting, communication, training and climbing frames and emergency are in place. Lack of efficiency has resulted in many accidents during operation, climbing assembly disassembly and because of wind. Inspection is important to ensure that the number of accidents and deaths that occur because of tower cranes can be reduced in the future.

Tower Cranes: A Beatable Death Machine

Discussion

Major changes that have taken place in the United States with regards to the relations with the stakeholder especially employees and civilians. These changes have not just been made in the organization, but changes in terms of political, economic, social and technological context have also taken place. However, safety of employees and civilians has also become a major concern of the employers in the organizations. Since safety have become one the priorities in most companies, in the US, therefore, working conditions for the employees are now going beyond the basics of keeping the work area safe and clean. Most companies have many opportunities to contribute to the quality of life in work can give personal advice and professional career development. As mentioned above, government mandated third-party inspections of tower cranes are needed to keep the workplace and civilians safe. This is because the owners of tower cranes cannot be relied upon to accurately inspect their own income generating equipment (Angelo, 2002).

Challenges faced by Companies

There are many challenges that the companies in the transport and construction industry have to face with regards to the tower cranes that are being used by the workers. When the tower cranes are used, there is a high risk not only for the workers who are using it, but also for the civilians and the passers-by. This is because it results in many accidents that take place because of the tower cranes. There are many reasons that result in the accidents that occur that can be unhealthy for the companies because it result in a high rate of absenteeism, losses in productivity and recruitment and training that needs to be conducted.

Absenteeism and Losses in Productivity

When the workers suffer from accidents because of tower cranes, they are ...