A probably stupid question about the crane in New York

[dsc]

but why wasn't the crane either moved somewhere or put in a position where it wasn't extended?

[liberal N proud]

1. 75 floor in the air, couldn't be moved.

As for the position, it probably wouldn't make any difference.

[dsc]

4. even with days notice?

I know once it was broken but while it still worked it seems it could have been moved.

[liberal N proud]

7. It is attached to the building and takes days to disassemble.

They don't have wheels.


Here is an example of the type of crane.

They go up with the structure.

[dsc]

8. fair enough I thought they did have wheels

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. I read elsewhere here that ALL cranes were inspected Sunday

(in NY) to make sure they were properly tied off.attached/whatever.

Wind can do unpredictable things.

When people say things like " this can hold up to a 100 mile wind" they are usually talking, theoretically,
of a gust or 2 of wind, not 12-24 hours of relentless swirling 80-100 mph wind.

[Hoyt]

2. Hope authorities ask same question of owners/operators when hurricane over.

[KurtNYC]

3. Not sure. The closest thing I remember is the Woodstock Hotel getting hit

by a collapse of the construction elevator at the Conde Nast tower in 1998:

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/22/nyregion/construction-collapse-times-square-accident-scaffold-collapses-paralyzing-times.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

As I remember it that event was taken as a wake up call to do more to secure construction apparatus ahead of these things.

[snagglepuss]

5. I wonder about that myself. I read that there have been reported problems with the crane so

it sounds like the company doesn't care much about safety. Hopefully they will be sued. Imagine how it will cost just the hotel to move all its customers.

[morocha44]

6. Cheap Cheap Cheap

Now it will cost them much more money to deal with the aftermath. I pray that it doesn't coming crashing down.

[bluestate10]

9. There is a good chance that the dangling piece will fall.

Look at the closeup that the BBC provided. There is not much holding that piece of the crane up and with dynamic forces from the wind causing it to sway more violently, the chance is high that the remaining metal holding it up will work fatigue and snap. All I want is for no one to get killed when the piece fall, or have workers get killed trying to secure it in dangerous conditions.

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. It is attached to the building (pic)

Bloomberg said earlier that it was inspected a few days ago and deemed able to withstand the storm.

[doc03]

12. Were I worked we had to tie our outside cranes down when the wind gusts

hit 35 MPH, I assume that one should have been tied down too. Last month I was delayed at the Las Vegas airport because of a thunderstorm. There was a crane at the airport similar to that that wasn't tied down and it was spinning around like a wind-vane.