NYT: Safety Starts at the Top (CRANES) corrected

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/opinion/12podziba.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

By SUSAN PODZIBA
Published: June 12, 2008

Brookline, Mass.

IT’S still not clear what caused the two recent crane accidents in New York City, which killed nine people. Across the country, dozens die each year in similar accidents: 72 workers in 2006 alone, the most recent year for which federal figures are available. Yet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been sitting on crane-safety regulations that could prevent more deaths.

As I watched the news coverage of the second of the crane accidents last month, I felt sick to my stomach.



In 2003, OSHA hired me to bring together union and industry representatives to update federal crane and derrick regulations. The existing regulations on crane safety were created in 1971 and have not been significantly revised since then. Everyone agreed that the current regulations are archaic and fail to address the daily hazards faced by construction workers.

From July 2003 to July 2004, representatives of labor unions, crane manufacturers, crane operators, contractors, crane rental companies, builders, crane owners, billboard installers, insurance companies, electrical power line owners and safety experts met to discuss virtually all hazards associated with cranes — and how to prevent them. The deliberations were governed under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which meant that the public could attend the sessions and address the representatives.

The group reached consensus on a set of revised crane standards. OSHA officials participated in the negotiations and contributed their expertise in writing enforceable regulations. According to OSHA’s analysis, these standards would prevent 37 to 48 worker deaths per year. The draft regulations are about 120 pages long, and include important new requirements like the testing and certification of crane operators and the oversight of crane assembly and disassembly.

FULL story at link.

[aquart]

1. I don't see the link.

[MadMaddie]

2. There is also a question of the steel and it's origination....isn't

there? The Cranes in New York came from....wait for it...China.

So I am guessing that the standards in China vs America are very different.