Crane-related accidents in N.Y., Fla.
make local university officials wary
Universities say cranes on their campuses are safe, but they're not taking anything for granted.
(JOHN HENDERSON / Rockbridge Report)
Despite recent deaths in crane-related accidents in Florida and New York, construction projects at Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute are still underway.
Local construction officials say they are proceeding with caution, though.
In the last two weeks, nine people have been killed in Miami and New York City when pieces of tower cranes came off and obliterated the buildings below them. Lexington site superintendents say they are not taking any chances.
At VMI, superintendent Rick Woodell is arranging for a special inspection of the T-shaped "tower" crane that has been used for more than a year in the expansion of the barracks.
Woodell said the crane normally receives a visual inspection from the crane operator as he climbs the 100-foot ladder into the cab. The crane operator also hand-tests the bolts that connect the pieces of the tower to make sure they are not loose.
But after the recent accidents, VMI administrators asked Woodell to arrange for a special inspection.
"VMI has been more shook up than anybody," Woodell said.
The New York accident happened after construction workers attempted to "jump" or raise the crane, but Woodell said his crane is not designed to do that. It is resting on a concrete slab and will not be moved until it is disassembled in seven months.
At Washington and Lee, the new football field bleachers are being hefted into place with a hydraulic crane. Unlike VMI's tower crane, which was carried in on trucks and assembled on site, the hydraulic crane is in one piece.
Superintendent Brian Shepherd said he has never seen a crane tip over, but after the recent accidents he is taking every precaution at W&L. If the crane's wind gauge registers wind speeds greater than 25 miles per hour, the crane is not operated. It also has a gyroscope that can detect instability and warn the operator with an alarm.
Shepherd has a golden rule when operating the crane: No one walks under it.
"It's just a common sense thing," he said.
Wayne Pillow, a construction worker at W&L, said he has never seen a crane tip over, but he has heard of it happening. It is more likely to happen on marshy or uneven ground, but the rocky soil here makes for a good foundation, he said.
Pillow was more concerned about people who are inexperienced with handling cranes.
"It's called being competent — in other words, you've got idiots and you've got sane people," Pillow said.
In Virginia, all crane operators have to be trained and certified.
Lexington's four-story court house is nearing completion and the crane that helped build it was disassembled this week. Crews used a 300-ton capacity "mobile crane" for 30 days and did not have any mechanical failures or accidents.
The huge rectangular pieces that once towered over Davidson Park were hauled away to Richmond by more than 10 tractor trailers Tuesday for another project. Crews reported that they will not be using any more big cranes to complete construction.
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