The tallest crane to ever grace the crowded, gritty streets of Manhattan has arrived to put the finishing touches on a posh building located in midtown. Work has been ongoing at the construction of an exclusive residential building and now the city’s tallest free-standing crane ever is on the scene to assist in constructing this complex architectural masterpiece.
The subject building located at 111 W. 57th St. is described as “the slenderest tower in the world” by architects and developers. It is 80 stories tall and will soar 1428 feet off the ground. The residential building, situated on what the media now refers to as “Billionaires’ Row”, will have 60 individual apartments with asking prices between $14,000,000 and $100,000,000. The building is yet another example of how fluid the New York City skyline really is. The construction boom has illustrated that the look of our city continues to evolve and be shaped by the man and women in the construction industry.
News of a massive crane invading our city certainly sparks reactions from New Yorkers. People recall the harrowing experience just down the block at the One 57 building when a crane broke loose from the top of the building and was haphazardly hovering over midtown. They also harken back to some grisly crane accidents that led to a number of fatalities. Naturally, news of the tallest crane ever arriving here causes some level of trepidation in even the hardest of New Yorkers.
Our NYC lawyers know how serious the risk of a crane accident is. A crane accident can be utterly devastating. Construction workers and the general public are at risk of serious an often fatal injury. OSHA reports an average of 71 fatalities caused by crane accident per year in the United States. There are also more than 1000 serious injuries caused by crane accidents per year in our country.
What are the most frequent causes of crane accidents? According to OSHA, these are the most frequent reasons that crane accidents occur.
- Boom or crane contact with energized power lines.
- Unsafe lifting or complications with the lifting device.
- Overturned cranes.
- Drop loads.
- Boom collapse.
- Crushing by the counter weight.
- Outrigger use.
- Falls.
- Rigging failures.
Many of these concerns are directly linked to improper maintenance of a crane and a failure to competently and regularly inspect cranes. Other factors that contribute to crane accidents include unqualified operators, poor training and a lack of fundamental commitment to job site safety. Jobsite safety, particularly when cranes are being employed, is critical. As we have seen, the consequences of a crane accident make it imperative that we focus on avoiding these tragedies.
We will follow the progress on 57th St. and report back with any newsworthy developments. The hope is that this work is completed in inefficient and safe manner. New Yorkers have their fingers crossed.
Block O’Toole & Murphy is a law firm committed to fighting on behalf of construction workers. The trial lawyers at this firm have recovered more than $850 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their seriously injured clients. You may learn more about this firm by reviewing the firm website at www.blockotoole.com. You may call them at any time for a free consultation at 212-736-5300.
Curbed.com