Crane Lifts vs. Risks

Transcription

1 Forensic Accident Investigations: The Team Approach Jim D. Wiethorn, P.E. Haag Engineering Co. Crane Lifts vs. Risks Despite all the training, planning and hazard analysis taken in preparation of a crane lift, accidents do happen and will continue to happen simply based on the complexity of lifts and inherent breakdowns, both mechanically and human intervention. Simple analysis (odds) confirms it is not IF an accident will occur, but WHEN one will occur. 1

2 What I Have Learned: ACCIDENTS DO NOT SEND SAVE THE DATE CARDS!! Therefore: BE PREPARED!! Crane Lifts vs. Risks As an Owner/Operator of Cranes You must be Prepared Just like a crane lift when you assemble a team of specialists to plan, rig and operate the crane you also should assemble a team that will work with you in the event of an accident. Your team should be well-versed in cranes and crane operations which should include: Claims specialist Legal Assistance Forensic Specialist This team must understand crane operations that will guide you through the forensic and legal aspects of the incident. 2

3 The Crane Owner/User has critical responsibilities immediately following an incident. The Crane Owner/User is the most important entity immediately following an incident. Preservation of the evidence is critical in order to accurately identify and determine the cause(s) of an accident. Secure the scene-no one touches anything Contact your team Document the scene and get all witnesses together Gather operators manual and have a copy ready Copy of all lift plans Copy of all crane inspections Copy of maintenance records Take progressive photos-wide-closer-closest of the scene and particularly what you perceive as important evidence Preservation of Critical Data Geometry, Geometry, Geometry. More than 70% of the accidents can be proven or disproven by dimensions/geometry. Locating and preserving evidence is critical at this point Your team must be at the site within 24 hours but no more than 48 hours after the incident in order to do a thorough analysis. As time passes, evidence can change or disappear if the site is not properly secured. 3

4 Why do you need a team? Many claims are based on invalid or untrained experts that profess to know cranes and qualified to make unsubstantiated claims. Many times the crane is not even in operation or not hooked to a load. During depositions, the attorney must be knowledgeable to understand and react to incorrect answers. Crane Expert #1 18 Q. Was this particular crane equipped with a 19 rooster? 20 A. I don't know. 21 Q. Do you know what a rooster is? 22 A. I have an idea of what it is, but I don't 23 know about this crane. 24 Q. What is a rooster? 25 A. It's a place where somebody can be 33 1 positioned towards the top of the boom. 4

5 Crane Expert #2 9 Q. In your review of the materials, did you 10 see any reference to the Vicon system? 11 A. Yes. 12 Q. What crane manufacturer produced the 13 Vicon system? 14 A. I don't know off the top of my head. I 15 would have to look that up. 16 Q. What is the Vicon system used for? 17 A. From what I recall, that was the 18 anemometer for gauging wind speed. It's a computer 19 that is used to control the crane operations. Crane Expert #2-Contd 20 Q. Was the crane in this case equipped with a 21 Vicon? 22 A. I don't know if it was equipped with it, 23 but it was not being operated with it is what I 24 recall. 25 Q. Have you ever inspected a Vicon system? 35 1 A. I don't think so. 5

6 Crane Expert #3 12 Q. What does a crane oiler do? 13 A. A crane oiler is assisting the crane 14 operator in directing of the lift. 15 Q. In the directing of the lift? 16 A. Yes. 17 Q. What are the oiler's duties? 18 A. An oiler is supposed to be the eyes and 19 ears of the crane operator and make sure the lift 20 is being performed safely. Accident Analysis Accident Investigation and Re-Construction involves evaluation of the scene that results in evidence that supports a progressive failure sequence. Better known as a domino theory The damage must be traced as one item is damaged, it will also damage the connecting item, etc. 6

7 Forensic Engineering in 3D Precision of Documentation Jim D. Wiethorn, P.E. Evidence Documentation Photographs Field Measurements 3D Laser Scanning Interviews Review of Documents 7

8 15 High Definition Laser Scanning Articles Co Authored by Jim D. Wiethorn, P.E. 8

9 Case Studies 18 Kansas City Power & Light Iatan, Missouri 9

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13 25 26 Miami Tower Crane Accident 13

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16 Initial Scan (Raw Data) 32 16

17 Still Shot of Scan Data 34 First Rendering 17

18 35 36 Final Product 18

19 37 38 Accident Re Enactment 19

20 39 Hoover Dam ByPass Bridge 20

21 Hoover Dam ByPass Cableway System Hoover Dam ByPass 21

22 Hoover Dam ByPass Hoover Dam ByPass 22

23 Hoover Dam ByPass Hoover Dam ByPass Nevada 23

24 Hoover Dam ByPass Nevada Hoover Dam ByPass Nevada 24

25 Hoover Dam ByPass Arizona Hoover Dam ByPass Arizona 25

26 Hoover Dam ByPass Arizona 26

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31 Demonstrative Evidence Demonstrative Evidence During Testimony 31

32 Operational Crane Models Full-Scale Testing Physical Re-Enactment 32

33 Air Flow-Wind Tunnel Overview of Causes of Crane Accidents: Jim D. Wiethorn, P.E

34 June 2012 Joint Haag/MIT Study Ray King, E.I.T. Use of 100 cases from our files to establish accepted study guidelines. 67 New Recommendations Increase Crane Use Categories from 4 to 10. Document Manufacturer, Model, Serial Number and Date of Manufacture for each crane. Set minimum data/information criteria in order to be included in the study. Expand analysis with new software package

35 : Nearing 750 crane accidents Crane accidents in 49 of 50 States and Internationally- South Africa-Brazil-Canada-Puerto Rico-Turks & Caicos- Virgin Islands Crane Types Tower Mobile Bridge Hydraulic Cableway Derrick Pedestal Gantry MEGA Launching Girders Other HAAG CRANE GROUP Analytical Look At Accidents All Industries

36 General Background Data 71 COMPLETE and CATEGORY SURVEY OUTPUT STATE CATEGORY TYPE LIFT BEING PERFORMED CRANE OPERATION WORK BEING PERFORMED TYPE OF ACCIDENT INJURIES BY TRADE DEATHS BY TRADE LOAD OR NO LOAD CRANE CAPACITY CRANE TYPE PROPERTY-EQUPMENT DAMAGE RESOURCES USED PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES STABILITY-OVERTURN BOOM/JIB/TOWER/COLLAPSE TWO-BLOCKING ASSEMBLY/DISASSEMBLY WORKER CONTACTED BY CRANE-ACCIDENT WORKER CONTACTED BY LOAD ACCIDENT WORKER CONTACTED BY CRANE - NO ACCIDENT WORKER CONTACTED BY LOAD - NO ACCIDENT BOOM/JIB DROPPED RIGGING FAILURE SLEWING ASSEMBLY FAILURE CRANE DE-RAILMENT LANDED LOAD-STABILITY LIFTING PERSONNEL BASKET UNSTABLE/DROPPED/LOST LOAD POWER LINE CONTACT-ARCING TRIP-FALL-JUMP-FROM CRANE SIGNALLING OTHER CRITICAL LIFT ACCIDENTS 36

37 Primary Parties Zones Of Responsibilities Responsibility Flow Chart Site Supervisor Lift Director Crane Owner/User Signalperson Crane Operator Riggers 37

38 Crane Study Categories Commercial Construction Industrial/Manufacturing Highway-Road & Bridge Residential Construction Marine Operations Mining Operations Logging/Arborist Oilfield-Land Base Oilfield-Offshore Agricultural Operations 75 Oilfield Land Base 5.7% Logging 1.3% Mining 1.8% Oilfield Offshore 3.3% Agriculture 0.2% Marine 6.4% Residential 4.0% Highway/Road & Bridge 11.9% Commercial Construction 37.7% Industrial/Manufacturing 27.8% Study Crane Categories 76 38

39 Production Lift Type of Lift Being Performed Critical Lift General Lift A/D Travel/ Operation Personnel Demo Lift Not In Use 11.5% 52.9% 7.8% 10.2% 9.5% 3.7% 0.7% 3.4% 77 Borrowed/Unauthorized Use 1.0% Service Provider 41.0% Owner/Operated 37.3% Bare Lease/Operated 20.0% Crane User 78 39

40 Crane Capacity (tons) < > 1.4 % 5.5 % 56.0 % 16.7 % 15.7 % 2.4 % 2.4 % 79 Load or No-Load on the Hook 65.8% of all accidents had a load on the hook. 34.2% of all accidents did not have anything attached to the crane

41 Property & Crane Damage Damage to Property & Crane 40.2 % Damage to Crane 16.2 % Damage to Property 15.5 % No Damage Property/Crane 28.2 % 81 INJURIES BY TRADE Oiler Pedestrian/Bystander 0.00% 2.50% Other Field Personnel 27.10% Management 2.00% Ironworker 14.10% Signal Person 4.50% Rigger 35.70% Operator 14.10% 41

42 DEATHS BY TRADE Oiler 0.80% Pedestrian/Bystander 5.10% Other Field Personnel 33.10% Management 8.50% Ironworker 12.70% Signal Person 0.00% Rigger 16.90% Operator 22.90% Ranking by Trade Injured Ranking 1. Rigger 2. Other Field Personnel 3. Ironworker 4. Operator Death Ranking 1. Other Field Personnel 2. Operator 3. Rigger 4. Ironworker 84 42

43 Types of Accidents Crane Overturn 18.7 % Boom/Jib Collapsed 18.7 % Two-Block 2.0 % A/D-Travel 3.5 % Worker Contacted by Crane-No Accident 3.1 % Worker Contacted by Crane-Accident 6.8% Worker Contacted by Load-Accident 12.6 % Worker Contacted by Load-No Accident 10.1% Boom/Jib Dropped 4.0 % Rigging Failure 6.6 % Unstable/Dropped/Lost Load 8.6 % Power Line Contact 3.7 % Slewing Assembly Failure 0.7 % Crane De-railed 1.1% Landed Load-Stability/Failure 2.4 % Personnel Basket Accident 0.7 % Trip/Slip/Fall/Jump From Crane 1.3 % Signaling 1.3 % Other 1.3 % 85 Commercial Construction Highway/Road & Bridge Industrial/Manufacturing Type Of Accident Residential Construction 43

44 Marine Industry Logging/Arborist Mining Industry Type Of Accident Agricultural Industry Oil Field Land Base Oil Field Offshore Type Of Accident 44

45 KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY Up until 1900, the world s knowledge doubled every century. By the end of World War 2 it was it doubled every 25 years. At present, the world s knowledge can double in as little as 1 to 1 ½ years. Nanotechnology doubles every two years and clinical every 18 months. Technology in the crane industry is improving so rapidly that it is difficult for the operator to fully understand what the crane can and cannot do. Our analysis indicates that accidents directly classified as operator error reached a high of 32% toward the mid-tolate 1990 s. However, since 2000 it has gradually dropped to an overall low of 22% in late 2000 s. To keep pace with the changing technology and designs, training/certification is mandatory, particularly for those trades directly involved in the lift. The current reduction in operator related cause of accidents is gradually lowering, but must continue to keep pace with technology. KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY Approximately 80% of all crane accidents were the result of errors on the part of the Crane Operator (22.3%); Lift Director (20.6%); Rigger (17.5%); Site Supervision (15.2%); and Signal Person (4.3%). Within the last 15 years, training/certification has been offered to the Crane Operator, Rigger and Signal Person. Duties-Responsibilities 45

46 Findings: The trade most affected in both injury and death is that of the rigger. Riggers are general at or near the load as it is being lifted and landed. There exist a requirement to better educate and train riggers to understand hazards and positioning of personnel during a lift. Currently, ASME B30.20 has incorporated duties and responsibilities for riggers. Soon B30.5 (Mobile Cranes) and B30.3 (Tower Cranes) will incorporate similar guidelines. 91 Engineering Issues Weight/Stability Calculations-Demolition Design Change/Refurbish-Other than OEM Tower Crane Base Design Tower Crane Floor Tie-In Tower Crane heights in Hurricane prone areas 92 46

47 Findings: Industrial Elevated number of accidents associated with operator errors Reduce number of operators permitted to operate the crane Ensure all operators are certified 93 Findings: Highway/Road & Bridge Almost 50% of the accidents occurred with no load on the hook The majority of the no-load accidents were associated with crane movement with poor or substandard preparation Secondary issues were crane movement on the site associated with power line contact Third factor was A/D 94 47

48 Findings: Highway/Road & Bridge Significant number of complex and critical lifts corresponded to the highest percentage of Site Supervisor responsibilities Highest number of accidents with the boom striking stationary objects and collapsing Industry with the highest number of critical lifts. Field changes still ranks the number one issue when a plan does not succeed. 95 Findings: Residential Lack of lift planning experience resulted in elevated accidents associated with the Lift Director and Rigging Instability of the load after being lifted confirmed problematic issues with rigging Unknown weights or wrong weights similarly were associated with rigging 96 48

49 Thank You for Attending! Jim D. Wiethorn, P.E