Many devastating crane accidents are due to windy conditions. But that doesn’t mean crane crews and operators are not to blame. Workers and supervisors should be keenly aware of wind conditions and other weather factors and act accordingly. Otherwise, horrific crane accidents can occur.

Wind Accidents Can Be Prevented

Indeed, wind accidents with tower cranes can be prevented.  Such wind-related crane accidents can happen when a crane is being operated or even when it is out of service. When in service, a crane accident can happen in high winds not because the wind blows the crane over, but because the operator loses control. If loads have a large wind-catching area, the force of the wind can overcome the swing brakes and the plugging resistance of the swing motors. To avoid this, a crane can be temporarily taken out of service when high winds threaten load control. However, from a ground-level vantage point, a supervisor may be unaware of the force of winds above.

Advance Planning Can Avoid Wind Accidents

Advance planning can help to avoid cranes’ wind accidents. When a crane must carry a load with a large wind-bearing area, calculations can be made in advance to determine the limits of the operation at various wind speeds. Then, when winds do arise, their speed can be determined to guide the operation. Such advance work means field calculations won’t have to be made at the last minute — or last second — when winds suddenly arise.

What About Gusty Winds?

As for gusty winds, these can be unexpected and can be at speeds higher than weather forecasts indicate. When winds gust, it may be advisable to cease operations temporarily even if calculations show that the crane has adequate stability and strength at peak wind levels. Winds could gust beyond such levels.

Industry standards hold that it may be unsafe to operate tower cranes when wind levels reach or exceed 20 miles per hour. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises guarding against wind accidents when wind speeds or sustained gusts reach that 20 mph limit. If the crane does remain in use, extreme caution should be exercised. In the event of any wind, field supervisors must assess a load’s stability and whether it can be handled safely while being moved or tossed about by wind forces. Keep in mind that different tower cranes with different loads pose different hazards when it comes to wind. Whether gusty or not, winds can cause significant crane operational problems and must be taken seriously. 

Weathervaning of Cranes is Needed

Even when a tower crane is not being operated and is out of service, it must be left in a position so that it can “weathervane” when exposed to high winds. This weathervaning means the crane is free to rotate under the force of the wind, rather than remain stiff and bearing the brunt of the wind continuously. To do this, the drives and swing brakes should be disengaged when the crane operator departs the cab and shuts down its prime mover. Weathervaning may not be an option if a crane and its installation were designed otherwise, but it can help prevent crane accidents due to wind. When weathervaning is possible, it’s advisable to leave a crane in free slew to allow the slew ring to move freely with the wind and not fight against it.

Crane Accident Lawsuits Can Help

When workers or bystanders are injured or killed by falling loads or equipment due to high winds or other factors at a construction site, crane accident lawsuits can help their families claim economic recovery for their financial losses, including medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. To get such a crane accident lawsuit, you’ve come to the right place. The Willis Law Firm has decades of experience helping injured Americans get the money to which they were legally entitled after suffering an injury due to someone else’s errors or negligence, and we can help you, too.

Nor will you need to pay us any up-front legal fees. We are only paid if we win your case and we prevail in gaining a settlement for you. And even then, we are only paid from a portion of that settlement. Contact us today and we’ll give you a free legal review of your case. Then you can decide if you want to proceed with a lawsuit to gain financial compensation after a crane accident due to winds — an accident which likely could have been avoided and prevented.

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