Scaffolding Collapses in the news, how often does it happen?
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How common is a scaffolding collapse on a construction site?
Brooks Schuelke and Wayne Parsons posted about the June 10, 2009 21 Rio Condo scaffolding collapse in Austin, Texas and it seems really popular right now. Brooks being from this area finds this story pretty close to home.
Scaffold Collapse At Austin's 21 Rio Condo Project Demonstrates The Need For Fall Safety Systems, June 10, 2009
Austin, Texas Scaffold Collapse Results In Three Deaths At 21 Rio Condo Project Construction Site Wayne Parsons, June 11, 2009
Like Brooks, I find this subject interesting because we’ve seen it happen before and being mechanically and construction minded I have to wonder why. Here are some questions to ponder when reading about a construction site scaffolding collapse.
1. Are workers doing something wrong or are they being provided with bad scaffolding or is it the design of the scaffolding that is the problem allowing it to fail?
2. Of course it could be too much weight or as we are going to see below sometimes the crane operator drops the load onto the scaffolding.
Whatever the cause may be in Austin at the Rio 21 Project, as lawyers who constantly ask “why and how can we prevent it in the future” these construction accidents do interest us. I’ve posted about construction accidents before on The Verdict, but after reading about this Rio Condo collapse I got to wondering how many recent construction sites have had scaffolding collapse. So I looked by doing a quick search. Here is what I found.
June 10, 2009 – Austin, Texas – you have four men falling 120 feet to their death at the 21 Rio Condo Project. Read Brooks or Wayne’s articles. The AP also has a story.
January 14, 2008 – New York – Trump Soho, one fatality and at least one injured. A crane lost it’s load of concrete beams which fell and struck a loaded scaffolding.
WNBC reports that the fatality was caused when the worker fell 30 feet: "A crane dropped a piece of concrete onto the scaffolding, which collapsed after the impact." And here's a haunting photograph from of two construction helmets from workers who fell:
Februray 28, 2009 – Melbourne, Australia, Prahran scaffolding collapse, six levels of scaffolding collapses while most, but not all workers were at a coffee break.
“A 24-year-old man found by workmates hanging upside down with his legs trapped was the most seriously hurt after suffering neck, arm and leg injuries.
His 28-year-old male colleague fell four floors but survived with only a fractured finger and cuts and bruises while a 52-year-old man suffered chest injuries after managing to jump to safety as the scaffolding gave way.
Paul Holman from Ambulance Victoria said it was incredible that no one had been killed or seriously injured when the six levels of scaffolding crashed down on Commercial Road in Prahran, opposite the Prahran Market, just before 10am.
The scaffolding damaged about six parked cars and pulled down power lines and overhead tram lines, blocking traffic.”
April 3, 2006 – Boston, Massachusetts, A 20,000-pound construction platform collapsed and then crashed down 13 stories onto a busy downtown street Monday, killing three people and crushing cars stalled in midday traffic.
The collapse occurred in early afternoon in the downtown area on Boylston Street, situated at the south side of Boston Common.
“Witnesses said there was a terrifying rumble then crash of the platform lift system, which was set up atop a second building next to a 14-story building owned by Emerson College. The platform and scaffolding, which had been used to install a stone facade, were being dismantled around the 13th story when the collapse happened, said acting Fire Commissioner Kevin MacCurtain.”
December 7, 2007 – New York, NY - Two brothers working together as window-washers fell from the roof of a 45-story luxury apartment building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The scaffold they were standing on gave way. One brother was killed immediately, and the other was in critical condition.
“It appeared that the scaffold had not been properly secured to side of the building, the Solow Tower at 265 East 66th Street, said Seth Andrews, a Fire Department spokesman. Almost immediately after the brothers stepped onto the scaffold from the roof of the building, it gave way, he said. “
August 28, 2008 - San Diego, California – This is worse than most due in part to a crane operator noticing a problem an hour before anything occurred and then ignoring the situation.
Walkway and Scaffolding Collapse, Injuring 16 Pedestrians in Downtown San Diego
“Perhaps the most publicized of the lawsuits arising from the accident has been filed by the widow of Tyrone Allen, Tina Allen, who alleges a wrongful death lawsuit, due to the fact that a crane operator had noticed the initial buckling of the Scaffold nearly an hour before it’s collapse, and nothing was done to prevent it.
Just this afternoon, 16 pedestrians were injured and trapped as a walkway and scaffolding collapsed in downtown San Diego. Police said about 25 people were walking or loitering in the covered walkway when its wooden walls and roof suddenly crashed to the ground. A part of a scaffolding in a construction site next to the walkway also collapsed on the victims.
The injured passersby range in age from 16 to 64. Five of them are females and 11 are males. Three of them—a man aged 50 and two women aged 57 and 60—were critically injured and taken by medics to a trauma center. The other victims who suffered from moderate to minor injuries were taken to hospitals. “
Raw Video footage
http://www.truveo.com/Raw-Video-Scaffold-Collapse-In-San-Diego/id/62750871
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=38496@kpix.dayport.com
June 2, 2008 - New Jersey – One man was injured and two others killed as their safety harnesses did not work during a scaffolding collapse.
The scaffolding was hanging from a tank at the International-Matex Tank Terminal that the men, employees of West Virginia Paint and Tank Co., of Clifton, were painting.
See more in Accidents, Bayonne
January 28, 2009 - Chicago, Illinois - No one was hurt. The photograph is worth a look.
October 28, 2008 - Chicago, Illinois - Two construction workers were injured suffering "Massive Head injuries" from injuries suffered as scaffolding collapsed in the River North neighborhood. They were seven stories high. The scaffolding disconnected on one side causing it to fail. The firefighters had to borrow a crane from another construction site across the street to lift the collapsed scaffolding off of the men.
VIDEO TAPE FROM YOUTUBE –
SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSE ACCIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES
"Crews rescued three workers left hanging by ropes about 15 stories high at a downtown Indianapolis building after scaffolding collapsed. (Aug. 14) 2008"
January 20, 2009 -
Emergency crews were called to Blue Valley North High School after scaffolding collapsed Monday at about 5:30 p.m.
Kansas
June 02, 2009 - Three workers escaped after scaffolding collapsed eight stories up at 20th Street and Grand Avenue on Friday afternoon.
Three workers escaped after scaffolding collapsed eight stories up at 20th Street and Grand Avenue on Friday afternoon.
Three people died when scaffolding collapsed in West Campus.
Whatever the case may be the GC is responsible for safety on the work site and all workers are responsible for paying attention to the rules. Short cuts can cut your life short.