May 30, 2008 9:30 pm US/Eastern
Some Question Crane Safety In Maryland
MARYLAND (WJZ) ―
-
-
New York City Fire Department firefighters work on the scene of a crane collapse on Manhattan's Upper East Side at 91st Street and First Avenue on May 30, 2008, in New York.
Anthony Behar/Getty Images
Should people here in Maryland be concerned about crane collapses?
Mike Schuh reports Washington, D.C. ordered emergency inspections of all the tower cranes operating there.
The state of Maryland can't even say how many cranes we have operating here. That's because contractors don't have to tell the state before they put a crane in the sky.
Fatal tower crane accidents in New York, Miami, and now again in New York, lead us to ask about safety in Maryland.
Every crane here has to be inspected, but not by the state of Maryland. The industry itself is given the task.
"We know that the contractors have certified people. We're using them as an extension of us because of our lack of resources," said Ron DeJulis, Commissioner of Maryland Labor and Industry.
DeJulis is not comfortable with the current system, but without state inspectors his hands are tied. At least one person involved with the dismantling of the cranes must be state-certified.
"And have your certified people work with us to inspect the cranes and we worked out a process where the inspectors give us the inspection sheets. Our people check them through, do periodic checks on them," said DeJulis.
There is a task force developing rules and regulations.
"We are working to develop regulations for not only the operator, but also for the crews that are erecting and dismantling the tower cranes," said DeJulis.
But remember human error and mechanical failure. The crane in New York got a city inspection and the inspector was at the job sight when it fell.
The commissioner hopes a recommendation by the crane task force will be submitted and will be asking for licensing to be submitted to motion for the end of the summer.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Jewish Celebrities
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
