Governor Gregoire Calls on Construction Industry to Ensure Safety of Cranes Operating in Washington

For Immediate Release: December 1, 2006

Governor Chris Gregoire:

�The construction industry and crane operators in Washington should take it upon themselves to immediately double-check the safety and stability of all of their cranes and, where necessary, take the steps to get appropriate inspections. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries is available to answer any questions that may arise.

�Construction in Western Washington is booming and accidents and close calls, like those that have occurred in Bellevue, will not become the standard operating procedure in our state.

�L&I has assigned a team of safety specialists to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent crane accident and has hired an engineering expert to consult on the investigation. Any worker who notices something out of the ordinary should report it by calling 1-800-4BE-SAFE or visiting any local L&I office.�

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Crane owners and operators should take these steps to ensure the stability of their equipment:

• All owners and employers using tower cranes perform a visual inspection of the tower base and tower for structural integrity problems, including looking for cracks, cracked welds, stress fractures, chipped or flaking paint, loose bolts and rust spots.
  
• The tower crane operator's responsibility is to inspect the cranes on a frequent and periodic basis. Frequent inspections are daily to monthly, depending upon the component to be inspected. Periodic inspections are required monthly to yearly, depending on the use of the crane.
  
• As part of any overall inspection of a worksite involving cranes, L&I will look to see if an employer has fulfilled their responsibility to inspect cranes on a frequent and periodic basis.
  
• If damage is observed during inspections, the employer should contact an engineer for further evaluation.