“Supercranes” Said to be Built for Safety and Productivity
All cranes are big. But over the years, they have gotten bigger; and a special class of cranes, referred to as “supercranes,” are so big they have to be transported in more than 150 truckloads when unassembled. These cranes are said to make easy work of heavy lifting and actually contribute to worker safety on a job site.
According to the Engineering News-Record, a “heavy-duty” crane is one that weighs more than 600 tonnes (metric tons). But a supercrane is one that is measured in thousands of tonnes, not hundreds. The online publication assembled a list of the largest supercranes, ranking them by lifting capacity. Some lift as many as 2,000 tonnes, with one lifting nearly 7,000 (the equivalent of 78 space shuttles).
So, why do cranes keep getting bigger, and what does this mean for the construction workers sharing the sites with them?
Construction work is always getting bigger. The buildings are bigger than they’ve ever been, and they’re also expected to go up faster than ever. Cranes make the heavy lifting easier. They allow workers to assemble parts of the new construction at ground level, letting the crane lift them into place. In addition to moving faster this way, there is less chance of injury when workers are not required to perform assembly at great heights. According to the Engineering News-Record:
“What’s driving the marketplace to find bigger cranes are heavier capacities to handle these large modules,” says Ashton (vice president Pete Ashton of Bigge). Speed of construction and safety are two factors driving this trend.
Stick-building “results in an exposure and expense to the contractor,” says Joe Collins, heavy-lift manager at Becht Engineering, which helps owners plan extreme lifts. “But more than anything, it is exposure to fall hazards and all the things that are associated with working at heights.”
More of these projects are opting to “prefabricate large, extremely heavy modules on the ground level,” Collins explains. “We pick it and set it, and the crane goes away.”
These supercranes are transported to job sites by the truck load, with one crane taking up to 160 trucks to transport. Once arrived, they are put together and put to work. Contractors can rent the cranes for tens of millions of dollars, a cost they say is justified by the amount of time the cranes save and the safety they provide.
Still, crane accidents can happen and can cause serious injury.
Construction Accident Attorneys of Ginarte
The New York and New Jersey construction accident attorneys of the Ginarte Law Firm have represented numerous workers who were hurt while working in what could be considered some of the more safe construction sites. But even when safer equipment is used and precautions are taken, construction accidents will inevitably happen.
If you are hurt in a construction accident, we may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact our NY / NJ construction injury attorneys at (888) GINARTE today for a consultation on your case.
