The Common Causes Of Crane Accidents

Cranes are widely used in the UK as they are quite important in large scale operations. They are mostly used in construction and building sites, but can also be used in the mining industry, engineering industry, maritime industry and on oil rigs. Crane accidents are fortunately quite rare, but when they happen, they often result in serious injuries and fatalities.

Over the years, the number of people who die in crane accidents has come down to approximately one per year, but the number of people who become injured remains significant. If you have been involved in a crane accident because of no fault of your own, it is important that you consider making an injury claim.

There are numerous causes of crane accidents, but there are cases where the cause remains unknown. Here is a look at some of the common causes of these kinds of accidents.

• crane coming into contact with overhead power lines
• collapsing cranes
• defects and faults with parts of the crane
• accidents caused by human errors made while disassembling, assembling or rigging the crane
• objects and loads falling from the crane and injuring people below
• crane accidents caused by misunderstanding in signaling and controlling the movement of the crane
• loads from the crane coming into contact with buildings, scaffolding and other structures

There are several other factors which can contribute to such accidents. Some of these include:

• the height at which the crane is being used
• bad weather conditions such as high winds
• the speed of the crane

Workers often try to make use of their body parts to steady suspended loads. But sometimes, the load moves unexpectedly and traps the workers under the load causing severe injuries. To prevent crane accidents from taking place and giving rise to injury claims, it is important that employers carry out risk assessments. Risk assessments must be conducted to ensure that the procedures used are suitable as well as the equipment and plant are safe to use by the workers. Training must also be provided to the workers who are required to operate cranes or work with or around cranes.

You Could Make A Work Injury Claim

If your accident was caused as a result of your employer's negligence, you may be in a strong position to make an injury claim. But, to start an injury claim and win substantial compensation, it is important that you employ the services of experienced work injury lawyers.