Construction is an important but dangerous job. It involves heavy machines and complex work. Even with safety rules, accidents still happen. Some have caused great damage and loss of life.
Here are five of the worst construction accidents in U.S. history and what we can learn from them.
1. Willow Island Cooling Tower Failure – Pennsylvania
On Thursday, April 27, 1978, construction was underway at a power station in Willow Island as part of an expansion of the Allegheny Power System. Around 10 am on the day of the accident, workers brought up the third load of concrete, and a disaster and failure report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology reports that a cable went slack. This led the crane they were using to fall toward the inside of the tower, causing concrete from the previous day to collapse.
The report claims that 51 construction workers were present on scaffolding at the time, and they all lost their lives.
A case study released by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission shows that the most likely cause of the collapse was workers’ failure to allow adequate time for the concrete to cure enough to support this next stage.
2. New York City Crane Collapse – New York
On March 15, 2008, a tower crane on East 51st Street in New York City collapsed. This collapse killed seven people. Six of the individuals were workers on the project, and one individual was killed in their apartment when the crane hit their building across the street. Many more were injured.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the accident and determined it resulted from several factors. These include inadequate safety precautions, using the crane in a method against manufacturer guidelines, and improper inspection of the collars before use.
3. Big Blue Crane Collapse – Wisconsin
The collapse of the crane known as ‘Big Blue’ was a local tragedy for Milwaukee residents. During the construction of the stadium roof at Miller Park, the crane collapsed while hoisting the 450-ton roof. An OSHA investigation concluded that this tragedy was, like the others discussed here, due to several factors. These included failure to use the machinery as the manufacturer specified, not ensuring workers are clear of suspended loads, and failure to consider wind conditions while loading.
This particular site had received several violations prior to this accident. The violations were issued for occurrences such as a small explosion, a shifted roof section injuring a worker, and a worker who fell 80 feet, injuring himself and another worker. The person who fell was able to return to work after a few weeks, but the worker he struck was put on disability.
4. 2000 Commonwealth Ave Collapse – Massachusetts
On January 25, 1971, a luxury condo building was in progress and collapsed while workers poured concrete on the top floor of the building. Records from the Boston Public Library show photographs and diagrams of the accident. The collapse led to the deaths of four workers while causing injury to as many as 30 others.
Much like the other construction disasters in this list, the Commonwealth Ave collapse was cited as due to a lack of quality control and concrete that was not adequately poured or reinforced. Following the necessary recovery efforts, the building was demolished.
5. The Hoover Dam – Nevada
The Hoover Dam is our fifth place mention because, while there wasn’t a singular accident or incident, but instead many deaths associated with its construction. The United States Bureau of Reclamation reports that the exact number of deaths related to the construction is difficult to assess.
For example, official reports say that 96 people died during the construction. Still, some of the higher reports of 100+ fatalities include geological surveyors looking over the area eight years before construction began. Additional sources say that J.G. Tierney and Harold Connelly, two surveyors on the dam project, fell into the Colorado River and drowned.
In the years following construction, workers filed several lawsuits against Six Companies, the conglomerate tasked with building the dam. According to records from the UNLV Libraries, several plaintiffs filed lawsuits for damages related to respiratory illnesses from their time working on the dam. The company ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.
Free Consultations for Injured Construction Workers
If you have been injured in a construction accident, you may have the right to recover compensation through multiple avenues, especially if negligence was the cause of your injuries. Leaders and supervisors in construction may lose sight of the importance of appropriate quality control and safety inspections in favor of coming in under budget or meeting deadlines. When this happens, people can face life-altering injuries or even death.
No one should be left to bear the full burden of someone else’s negligence, and when you work with a Liggett Law Group attorney, you can rest assured that someone is on your side and fighting to protect your rights to compensation. Call our construction accident lawyers today for a free case consultation where we can discuss the details of your situation and your options for recovery.