Forensic Investigations of Crane Accidents

Abstract

The following information has been acquired over the past 15 years assisting insurance adjusters and attorneys. Quite often we are asked to establish the scope of the loss, prepare an estimate of damages, express an opinion as to the cause of the accident and sometimes assist the insured in mitigating the loss. On occasion, we have provided personnel to monitor the repairs and review all expenditures. The various types of cases which are described herein were selected to reflect the variety of cranes, the different causes of accidents, the unusual problems encountered in performing our duties and proposed methods for eliminating loss of life and mitigating property damage. The causation of crane accidents can be classified in three general categories; (#I) Natural Calamity or Acts of God; (#2) Failure of the Equipment and (#3) Operator Error. An increased awareness of safety in the work environment can be enhanced by the examination of accidents, the identification of the hazard