OSHA Issues $313,500 in Fines to Construction Firms over March Crane Collapse

By Aaron Poehler

Published on September 16, 2008

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined three construction firms with penalties totaling $313,500 for their roles in alleged safety violations leading to a March crane collapse which killed seven people.

The three firms named by OSHA for citations were Reliance Contractors Group, Rapetti Rigging Services, Inc., and Joy Contractors Inc. General contractor Reliance Construction Group was charged with 11 serious citations and fined a total of $19,500. Rapetti Rigging Services, the crane erector on the project, was issued three willful citations with penalties totaling $210,000. Joy Contractors, the concrete subcontractor for the project, was issued one repeat and 14 serious citations penalties totaling $74,000. The three companies were variously charged with failing to comply with the crane's manufacturer's specifications and limitations when erecting the crane, failing to provide adequate training for employees working in dangerous conditions, and failure to properly deploy rigging slings at the construction site.

The March 15 Manhattan collapse of a 19-story tower crane led to the deaths of seven people when it broke away from the building under construction and fell, striking other buildings up to a full city block away. Richard Mendelson, OSHA area director, characterized the crane collapse as a tragedy which resulted from failure to follow basic safety precautions and regulations.

 

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