Industrial Crane Accident in Iron County, Michigan – One Killed

by | Sep 4, 2021 | Industrial Accident, Wrongful Death

There was a crane accident in Iron County, Michigan on August 31, 2021.  During the accident, workers were using a barge-mounted crane to move a bulkhead into place.  With no warning, the crane’s boom snapped and struck a worker at the site.  The incident occurred at the Hydroelectric Dam on Lower Dam Road in Mastadon Township.  The worker, identified as Neil Boser of Hillman, Minnesota, lost his life due to the injuries sustained.  He was employed by Waterworks Marine of La Crosse, Wisconsin.  The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the deadly incident.

There have been a number of recent incidents involving cranes.  There was a crane collapse in Charleston, South Carolina on August 23, 2021.  There was an accident involving a crane at Martin Marietta Mill Creek Limestone Quarry in Mill Creek, Oklahoma on July 15, 2021.  There was an accident involving a crane at Venture Global’s Liquified Natural Gas facility in Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana on June 15, 2021.  There was a fatal accident involving a crane on a construction project in Bonita Springs, Florida on June 11, 2021.  On April 22, 2021, a Toyota pickup up truck traveling westbound on Interstate 10 was struck by a crane which toppled over near Beaumont, Texas.   Two workers in North Carolina were injured when a crane struck nearby electric lines on April 1, 2021.  There was a deadly accident involving a crane in crane in Mont Belvieu, Texas on March 21, 2021.

Companies, supervisors, and workers may not be fully aware of the hazards of operating cranes.  As a result, they may not have implemented proper policies and procedures to minimize risks.  One mechanism to safely evaluate and prepare for risks is through the use of a Job Safety Analysis (“JSA”) or Risk Assessment, which is standard in the industry.  When this does not occur, it can result in catastrophic personal injury or death. In a JSA, each step of the job is examined to identify potential hazards and to recommend the safest way to perform the work in order to minimize those risks.  According to OSHA:

A job hazard analysis is a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur. It focuses on the relationship between the worker, the task, the tools, and the work environment. Ideally, after you identify uncontrolled hazards, you will take steps to eliminate or reduce them to an acceptable risk level.

Our experienced lawyers have handled personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits of all kinds and have the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured as a result of a crane accident. The experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of an accident involving a crane.

Our lawyers have represented numerous workers who have sustained serious and catastrophic injuries on a job site as a result of the negligence of another party.  Our experienced attorneys have previously been involved in numerous lawsuits involving cranes or electric lines.  There are strict and short time limits on making claims, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your legal rights.