Large LNG terminals and liquefaction facilities require enormous amounts of structural steel, piping, vessels, modules, machinery, and prefabricated equipment. Cranes are essential to moving those materials into place during construction, expansion, maintenance, and turnaround work.
Those lifts can involve extremely heavy loads, congested work areas, multiple contractors, changing ground conditions, limited visibility, and workers positioned near suspended equipment. When something goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic.
Crane incidents are one of the many hazards capable of causing an LNG plant accident. An LNG plant accident lawyer investigating a crane injury may need to determine whether the lift was properly planned, whether the crane was appropriate for the load, whether ground conditions were adequate, and whether the companies involved properly coordinated their work.
Why Cranes Are So Important at LNG Construction Sites
LNG projects often involve components that cannot be moved safely by ordinary material-handling equipment.
Cranes may be used to position pipe racks, structural steel, compressors, heat exchangers, tanks, process modules, electrical equipment, prefabricated piping, and other large components. Some lifts may involve equipment weighing many tons and requiring extensive advance planning.
The size of the project can also mean that multiple cranes are operating in different areas at the same time.
These conditions make crane safety a critical part of LNG construction. A safe lift depends not only on the crane operator, but also on proper planning, rigging, communication, supervision, equipment condition, and control of the surrounding work area.
A breakdown in any one of those areas can place workers in the path of a falling or swinging load.
Dropped Loads and Rigging Failures
One of the most serious crane hazards is a suspended load falling unexpectedly.
A dropped load may result from defective rigging, improper load calculations, damaged slings, failed shackles, incorrect hitching, equipment malfunction, or poor communication during the lift.
Workers below or near the load may have little time to react. Even relatively small objects can cause severe injuries when dropped from height. Large industrial components can crush vehicles, scaffolds, piping, structures, or workers positioned within the lift zone. The danger posed by falling debris becomes even greater when the object is a multi-ton piece of process equipment being moved by crane.
After a dropped-load incident, investigators may need to inspect the rigging equipment, determine who selected it, review inspection records, and evaluate whether the rigging configuration was appropriate for the weight and geometry of the load.
Crane Overloading and Load Capacity
Every crane has operating limits. Those limits depend on factors such as boom length, boom angle, load radius, crane configuration, counterweights, ground conditions, and the weight of the object being lifted. A crane may be capable of lifting a particular load close to the machine but unable to safely handle the same load at a greater radius.
That is why crane overloading can be so dangerous. Exceeding the crane’s capacity can cause instability, structural failure, or overturning. Accidents can also occur when the actual load is heavier than expected. Industrial components may contain residual material, temporary attachments, or equipment not reflected in the original weight estimate.
An LNG plant accident attorney may need to review lift plans, crane load charts, engineering calculations, equipment specifications, and communications concerning the weight of the load.
Ground Conditions and Crane Stability
A crane can only operate safely if the ground beneath it can support the forces created during the lift.
LNG construction sites may include recently graded areas, temporary roadways, backfilled excavations, underground utilities, drainage areas, or soil that has been affected by rain. Outriggers can place substantial force on relatively small areas of ground. If the supporting surface settles or fails, the crane can shift or overturn.
Proper planning may require evaluating soil conditions, using mats or other support, and identifying underground structures before the crane is positioned.
Ground stability can also change over time. Heavy rain, excavation work, vehicle traffic, or nearby construction may alter conditions that were acceptable when the crane was first set up.
A crane accident investigation should therefore consider not only the equipment itself but also whether the site was properly prepared for the lift.
Blind Lifts and Communication Failures
Crane operators do not always have a direct view of the load or the workers guiding it.
On large LNG projects, structural steel, pipe racks, vessels, buildings, and other equipment may obstruct the operator’s line of sight. The operator may depend on a signal person or radio communication to understand what is happening at the load.
That makes clear communication essential.
Conflicting instructions, radio problems, misunderstood hand signals, or failure to designate a single qualified signal person can create dangerous movement.
A worker may believe the load is stopping while the operator believes the instruction was to continue. A boom may swing into an area where another crew is working. A suspended component may move unexpectedly as workers attempt to guide it into position.
When visibility is limited, the lift plan should account for those limitations rather than expecting workers to improvise.
Taglines and Workers Near Suspended Loads
Workers frequently use taglines to help control suspended loads. A tagline can help reduce rotation or unwanted movement, but it does not eliminate the danger associated with being near a suspended object. Workers can still be struck, pinned, pulled, or caught between the load and surrounding structures. The risk can increase when space is limited.
As construction progresses, work areas may become crowded with piping, steel, scaffolding, equipment, and stored materials. Workers guiding the load may have fewer safe places to stand or retreat if it moves unexpectedly.
Crane planning should therefore consider where workers will be positioned throughout the entire lift, not merely where the load begins and ends.
Weather and Wind During Crane Operations
Wind can significantly affect crane operations, particularly when lifting large components with substantial surface area. A load that appears stable in calm conditions may begin rotating or swinging when exposed to stronger wind. Long pipe sections, panels, structural components, and large equipment can behave like sails.
The danger is not limited to extreme weather. Wind conditions can vary by elevation and can change during a lift. Operators and supervisors should consider both the crane manufacturer’s limitations and the characteristics of the particular load.
Poor visibility, lightning, and severe weather can create additional hazards. Construction projects should account for severe weather rather than continuing work simply because a schedule is under pressure.
Multiple Contractors Can Complicate Responsibility
Major LNG projects commonly involve owners, general contractors, crane companies, rigging contractors, equipment suppliers, and numerous subcontractors.
One company may supply the crane. Another may employ the operator. A different contractor may rig the load. The general contractor may control site logistics, while another company owns the equipment being lifted.
When an accident occurs, responsibility can therefore extend beyond the injured worker’s employer.
A crane accident lawyer may need to determine who selected the crane, who prepared the lift plan, who controlled the operator, who inspected the rigging, and who had authority over the work area.
These circumstances can create third-party liability when another company created or controlled the dangerous condition that caused the injury.
Evidence After an LNG Crane Accident
Crane accidents often generate a substantial amount of technical evidence. Relevant evidence may include lift plans, load charts, rigging records, inspection documents, operator qualifications, photographs, surveillance footage, job safety analyses, weather information, radio communications, and witness statements. Modern cranes may also contain electronic information concerning operating conditions before and during the lift. The crane, rigging equipment, and damaged components themselves may need to be preserved for inspection.
An engineering or crane-safety expert witness may be necessary to evaluate load capacity, rigging, equipment condition, ground stability, or the sequence of events leading to the accident.
Injuries Caused by Crane Accidents
Crane accidents can expose workers to tremendous forces.
A falling load may cause crush injuries, fractures, internal injuries, or amputations. Workers struck by a swinging load may suffer head trauma or spinal injuries. A crane collapse can injure workers across a much larger area.
Some victims suffer permanent mobility limitations, chronic pain, neurological impairment, or other serious and catastrophic injuries.
The financial consequences can also be substantial. A worker who cannot return to heavy industrial work may face lost income and reduced earning ability in addition to significant future medical expenses.
Fatal crane accidents may also give surviving family members grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim against responsible parties.
Speak With an LNG Plant Accident Lawyer After a Crane Accident
Crane accidents during LNG construction can involve improper lift planning, defective rigging, excessive load weight, unstable ground, communication failures, poor visibility, dangerous weather conditions, or inadequate control of workers around suspended loads.
An LNG plant accident lawyer can investigate the lift, preserve evidence, determine which companies controlled the work, and evaluate whether another contractor or equipment provider contributed to the accident.
Spagnoletti Law Firm represents workers and families affected by serious LNG plant construction accidents. Our attorneys can investigate crane incidents at LNG facilities and evaluate potential personal injury claims against responsible companies.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by a crane accident at an LNG plant or construction project, call us. Contact Spagnoletti Law Firm at 713-804-9306 or contact us online for a free consultation.
We handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning our clients do not owe attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for them.