After three partial collapses of construction cranes during Hurricane Irma, officials are debating whether regulations should be tightened.
Two crane booms in Miami and one in Ft. Lauderdale collapsed during the storm, with no injuries reported. The equipment was supposed to be able to withstand 145 mph winds, but the highest gusts recorded in the area were 100 mph.
Any initiative to impose tougher regulations on cranes would be complex, with federal, state, and local authorities all having a hand in rulemaking and oversight. Cranes are regulated by the federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Florida statute preempts cities from enforcing laws regulating cranes, but Miami does enforce codes and regulations on the construction and maintenance of buildings. The multiple authorities have some overlap when it comes to construction cranes, at least in theory.
Industry trade groups warn that new regulations should wait until more is known about what caused the collapses. All of the collapses occurred where cranes were set up at 300 feet high or higher, and there is limited data on wind speeds at those heights during the hurricane.
Related Stories
| Dec 22, 2011
AGC’s safety conference Jan. 11-13 in San Antonio
The Associated General Contractors of America’s national meeting for safety and health professionals will take place Jan. 11-13, 2012 in San Antonio, TX.
| Dec 22, 2011
Proposed New York City zoning revamp encourages rooftop solar and wind energy
New zoning regulation proposals to make it easier for building owners in New York City to make their structures more sustainable have entered the public approval process.
| Dec 15, 2011
Dayton, Ohio schools saving $2.6 million annually by building to LEED
On average, green schools save about $100,000 a year on operating costs, including energy and water savings.
| Dec 15, 2011
Building to LEED standards can pose new risks for construction workers
Workers on these projects suffer a 24% increase in falls to lower levels during roof work, which researchers attributed to the installation of solar panels, and a few other risks.
| Dec 15, 2011
NRDC charges Maine governor with weakening green wood requirement
The FSC program is administered through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and requires wood to be harvested in a sustainable way.
| Dec 15, 2011
Post-tornado, Tuscaloosa seeks to create walkable urban, retail areas
Block sizes initially were limited to a maximum perimeter of 1,750 feet, with no side of the block being longer than 500 feet.
| Dec 15, 2011
Allentown, Pa. city council asked to repeal union-friendly law
The mayor of Allentown, Pa. asked the City Council to repeal a year-old ordinance that forces contractors to hire union workers for large city projects funded with state and federal dollars.
| Dec 13, 2011
LEED-EB outpaces LEED for new construction
The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED certifications for existing buildings standard is outpacing LEED for new buildings for the first time.
| Dec 13, 2011
Regulators charge pervasive abuse of construction workers in Connecticut
Federal and state regulators say they have uncovered what they call "widespread noncompliance" with minimum wage and overtime laws in Connecticut's construction industry.
| Dec 13, 2011
Philadelphia mayor signs order for project labor agreements
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed an executive order establishing project labor agreements for major public works projects in Philadelphia.
