Broken Crane Injures Three, Damages Property: Bangkok

[webfact]

ACCIDENT

Broken crane injures three, damages property

The Nation

A resident points to the damage caused by flying debris.

BANGKOK: -- A crane at a construction site in Bangkok's Din Daeng district partially collapsed yesterday, causing heavy property damage and injuring three workers, two of them seriously.

In addition, large clouds of dust and debris caused damage in several houses and a school nearby.

The top half of the crane collapsed and ended up twisting several times, though the reason for this was not known at press time.

A male worker lost his right leg, while a female colleague's right heel was severed. Another male worker was found unconscious.

All of them have been hospitalised and contractor Songwuth Suwannasirikul and architect in charge Sakchai Phalangsuriya are being questioned by Din Daeng police, pending a decision whether they could be held responsible for the incident.

A man riding his motorcycle past the site said a 2-metre rod flew out and knocked him over.

"That was very close, I would be dead if it hit me," said Maengtaek sae Tang, 64.

The 26-storey building, near the Asoke-Din Daeng intersection, is being built by TTS Engineering.

Din Daeng police said they were waiting for a report and an analysis on the cause of the accident from the district office.

-- The Nation 2012-08-11

[GentlemanJim]

This is exactly when you need a Health and Safety executive. Just which member of the Din Daeng Police is qualified enough to consider whether normal construction protocols were observed. They may as well strap the architects to a ducking stool and dip them in the nearest canal. Human error or catastrophic metal fatigue, the injuries sustained by the victims are horrendous. Would you feel safe living on floor 26 of this building?

[kmj]

A crane at a construction site in Bangkok's Din Daeng district partially collapsed yesterday, causing heavy property damage and injuring three workers, two of them seriously.

And that's your best photo? 555

[chooka]

A lesson to be learnt here, when doing servicing and maintenance on your equipment use quality string and sticky tape for repairs. Don't cut corners and use the low grade stuff. The way some of this equipment is held together is simply mind bogling.

Edited August 11, 2012 by chooka

[Soutpeel]

This is exactly when you need a Health and Safety executive. Just which member of the Din Daeng Police is qualified enough to consider whether normal construction protocols were observed. They may as well strap the architects to a ducking stool and dip them in the nearest canal. Human error or catastrophic metal fatigue, the injuries sustained by the victims are horrendous. Would you feel safe living on floor 26 of this building?

Why would the architect need ducking ?.....nothing to do with them, this would be the site/civil/structual engineers responsiblity

Go and have look at how many catastrophic crane failures there have been worldwide over the last few years, even in countries with robust HSE...there is plenty

Edited August 11, 2012 by Soutpeel

[Sayonarax]

Nice photo of some one pointing at the roof.. was expecting a crane.

[fareastguy]

You see there you all go again...

Health & safety executive, site/civil/structual engineers, responsibility, maintenance.. these are all "farang" terms

I keep telling you

T.I.T= This is Thailand !!!!!

[Soutpeel]

You see there you all go again...

Health & safety executive, site/civil/structual engineers, responsibility, maintenance.. these are all "farang" terms

I keep telling you

T.I.T= This is Thailand !!!!!

What exactly is your point....Are your saying there has never been a crane accident in farangland ?

[mallyrd]

You see there you all go again...

Health & safety executive, site/civil/structual engineers, responsibility, maintenance.. these are all "farang" terms

I keep telling you

T.I.T= This is Thailand !!!!!

Take a look at these crane accidents from AROUND THE WORLD!!

[cannonball]

This is exactly when you need a Health and Safety executive. Just which member of the Din Daeng Police is qualified enough to consider whether normal construction protocols were observed. They may as well strap the architects to a ducking stool and dip them in the nearest canal. Human error or catastrophic metal fatigue, the injuries sustained by the victims are horrendous. Would you feel safe living on floor 26 of this building?

Why would the architect need ducking ?.....nothing to do with them, this would be the site/civil/structual engineers responsiblity

Go and have look at how many catastrophic crane failures there have been worldwide over the last few years, even in countries with robust HSE...there is plenty

Yes you are so right. I worked as a crane operator/foreman in Kuwait and Iraq for 5 1/2 years and there were several incidents of this type, mostly due to operator error. There are many extenuating circumstances, such as wind gusts, too heavy of a load on the hook. That's why they have load charts on these machines, although I saw plenty of Iraqi cranes that didn't have the required documentation or annual inspections that tried to get hired, but couldn't pass the stringent requirements to work for an American company.

The superintendent of the construction site will probably be the one held liable, but as we all know, shit rolls down hill.

CB

[alfredthegreat]

Nice photo of some one pointing at the roof.. was expecting a crane.

So was I.

[nosatisfaction]

A lesson to be learnt here, when doing servicing and maintenance on your equipment use quality string and sticky tape for repairs. Don't cut corners and use the low grade stuff. The way some of this equipment is held together is simply mind bogling.

would you like me to send you some pics of this kind of accidents in Europe or US ?

[nosatisfaction]

You see there you all go again...

Health & safety executive, site/civil/structual engineers, responsibility, maintenance.. these are all "farang" terms

I keep telling you

T.I.T= This is Thailand !!!!!

What exactly is your point....Are your saying there has never been a crane accident in farangland ?

agree 100%

[nosatisfaction]

This is exactly when you need a Health and Safety executive. Just which member of the Din Daeng Police is qualified enough to consider whether normal construction protocols were observed. They may as well strap the architects to a ducking stool and dip them in the nearest canal. Human error or catastrophic metal fatigue, the injuries sustained by the victims are horrendous. Would you feel safe living on floor 26 of this building?

Why would the architect need ducking ?.....nothing to do with them, this would be the site/civil/structual engineers responsiblity

Go and have look at how many catastrophic crane failures there have been worldwide over the last few years, even in countries with robust HSE...there is plenty

Yes you are so right. I worked as a crane operator/foreman in Kuwait and Iraq for 5 1/2 years and there were several incidents of this type, mostly due to operator error. There are many extenuating circumstances, such as wind gusts, too heavy of a load on the hook. That's why they have load charts on these machines, although I saw plenty of Iraqi cranes that didn't have the required documentation or annual inspections that tried to get hired, but couldn't pass the stringent requirements to work for an American company.

The superintendent of the construction site will probably be the one held liable, but as we all know, shit rolls down hill.

CB

don't make us laugh, middle east or US are not references for technical survey, nor is Europe, when you read the small letters on a report the certifying agency is only liable the moment they write the report, anything happening 2 mins upon their signature is not their responsibility.

[Soutpeel]

This is exactly when you need a Health and Safety executive. Just which member of the Din Daeng Police is qualified enough to consider whether normal construction protocols were observed. They may as well strap the architects to a ducking stool and dip them in the nearest canal. Human error or catastrophic metal fatigue, the injuries sustained by the victims are horrendous. Would you feel safe living on floor 26 of this building?

Why would the architect need ducking ?.....nothing to do with them, this would be the site/civil/structual engineers responsiblity

Go and have look at how many catastrophic crane failures there have been worldwide over the last few years, even in countries with robust HSE...there is plenty

Yes you are so right. I worked as a crane operator/foreman in Kuwait and Iraq for 5 1/2 years and there were several incidents of this type, mostly due to operator error. There are many extenuating circumstances, such as wind gusts, too heavy of a load on the hook. That's why they have load charts on these machines, although I saw plenty of Iraqi cranes that didn't have the required documentation or annual inspections that tried to get hired, but couldn't pass the stringent requirements to work for an American company.

The superintendent of the construction site will probably be the one held liable, but as we all know, shit rolls down hill.

CB

don't make us laugh, middle east or US are not references for technical survey, nor is Europe, when you read the small letters on a report the certifying agency is only liable the moment they write the report, anything happening 2 mins upon their signature is not their responsibility.

correct, US companies are not a very good example ayway, Many years ago we had an American company working for us and the work involved cranes, and the company had actually forged all the paperwork and ultimately cost them a large contract when it all come out

[TackyToo]

You see there you all go again...

Health & safety executive, site/civil/structual engineers, responsibility, maintenance.. these are all "farang" terms

I keep telling you

T.I.T= This is Thailand !!!!!

What exactly is your point....Are your saying there has never been a crane accident in farangland ?

Isn't this a little bit like: "my wife was shot, but I heard another one's wife in Japan was shot at the same day too"

[katana]

Few blurry pics:

http://www.bloggang....up=48&gblog=135

[phoneguy702]

It does not really matter where in the world you are working, we all know of companies that for the sake of profit will ignore proper industry standards on safety. BUT, when a worker fails to follow proper safety procedures and is hurt he has only himself to blame. When a company, site supervisor or crane operator fails to follow procedures MANY people can be easily killed or injured. The attitude needs to change but this will only happen when enough people are motivated to push for a change in the laws AND push the system to enforce these laws. The west is certainly ahead in the laws and the enforcement area, with the understanding that some people will always cheat until they are caught. Thailand will get there if the population can get educated and gain a longer view of the countries problems.

[h90]

A lesson to be learnt here, when doing servicing and maintenance on your equipment use quality string and sticky tape for repairs. Don't cut corners and use the low grade stuff. The way some of this equipment is held together is simply mind bogling.

And on cranes take care that at least half of the screws are used. Of course you don't need to replace lost or broken screws, but take care that there are still half of the holes filled.

[BrianCR]

You see there you all go again...

Health & safety executive, site/civil/structual engineers, responsibility, maintenance.. these are all "farang" terms

I keep telling you

T.I.T= This is Thailand !!!!!

What exactly is your point....Are your saying there has never been a crane accident in farangland ?

No, he's saying what happens in your Country and what happens here s not the same! However the same amount of money doesn't equate either so take your pick - cheap prices and and realistic life style or or boring existence and high prices. If you want the first then stop complaining that everything in Thailand is wrong - if you want the second then go home and get Viagra on the cheap with nothing to help your dicky out !!

[thaiedward]

I come from a background in industrial construction in the US and have worked with some of the largest cranes on our planet. I've witnessed two major accidents with no loss of life (since the lift-areas had been cleared of all personnel). The causes were either mechanical and/or human (computer?) error.

When driving on the high-roads through BKK, I count the number of tower-cranes on the horizons as economic indicators and I am proud for Thailand. At the same time, I wish that Siam could adopt more-uniform building codes and then to enforce them. But if wishes were horses then beggars would ride.

[Ch23]

Its crazy i was at the school in the morning for mothers day. Then when came back at 5 saw this. Missus walked straight past didnt even notice. Army was there and lots of gwarpers (including me). Damage was pritty bad but at least it wasnt on the school side cause it happened right about lunch time over the playground. The saftey netting they put up would have done loads! Part from it was ripped away. Just feel sorry for the second crane driver as he has to drive the sister crane after seeing what happened. (if they ever get their license back). As an civil engineer liability is scary spesh when its conducted as a witch hunt. The damage will need patching, cant imagine how great that will be, dont buy there!

See my iphone pics

[Narratio]

As cannoball said.

On the big projects there's a usually a crane engineer, a guy who has used cranes and understands them. He selects lift areas (where to locate the crane for length of boom and maximum wieghts to be lifted), advises upon the hard stand requirements (got to reinforce the gound otherwise the crane just drives itself downward), access and loading areas ( where to drop off loads so the crane has minimum lift and swing) and finally, that most beloved of things. The mechanical checks and certifications.

A crane has a whole bunch of different checks to be made on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis. Ranging from the hydraulics of the lifting engine, through cables, shackles and chains, instrumentation from as simple as the inclinometer (gives the angle of the boom) through to stress gauges showing actual loading.

And all of these have multiple signature check sheets, none of which the project architect or lead civil engineer ever see. The crane operator and whatever maintenance there is see them, review them, track them and report on daily crane availability. If there's any error, these guys are supposed to catch it as part of thier daily checks. Then you get to fill out a work permit listing loads to be lifted and where they're being deposited, usually a time scale for doing it as well.

Crane wrongly located, hardstand not prepared properly, a larger than known load, boom extended past it's carry point, equipment failure on the crane itself. If there's any error, this is where it lies, and there's a paper trail that should high light it.

[h90]

Its crazy i was at the school in the morning for mothers day. Then when came back at 5 saw this. Missus walked straight past didnt even notice. Army was there and lots of gwarpers (including me). Damage was pritty bad but at least it wasnt on the school side cause it happened right about lunch time over the playground. The saftey netting they put up would have done loads! Part from it was ripped away. Just feel sorry for the second crane driver as he has to drive the sister crane after seeing what happened. (if they ever get their license back). As an civil engineer liability is scary spesh when its conducted as a witch hunt. The damage will need patching, cant imagine how great that will be, dont buy there!

See my iphone pics

Why do you think they would loose their license?

[Chopperboy]

Cranes are notoriously dangerous especially if used over limit.

Google crane accidents for some spectacular ones!

But In Thailand a lack of maintenance and inspection + a casual attitude to safety compounds the problem.

I had a 25T Tadano come in to lift a 10T machine, the driver was too far away. I turned round and the back outriggers were at ear height off the ground! He was ignoring the computer cab warning.