UPDATE II: Looks like it is lot easier to tip a crane than to turn it back over.
The developer really needs a communications person reviewing these statements before releasing them;
“We know what happened with the equipment, and it was not anything to do with our building,” said Jake Quasney, chief operating officer of developer and general contractor Lloyd Cos. “We had a failure when it came to that piece of equipment.”
And why would it have anything to do with the structure itself? Am I missing something here?
“OSHA came in even though it wasn’t a workplace accident but out of an abundance of caution,” Quasney said.
So was it a morning donut break gone awry? Using caution is what you are supposed to do BEFORE using the crane, not after the fact. OSHA is investigating because it was AN ACCIDENT. Good thing the crane wasn’t lifting BS, could have been a lot worse,
UPDATE: A reliable source told me this afternoon that OSHA is investigating the crane collapse.
I first want to say I am grateful no one was injured or killed today at the Sioux Steel project crane collapse.
But if you do a little digging, you will see this happens across the United States.
No one was injured in the incident and Lloyd Cos. said it is continuing to investigate the incident alongside local authorities.
I rode my bike by tonight and the crane was in the same position it was this morning. This of course could mean that OSHA will be on site to investigate. I hope so. This is NOT the duty of the local FD or PD, this is a work safety issue that needs to be thoroughly investigated by the FEDS.
As a person who worked construction as a teen and have had many interactions with OSHA we cannot depend on city officials to make a judgement of what happened. There could be a thousand different reasons, but most likely the crane was NOT set up properly or put on ground that was NOT stable. There also could have been mechanical failures. At this point speculation is useless until it is fully investigated.
But when it’s all said and done, won’t it just be another $50 fine? It seems to me, that these crane collapses seem to be more often than before? Why is that, though? Maybe weaker metals used in building the cranes? Higher turn over amongst the workers? And/or less regulation and inspections?
https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/hultgren-construction-lcc-sentenced-for-role-in-deadly-building-collapse/
( and Woodstock adds: “It looks to me like the Ghost of Seney Island is at work once again”…. #RestoreSeneyIsland! )
The things Scott is an expert on seem to be endless.
Where did I say I was an expert? My last sentence states my position;
“At this point speculation is useless until it is fully investigated.”
The ONLY concern I have is that this will be swept under the rug without a REAL, UNBIASED investigation. But nice try blaming the messenger.
“speculation is useless”
So what was the point of posting all of this?
“‘$50’!?”…. “Hell, a corndog at the Sturgis Bike Rally costs $22″…. #NotKidding
LJL, so you would have something to bitch about.
Thanks for the news of this matter. It would seem this sort of thing has become common nationally. Everyone has an opinion but isn’t it time OSHA investigates?
This site is a messenger. Local media doesn’t reach the public. It’s fortunate to have this resource. Nobody’s an expert including most experts.
Will OSHA Investigate? Almost certainly.
As soon as it ended up as a story on the news SOMEONE at OSHA decided that there would be an investigation.
They may have already had an investigation in the works, but once the press is involved that sealed the deal.
Will anything come of it?
Who knows. This could be anything from gross incompetence to mechanical failure to bad luck. If it’s the later two there probably shouldn’t be a huge fine/penalty for the company. They are already out a LOT of money to repair that crane and if it was mechanical failure or bad luck that’s going to be penalty enough.
If it’s gross incompetence – I hope they get fined up the wazoo. This could have killed not only workers random people who happened to be near the thing.
Zip Feeds wouldn’t fall, but the Copper Lounge and this did. It appears that we are somehow inverse with our intentions around here. Meanwhile, the Bunker Ramp still stands. Sometimes, life is not fair, or else it is trying to tell us something (“Someday?”).
Maybe they should have a contest to see who gets to press the button that blows up the Bunker Ramp. The funds raised could help cover the cost of building the eyesore. But like the Zip Feed Mill it will probably just tip…
“… even though it wasn’t a workplace accident …”
Yah, no one was maimed nor was anyone killed or anything like that.
The bar for workplace safety is set pretty low in this town.