For every construction accident, safety experts say, as many as 100 near- misses occur. A quick response this year at the Blue Cross-Blue Shield building in Chicago is an example of one such accident averted.
On Jan. 21, crews were building a $270-million vertical “extension,” adding 24 floors onto the existing, occupied 33-story building. An operator was swinging a Potain MR605B luffing jib to make a pick. That’s when workers heard a loud “pop” and got concerned, according to a source involved with the project, who asked not to be named. Rather than pushing on, the operator “dogged” off the controls and climbed down to inspect.