This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
ENR logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
ENR logo
  • News
  • Projects
    • Buildings
    • Construction Methods
    • Design
    • Sustainability
    • Transportation
    • Environment
    • Power & Industrial
    • Water & Dams
    • Best Projects
  • Business
    • Safety & Health
    • Workforce
    • Finance
    • Companies
    • Project Delivery
    • Ethics & Corruption
    • Government
    • Risk
    • Pulse
    • Contractor Business Strategy
  • Talent
    • Awards
      • Top 25 Newsmakers
      • Award of Excellence
      • Legacy Award
      • Top Young Professionals
    • Promotions & New Hires
    • Obituaries
    • Annual Photo Contest
  • Regions
    • ENR California
    • ENR MidAtlantic
    • ENR Midwest
    • ENR Mountain States
    • ENR New York
    • ENR New England
    • ENR Northwest
    • ENR Southeast
    • ENR Southwest
    • ENR Texas & Louisiana
    • Regional Contests and Surveys
  • Tech
    • Information Technology
    • Construction Technology
    • BIM
  • Products
    • Equipment
    • Materials
    • Product Snapshot
  • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Editorials
    • Viewpoints
    • Letters
    • Book Reviews
  • Costs
    • Construction Economics Archive
    • Construction Cost Index
    • Building Cost Index
    • Historical Indices
    • Quarterly Cost Reports
    • FAQs
  • Lists
    • ENR Top Lists
    • ENR Sourcebooks
    • Survey Schedule
  • CE Center
  • InfoCenters
    • Disrupt or Be Disrupted
    • Innovations in Waterproofing
    • Planning for Project Perfection
    • Revolutionizing Productivity Safety
    • The Business of Projects
  • Events
    • AEC BuildTech
    • Award of Excellence
    • Best of the Best Project Awards
    • FutureTech
    • Groundbreaking Women in Construction
    • Global Best Projects Awards
    • Port Authority of NY & NJ
    • Regional Best Projects
    • Top 25 Newsmakers
    • Upcoming Events
    • Webinars
  • More
    • Subscription
    • Proposals & Bids
    • Industry Jobs
    • Special Reports
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • Videos
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Digital Editions
    • Year In Construction Photo Contest
    • Special Advertising Sections
  • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise
Home » Three Tower Cranes Fall to Irma, Reviving Regulations Debate
Southeast Construction NewsEquipment

Three Tower Cranes Fall to Irma, Reviving Regulations Debate

Tower Cranes Fall

Three cranes suffered partial collapse during Hurricane Irma in south Florida, two in Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale.

PHOTO DRONEBASE VIA AP

Tower Cranes Fall

Three cranes suffered partial collapse during Hurricane Irma in south Florida, two in Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale.

PHOTO COURTESY THE OFFICE OF KEN RUSSELL

Contractor

City Commissioner Ken Russell toured the GranParaiso site and notes a fallen counterweight.

PHOTO COURTESY THE OFFICE OF KEN RUSSELL

Tower Cranes Fall
Tower Cranes Fall
Contractor
September 20, 2017
Jeff Rubenstone
KEYWORDS crane collapse / Hurricane Irma / Miami Construction
Reprints
One Comment

With crews at work dismantling two Hurricane Irma-damaged cranes in the city of Miami and a third in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., local leaders are wondering whether Florida’s crane regulations are adequate for the highly vulnerable region.

There were 24 tower cranes up in Miami when the storm came through on Sept. 10: two that suffered partial collapses are on residential towers. At the GranParaiso tower, the crane jib fell onto the site, while a massive counterweight plummeted into the street.

In a statement after the collapse, lead contractor Plaza Construction said, “Crane engineers and the crane supplier took measures to secure the crane. The crane’s boom was nevertheless damaged due to high winds.” The dangling jib was an issue for the city, which initially refused to lift an evacuation order for two nearby buildings. Plaza Construction on Sept. 18 confirmed to ENR that the jib was secured and the order lifted.

John Moriarty & Associates is the lead contractor on Vice, a 31-story tower where another crane partially collapsed. Like the GranParaiso, damage appeared to be limited to the construction site.

The Fort Lauderdale crane was  on the site of the Auberge Beach Residences & Spa. Lead contractor Moss Construction told ENR that the crane is contained within the site, and, as of Sept. 14, “there is no damage to the tower structure and power has been restored.” Moss now is working with the crane engineers to develop a removal plan.  

In all three cases, it appears that the tower segments of the cranes were largely undamaged, with failures occurring above the crane towers. This may speed restoration of the cranes, as intact tower sections could be reused, according to Patrick Tarrant, CEO of New York City-based crane-rigging specialist Crane Management. “An engineering analysis will take three to four days, then they’ll mobilize a plan, and it will take a week to 10 days to remove the damaged pieces,” he told ENR. “You could then rebuild the crane  on the existing tower if it is structurally sound.”

As the cleanup continues, the focus shifts to what might have been done to prevent the collapses. Preparing a tower crane for high winds varies by the make and model, but if a crane has 360° of access, the swing brake usually is released and the crane allowed to “weathervane,” spinning freely on its turntable to align with the wind. While this can reduce the chance of collapse during high winds, no crane is designed for hurricanes, according to Mike Parnell, technical director at Industrial Training International, which provides equipment and technical and education services. “There’s no crane out there today that comes with a full explanation of what happens in those sort of conditions,” he says.

Miami-Dade County has faced this issue before. A 2008 crane-safety ordinance would have required cranes to meet the ASTM B30.3 standard for crane safety, in addition to OSHA regulations and manufacturer instructions. The ordinance was struck down by a district court after a challenge by construction-industry groups, but Miami officials have said they are considering new options after Irma.

“This has been a big source of anxiety for people downtown,” says Ken Russell, Miami city commissioner for District 2, which includes the sites of the crane collapses. “We were fortunate [the cranes] came down on the buildings that were being constructed and did not strike any of the surrounding buildings, and no one was hurt. But, for sure, we as a city are going to look into legislation, regulations and practices in the future about how these cranes are handled during a storm.”


Related Article: Hurricanes Propel Forward Thinking on Risk, Resilience

ENR Subscribe

Recent Articles by Jeff Rubenstone

Oracle Plans Expansion of Construction Tech Lab

Union Invests in Simulators to Train Equipment Operators

Construction Tech's Startup Scramble

Jeff-rubenstone

Jeff Rubenstone is Associate Editor, Technology & Equipment at the Engineering News-Record. He covers equipment, tools, and building products as well as emerging technologies and construction innovations. He is based in New York City.

Related Articles

Hurricane Irma Damages Three Cranes in South Florida

OSHA Sees Flaws in Cranes That Came Down During Irma

Related Events

Stop the Hidden Profit Killer: Expert Tips for Optimizing Heavy Construction Equipment Maintenance

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center
  • Subscribe
  • Renew Your Subscription
  • eNewsletter Subscriptions
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Connect with ENR

More Videos

Popular Stories

NTSB final Report

Final Collapse Report Details Miami Bridge Team's Failures

Southern Ohio Veterans Memorial Highway

Fixing Construction's Fixed-Price Conundrum

Damaged tower cranes

Tricky Takedown of Tower Cranes Readied Collapsed New Orleans Hotel for Demolition

Md Bridge

Skanska-Led Team Aims for Early 2020 Start on $463M Maryland Bridge

Haverhill

Fatality on I-495 Bridge Project in Mass. Raises Questions Over Proper Training

Industry Jobs



Poll

ENR Photo Contest Special Issue

Help us select the cover of our Photo Contest special issue, which runs January 13.
View Results Poll Archive

Products

2020 BNi Green Building Square Foot Costbook

2020 BNi Green Building Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Special Ad Section

Spotlight on Service Providers
 Spotlight on Service Providers
 View all Special Ad Sections
 Archives

 


ENR

ENR December 16, 2019 cover

Dec 16, 2019

To attract a broader and more diverse workforce, companies and unions are courting the LGBTQ+ community and strengthening recruiting and retention efforts.

View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • advertise
    • contact us
    • about us
    • photo submissions
    • customer service
    • digital edition
    • Survey And Sample
  • Subscription Center
    • Subscribe
    • Website Registration
    • Privacy Policy
    • eNewsletters
    • FAQ
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Slideshows
    • Photo Contest

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing