A newly posted video, which was presumed to be produced by refinery owners LyondellBasell, is making the rounds and prompting new discussion about the causes of an accident that took the lives of four and injured seven at the firm's Houston refinery in July 2008. The video could have educational value to the industry and insight into how similar accidents might be prevented.
Here's the update: It's the real deal.
This video was originally produced by the refinery owners as an "internal, educational tool," a LyondellBasell spokesperson told me. Although it was not designed to be externally circulated, the company says there are no restrictions on it, and they hope the video can help prevent similar accidents.
Take a look at the video, below, and please tell us what you think. As the editors at ENR continue to look into developments in the accident and crane safety, we want to hear from you. Was this accident avoidable? How so? Could these types of root-cause investigations designed as internal tools be helpful to the industry? What role, if any, should social media play in contributing to safety?
The video, link here and embedded below, was brought to my attention thanks to Lift and Access magazine, which found the link on YouTube. The YouTube poster says it was produced by the owners of the refinery after the crane collapse. Below, is the video, titled, "Root Cause Analysis of Versalift Incident - Part 1."
A brief reminder: The incident that involved a VersaCrane TC-36000, which separated at its base and crashed into a smaller crane before hitting the ground. The crane was custom built by Deep South Crane, with locations in Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Houston and Beaumont. Texas Construction reported on this and a spate of crane accidents that year in "Crane Safety Reinspected," in September 2008.
While many Texans in the industry have adopted crane operator certification as a best practice, the state still does not require mandatory licensing or certification for operating a crane despite having one of the highest rates of crane-related fatalities.
Among other safety recommendations, the producers of the video, at seven minutes and 37 second in, call for Deep South to develop a risk-based safety approach including a ". . .with a detailed operator certification/recertification program."
Please remember to share your thoughts here by posting a comment, which can be done anonymously, with a "handle" or tell us who you are. Readers may also contact me on- or off-the-record.
Here's the update: It's the real deal.
This video was originally produced by the refinery owners as an "internal, educational tool," a LyondellBasell spokesperson told me. Although it was not designed to be externally circulated, the company says there are no restrictions on it, and they hope the video can help prevent similar accidents.
Take a look at the video, below, and please tell us what you think. As the editors at ENR continue to look into developments in the accident and crane safety, we want to hear from you. Was this accident avoidable? How so? Could these types of root-cause investigations designed as internal tools be helpful to the industry? What role, if any, should social media play in contributing to safety?
The video, link here and embedded below, was brought to my attention thanks to Lift and Access magazine, which found the link on YouTube. The YouTube poster says it was produced by the owners of the refinery after the crane collapse. Below, is the video, titled, "Root Cause Analysis of Versalift Incident - Part 1."
A brief reminder: The incident that involved a VersaCrane TC-36000, which separated at its base and crashed into a smaller crane before hitting the ground. The crane was custom built by Deep South Crane, with locations in Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Houston and Beaumont. Texas Construction reported on this and a spate of crane accidents that year in "Crane Safety Reinspected," in September 2008.
While many Texans in the industry have adopted crane operator certification as a best practice, the state still does not require mandatory licensing or certification for operating a crane despite having one of the highest rates of crane-related fatalities.
Among other safety recommendations, the producers of the video, at seven minutes and 37 second in, call for Deep South to develop a risk-based safety approach including a ". . .with a detailed operator certification/recertification program."
Please remember to share your thoughts here by posting a comment, which can be done anonymously, with a "handle" or tell us who you are. Readers may also contact me on- or off-the-record.
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