Man Survives Steel Beam Crushing Van

Even the tow-truck driver had a hard time believing that the motorist walked away virtually unharmed after a steel beam fell on his van while he was traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike. The driver was on his way to work and a steel beam from a construction crane hit his van, tearing the roof completely off.

At the time of the crane accident, the construction company was working on a project on the side of the Turnpike. The crane had the beam hanging from it and swung too far into traffic, striking Crawford’s van. No action has been taken against the company to this point. Given the nature the incident and the damage, it is somewhat miraculous that those involved sustained only minor injuries. The motorist needed stitches in his head, cuts on his hand, and his thumb was broken.

Construction Crane Safety

This construction accident highlights the dangers that may surround construction cranes, especially in light of where they are being operated. Injuries and even death can occur when they are not properly inspected or operated. In many cases, the crane is carrying an extremely large load and it can present numerous dangers to those in the surrounding areas.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has several recommendations in terms of crane safety. First, cranes should only to be operated by trained and qualified people and done so according to manufacturer instructions. Second, operations should check to ensure the load is properly secured and is right for the particular crane being used. Third, those in charge of a particular worksite should insist that only the properly trained individuals are the ones inspecting the cranes before they are being used.

In this case, the driver was very lucky to walk away from this accident with only minor injuries. Given the fact that this occurred on the busy New Jersey Turnpike and involved a large crane carrying a heavy load, the results could have been much worse.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction or crane accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Ferrara & Gable. Knowing the options that are available to you can help you to understand how best to approach your situation.