Vol. 76/No. 16      April 23, 2012

Michael Simermeyer, 30, was killed when a cable snapped and caused the collapse of a crane at a big construction site in Manhattan for the extension of a New York subway line. He was caught under the boom. Three of his coworkers were injured.

The last full inspection of the crane was in July 2011. During a routine check by the Department of Buildings in January the cables were never examined, according to the New York Post. The entire section of the report covering 16 checkpoints on the crane’s cables was crossed out with an X. Following the collapse an investigation showed defects in the hoisting system.

Operators are required by city and federal rules to check cranes and cables every workday and perform a more thorough investigation every month.

The same day Santos Garcia, 25, was killed while working on the conversion of a building in Brooklyn. He was climbing a ladder along the building’s side when the second-story addition slipped from its foundation and crashed into the neighboring house.

According to the New York Times, a preliminary investigation showed that the upper addition had not been secured and the wood had deteriorated over time. Three of Garcia’s coworkers were injured.

On March 22 Juan Ruiz, 69, was killed when a building collapsed during demolition work at another big construction site in Manhattan.
 
 
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