New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks of new regulations in the use of cranes in the city after the crane incident in Tribeca. The crane in Tribeca collapsed last Friday which caused the death of one pedestrian and three people injury.
According to The Real Deal, all crawler cranes should cease to operate to give way to safety mode by the time winds exceed 20 miles per hour or when gusts exceed 30 miles per hour. Securing the crane the day before the winds are reported to begin is even a good precaution. Such new safety rule on the use of the 376 crawler cranes in NY City will be implemented effective this week.
This new safety regulation is for strict compliance by the crane engineers in the city. These engineers are advised to adhere to the Department of Buildings' safety rules, according to the mayor during the press conference at Worth and Church streets last Sunday.
Increased protection for pedestrians is also being addressed by the mayor, requiring the Department of Transportation to secure the pedestrian traffic zones affected by crane activity. Risk violations will be issued by the government to operators and crane firms should this security be overlooked. Failure to secure a crane is subject to a penalty amounting to $4,800 to $10,000.
Another precaution set is to inform the residents and businesses should they schedule moving a crane, in addition to only notifying them when a crane is installed in a certain place, as per The Real Deal.
What was also pointed out during the conference is the need to brainstorm more precautions that can be applied for the crane safety and that of the people surrounding it.
"While the city needs to continue to grow, it must do so in a way that the safety of workers and the public is paramount. We are committed to working with Mayor de Blasio and Department of Buildings Commissioner Chandler to ensure that the highest safety measures are in place at work sites throughout the city," John Banks, president of the Real Estate Board of New York, said.
