In October 2023, in a highway project in Orange County, Florida, USA, a German Liebherr crane that was hoisting a soundproof wall of a pre-supported concrete slab overturned and fell to the ground.
Overturned accident crane
The blue chassis is the aerial work platform truck that was hit
Recently, a report and punishment for the accident were officially announced.
On Oct. 3, 2023, Ryan Keith Haynes, 37, was operating an aerial lift for Tampa Concrete Impression to guide and install soundproof wall precast concrete slabs on the southbound entrance ramp on the John Young Parkway turnpike SR 417 in Orlando, the report revealed.
An operator at Adcock Cranes Inc. in Plant City operates a 110 Liebherr crane with right outriggers on the edge of a 70-degree slope. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the outriggers are not fully extended.
When the crane operator lifts and swings a 10,700-pound concrete slab, pressure is applied to the right rear outrigger. The ground below collapsed. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the crane overturned and hit Haines' aerial lift.
Haines was trapped under the crane and died of his injuries. He is a veteran of the war on terror and has visited Afghanistan and Iraq. According to his obituary, he entered the construction industry after nine years of service in the Army as an ammunition specialist.
Erin Sanchez, director of the OSHA regional office in Orlando, said the fatalities could have been avoided if contractors had complied with safety regulations.
The investigation found that Concrete Impressions and Adcock Cranes failed to fulfill their responsibilities to provide a safe working environment for their employees.
Adcock Cranes is facing a $16,131 fine for one serious violation for failing to ensure ground conditions sufficient to support the crane when lifting the sound barrier.
Concrete Impressions, which manufactures and installs sound barriers, is facing a $4335 fine for a serious violation that put employees at risk of falling from a 6-foot height by removing a telescopic ladder to reach and install concrete sound barrier panels.
Together, the two companies were fined about $20,000.