To that end, few places may feel as precarious as a crane’s cockpit, suspended hundreds of feet in the air, during a storm. Surrounded by skyscrapers on either side, it’s a long climb back down to the ground for an operator. Tom Gordon has been there before. He began his career as a mechanic working


on various pieces of construction equipment, including cranes, before transitioning to operating. Prior to his current position, he was an operator on the slider tower crane on the Freedom Tower in NYC. Currently, Gordon works as co-training director for the International Union of


Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 14-14B, which represents more than 1,400 crane and heavy equipment operators in New York City. If severe weather is a possibility, his operators are in constant face-to-face and radio communication with their crew. Gordon, like many experienced crane operators, has found himself in a crane cab during


various types of storms. “It’s not the ideal place to be,” he assured. “While sitting there, you’re trying to figure out the best time to climb down and: have I secured everything properly?” Gordon and his teams often rely on weather reports from the nearest airport as a good barometer of incoming severe weather. Additionally, he and many of his colleagues in the industry pay close attention to some common strategies:


• Develop a communication plan before severe weather hits the horizon. Mitigate surprises. Teams should know exactly how to react and secure a site with an impending storm. Teams should hold a mandatory meeting when a storm looks imminent according to weather reports. For hurricane-prone regions, consider creating action plans up to three days before landfall.


• Communicate using one radio channel and/or news station. It’s important that each team member is listening to the same updates, weather reports, and news. Consider incorporating a group text message/email chain, too. Have an evacuation plan in place.


Ultimately, said Gordon, it’s all about training. “Proper training is the first step to manage risk. Any competent crane operator is aware of the dangers of severe weather, and ours is a very dangerous occupation. Local 14 takes safety and safety training very seriously.” In fulfillment of that commitment, Local 14 has worked to become an industry leader in safety training. “Our training extends beyond cranes to include all heavy equipment,” explained Gordon—who also involves himself locally and nationally with safety training and legislature. At Local 14 training centers, all apprentices and trainees undergo hundreds of hours of OSHA and rigging training, as well as classroom, simulator and hands-on training of cranes, pile drivers, earth movers, and other heavy machinery.


UNIFORM GUIDELINES


As one can easily imagine, crane operations in the densely populated and strict confines of New York are challenging. Te Department of Buildings (DOB) has developed a strict set of procedures and requirements for crane operations that take into account the safety of the workers and the general public. For example, under NYC regulations, a 30 MPH wind threshold triggers a stop to all crane operations. Accidents at the scale of a New York City project are simply not worth the risk. Gordon went on to explain that all contractors and operators must also follow the directions given to them by the crane manufacturer and/or professional engineer. “Te instructions are specific to the crane type, configuration, and particular jobsite. Additionally, the operator must always secure any materials that could be blown off the crane.”


WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2018 23


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