Cargo Crane Causes Injuries in Shipyard

Case Overview

This case takes place in Pennsylvania and involves a female who worked as a truck driver at a major international cargo port. The truck operator stood near her truck as a load was removed from a ship by a large cargo crane. The crane operator inadvertently swung the cargo container at an unsafe height near the plaintiff’s truck, striking the plaintiff and causing a range of serious injuries. It appears that the company that was responsible for the crane’s operation was in violation of numerous OSHA and ANSI requirements. The woman eventually died from her injuries.

Questions to the Construction Safety expert and their responses

Please explain why you're qualified to serve as an expert reviewer of this matter.

I have 38 years of crane experience in various capacities and I am an NCCCO Certified Overhead Crane Operator. I have a great deal of experience with overhead cranes including the ones typically used in warehouses.

Have you previously served as an expert witness on a case like the one described above?

I have served as an expert on more than 20 crane/rigging cases.

Do you / have you previously trained and instructed crane operators on best practices, to avoid accidents like the one described above?

I have trained/instructed crane operators on best practices for the last 25 years and I teach overhead crane operations, inspection, and repair.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert has over 35 years of experience in the crane and rigging industry including 20 years of policy experience. He holds various certifications from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators as a Rigger, Signalperson, and Overhead Crane Operator. He previous worked as a crane and rigging specialist for the U.S. Navy where he designed Navy-wide training programs for cranes. He has developed and produced safety training videos for the crane industry. He currently works as President for a crane and rigging training and consulting firm.