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Do You Live Near a Crane?

03.27.cranes.jpg

We heard on NY1 yesterday morning that three cranes in the city have failed inspections since the recent east side crane accident. And it got us thinking about those who live or work near a construction site with a crane. We don't ourselves, but we're sure lots of you out there can see a crane from your window...

 
 

Does it cause any anxiety in the days following the terrible crane collapse? (The photo above is from Germany, not NYC). Check here for more on the three failed crane inspections reported yesterday.

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security, NEWS, personal health, crane

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Comments (15)

I saw that accident on the news it was very scary and upsetting.

I work in a high-rise and there was a crane putting up another high rise across the street. I always wondered what it must be like to be looking out your window way up high and see a gigantic crane arm right outside your window.

While accidents do happen it's amazing that such incredible feats of engineering take place everyday without incident.

I guess it's kind of like giant metal jets defying gravity and flying through the air every second of the day.

posted by art on 2008-03-27 11:12:27
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YES! I live up the street from a huge crane that I can see out the window. A few months ago, the smaller crane that was building this larger one collapsed. It fell across an intersection -- a car was totalled but no one was hurt. We had speculated that something like this would happen, and it did. Now, after hearing about all the recent crane collapses, we watch ours with increasing trepidation.

posted by visualingual on 2008-03-27 11:14:47
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No, but my Dad was in the hospital last week and there were 7 cranes there. 2 were right next to his post op room. I have to say I was more concerned about the cranes than I have ever been in my life!

posted by lorijo on 2008-03-27 11:43:21
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I'm down the block from a high-rise going up on 2nd Avenue. The cranes haven't moved in yet (they're still excavating and laying the foundation), but I'm sure I'll now be nervous when they do. I'd already taken to avoiding the construction at 86th and Lex and 86th and 3rd on my walk home from the subway.

posted by meg_ues on 2008-03-27 11:46:52
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Big time. The recent crane collapse happened in my neighborhood and there's currently a crane on the block that I live on. I haven't been spending much time at home lately for other reasons, but I'm glad.

posted by Lourdes on 2008-03-27 11:48:00
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Definitely. I live down the street from the construction site with the crane that came crashing down on a cab (no one died!) in the east village last summer. I refused to walk under the scaffolding of the new building that was being erected because I had a really bad feeling about the speed at which the building was going up. But it seems that my gut was right because the crane fell. All these new high rises are going up so quickly. It really creeps me out.

posted by 500 on 2008-03-27 11:51:32
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I used to be friendly with a building project manager -- she never went near cranes or walked under scaffolding unless she had to for work -- she always crossed the street and avoided covered sidewalks. This only made me more paranoid!

posted by Mid-C Frank on 2008-03-27 12:34:02
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This my sound slightly insensitive but if its in the cards for me to be taken out by a falling Crain, then so be it, just as much as it is being in a car accident or being attacked by a pack of wolves, most of the time its complely out of the blue and without warning. worrying about it only causes unnecessary anxiety which is the last thing I need!

posted by E.M.H on 2008-03-27 13:55:28
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I crane just collapsed here in Miami this week at a new condo development going up. 2 people died and 4 were injured and the house that that was used in the movie There's Something About Mary was partially destroyed.

posted by Chris M on 2008-03-27 14:45:58
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where is that picture taken? it sure isn't NYC. looks Euro.

posted by buyersremorse on 2008-03-27 16:00:32
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I'm on a college campus with a new 4-story building being constructed. To get to my classes from my dorm I pass by the site multiple times a day and always fear about the cranes [there are two].
Last week the tallest one was laid out on the road for some unexplained reason. I hope it was a safety inspection.

posted by scaram0uche on 2008-03-27 17:29:57
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I live in Vancouver...and the construction here is endless, especially with the Olympics coming. With the building boom, workers aren't trained as well as they should be. There have been a few crane related accidents here as well.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/68/184358788_0fe6de05c1_o.jpg

posted by kyle on 2008-03-27 19:55:28
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I live in China and the running joke is that the national bird is the crane. I must encounter several alarming safety hazards a day, but don't let things like this get to me. Be smart, but when your time is up your time is up.

posted by KS NY on 2008-03-27 22:56:13
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I worked at the corner of 42 & 5th and could see the CIBC tower going up between 9/18/01 (the miracle was the lease was signed on 9/10/01 and our office was to move from the JP Morgan building that was across the street from the NYSE) and when I left NYC 6/28/03.

The crane did crash down during that time--luckily I didn't see it happen, but everyone else in my office heard it. I can't remember how many people were injured for certain, but I think it was 3.

posted by kaanswfm on 2008-03-30 13:29:41
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I have always had some anxiety when crossing into the path of a crane. They are pretty intimidating.

posted by Ajlouny and Associates on 2008-09-16 19:41:01
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