Good advice from Recondo.

July 16, 2009, 9:37am

Crane Accidents are Preventable!

“Recently we have seen a surge in serious injuries and deaths from crane accidents due to crane collapses, tip overs, crane design defects, overloading, falling equipment, dropped loads from poor rigging, working in high winds, electrocutions from high voltage electrical wire contact, spills, injuries during erection or dismantling of the crane, falls, lack of inspections, mechanical failure, operator error and negligence and inadequately trained or certified crane operators. Additionally there is a shortage of highly skilled crane operators due to the tremendous need and job opportunities overseas on huge construction projects, offshore and platform oil & gas drilling operations and projects in the Middle East, Asia and other foreign countries.

Even though crane accidents are a rare occurrence, bad injuries and deaths can result, when they do happen. Due to nature of the beast, cranes are heavy, they carry heavy loads & objects high in the air and when there is a collapse, loads fall, tip-over or other crane related incident or accident, gravity increases the forces involved and people get badly hurt. Hopefully with further crane accident education of the dangers of cranes and riggings and more required training and certifications of crane operators, there will be fewer crane accidents in the future. Until then, we must hold the negligent parties accountable. If not, crane accidents will become more frequent and the toll of human lives and families will become intolerable.”   

-David P. Willis,  Attorney at Law

Crane Collapses, Tip Overs & Accidents

Crane accidents of course occur in many varied ways.  When you have an inexperienced or poorly trained operator behind the controls of a 1 ton or a 500 ton crane or any size crane for that matter, then anyone within the zone of danger is a potential victim. Just one careless or reckless move can cause the lives of dozens of workers nearby. Below are some examples of the most common types of cranes

• Mobile Crane Accidents
• Tower Crane Collapses & Accidents
• Marine & Ship Crane Accidents
• Railroad Yard Crane Accidents
• Cherry Pickers & Truck Crane Accidents
• Manlift Accidents & Bucket Trucks

Crane Accident ? Talk to a Trial Attorney for Free Case Evaluation

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a result of a crane accident, tipover, fall or collapse, then call the Willis Law Firm in Houston, Texas to discuss the legal options available to you and your family. Call to talk to a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer. All cases accepted on a contingency fee basis! Call us if we can assist you.

July 13, 2009, 5:30pm

More existential fun with cross-browser scripting and the coming end times. Not worth worrying about because we are living in a simulation anyway.

January 16, 2009, 10:37am

As it turns out “Death Map USA” is not just a sweet name for a Mad Max or Grand Theft Auto sequel, but is in fact a somewhat lamely uninteresting attempt by the scientific community capitalize on the mainstream media’s inability to sensationalize death in general. The study, by geographers Kevin Borden and Susan Cutter, breaks down all natural disaster death into a county by county map. Basically major natural disasters only account for 5% natural hazard deaths and everyone else dies from the heat waves at the beginning of T2 or from falling into frozen lakes or some shit. This is great news for the one person that everyone knows who loves to mention how you have a better chance of dying in a car than in a plane crash. 

And finally, “large cities like San Francisco and New York are among the safest places to live, but if city living isn’t for you, the odds of dying from the weather are lowest in the Midwest.”

That sounds great but my girlfriend has a tar pit and quicksand fetish and we have to keep both in our backyard.

via @newscientist

December 17, 2008, 2:11pm