Two workers were killed on Saturday afternoon when a construction crane collapsed at the University of Texas-Dallas campus in Richardson. The workers, from Harrison Crane and Hoist, were dismantling the crane for removal from UTD’s new Arts and Technology Building when the accident occurred. High winds and storms moved through the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Saturday afternoon, but it has not yet been determined if the weather was a contributing factor of the accident. The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the collapse and engineers are working to devise a plan to safely remove the crane. The general contractor Hunt Construction Group issued a statement: “Unfortunately, an accident occurred on the UT Dallas campus Saturday afternoon, which is currently under investigation. Hunt extends our deepest sympathies to the families of the workers who lost their lives.”
Safety is critical when dealing with heavy machinery, such as cranes, construction equipment and oilfield equipment. The Law Offices of John David Hart represents individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of a company’s failure to safely operate and transport heavy equipment. Earlier this year, John David Hart successfully resolved a Dallas County case on behalf of client involving injuries obtained in a 2008 accident involving a crane at the Dallas Performing Arts Center. In 2010, we successfully recovered damages on behalf of an oilfield worker and his family for injuries suffered when the worker was crushed by oilfield equipment during a rig move in Wise County. In 2009, we successfully obtained a $16 million dollar settlement during trial for the family of a Johnson County woman who was tragically killed when crane equipment used in oilfield operations slid off of a truck trailer on a farm to market road and crushed her in her vehicle. The Law Offices of John David Hart represents victims who have lost loved ones or who been seriously injured by companies’ negligence and disregard for safety.
