Highlight Quotes: Cranes (CARLSON)

1. Fernando Arrajo
Roofer, Member of Local 8
Eagle One

"The regulations are okay but right now I don't trust some people, like the inspectors. You have to look out for your own safety."

2. J.M
Crane Operator with Local 15
22 years operating cranes

"I think the latest accident happened because of human error. What happened in that situation involved a crew of inexperienced people."

"When it comes to the new regulations, they're just assigning new people to do things and they don't have a clue about cranes…On paper is different than in practice."

"The people who are going to be on the hurting end of the new rules are the contractors. Those guys have a schedule to keep. For example, we just did a jump on 57th Street. The City was late so there were 20 guys standing around waiting."

"After that accident, it was definitely a bit shaky. But you try to push past it." (Referring to being at the site of the 2006 accident when a piece of a crane fell onto a taxi)

"There's a small circle of people who operate the cranes. Everybody knows everybody. I'll only work with certain people. A lot of people won't work with the guy who was in charge of the site for the recent accident."

"There are guys now who don't want to go up in the towers anymore. It's common. People walking by don't want to even want to go under the cranes anymore."

3. Dr. Goldwaser
Psychiatrist
-has dealt with mental impairments in construction workers

"PTSD can definitely happen to workers involved in an accident. They may be more prepared than the woman in the taxi, but absolutely they can suffer from this." (Referring to the 2006 accident)

"They're not trained to deal with people dying or suffering. It's not supposed to be part of the job. So they will be affected because they likely trust that everything is in place as it should be."

"Even if you were not there, you are left with your own mind and imagination. It's a normal reaction and emotion. We all feel fear sometimes."

4. Mr. Howard Raphaelson
Raphaelson Law Firm P.C., Personal Injury Law Firm
Representing Sissy Siganoff, 2006 crane-accident victim

"Sissy did call me immediately following the recent crane collapse in New York City. She called feeling great anxiety and distress that the city could allow this type of disaster to occur again. I understood her anxiety. New York city is allowing construction disasters to occur one after another. She has developed severe fear of construction sites and overhead sidewalk bridges which has lead to debilitating fear that generally forces her to remain confined to her home." (Referring to the victimm of the 2006 accident)


"Unfortunately for the families of the deceased in this recent disaster, Ms Siganoff's warning was not enough. As is usually the case, the only proof that the city will react to is death. How tragic."


5. Mr. Tony Avella
City Councilmember
Member of the Housing and Buildings Committee

"How would anybody think that crane was safe? It was attached by a single beam. You don't have to be an engineer to see that. There should at least have been redundancy in the beams. It's just a lack of action by the department of buildings. The regulations weren't strong enough and the agency just looked the other way."

"It's as though the agency not only doesn't keep up with new industry practices, but its doing no enforcement of the regulations that are already on the books. The agency has been asleep at the switch, whether it's cranes or anything else."

"There have been a huge number of incidents in recent years, all under Commissioner Lancaster and the mayor's watch. This is not personal, but Commissioner Lancaster doesn't have the leadership capabilities or the political willpower to make changes. Enough is enough. She has to go."

"After a different recent crane accident, I ripped into her because nothing's being done. We sit here like dummies listening to the agency give us the company line. It's like the saying goes: 'fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' How many times is this going to happen?"

"The industry is very unhappy with the agency because they're not reaching out to them."

6. Keith Schwam
Assistant Commissioner at Building's Department of Investigations

"The primary focus of the department is investigations involving crime and corruption. The arrest of the crane inspector was within a matter of days. That's the case that is now being reviewed. We do these types of things all the time. The department frequently conducts investigations into allegations involving falsification of records."

7. Jane Swanson
Chief of staff to Councilmember Jessica Lappin
Lappin is a member of the Housing and Buildings Committee

"The City Council's Housing and Buildings Committee is holding a hearing on April 29. This hearing, because of the recent tragedy, will focus on the city's cranes rather than more broadly on other building issues."