Home / NEWS / Crane fight fatality draws big response

Crane fight fatality draws big response

by Greg Whitaker on Sep 9, 2009

17 Comments

A fight on a tower crane resulted in a tragic ending, with one man dead and one in prison. (Picture for illustration only.)

Readers of ConstructionWeekOnline.com have reacted angrily to a story involving a fight on a tower crane in Abu Dhabi.

The original incident happened when the operator told an engineer on the ground that a request to lift an object deemed unsuitable was “crazy.”

This reportedly enraged the 39-year-old engineer enough to send him climbing up the device in order to discipline the driver for his insolence.

According to a police report, the operator struck the engineer on the head, causing the latter to plunge to his death.

Story continues below

FEATURED COMMENT

I work also in tower crane here in Abu Dhabi as per my comments, both of them have fault.

17 Comments

Readers' Comments

mel paglinawan (May 23, 2010)
abu dhabi uae
United Arab Emirates

tower crane operator
I work also in tower crane here in Abu Dhabi as per my comments, both of them have fault.

John Cornish (Nov 13, 2009)
Whitehaven
United Kingdom

Crane
Very unfortunate ending to the whole thing. Our aim as a group ("Worldwide") is to get to work do our shift and get home at the end of it to our families, safe and sound. Its a sad state of affairs if a qualified operator can't make the judgement call without retribution from an Engineer. Not knowing all of the facts I feel for both parties and think it is wrong to apportion blame to either party. One last word to all construction colleagues whatever discipline, there is only one word to consider and that is "Team work". Senior staff should be pushing and developing this to hopefully prevent this unfortunate event occuring again.

Tom (Nov 13, 2009)
Tonganoxie
USA

Crane fatality
Engineers think they are god because of a diploma. The Engineer climbing the crane to discipline the operator when he is the final judge on everything he picks makes the engineer in the wrong.

Joe Murphy (Nov 13, 2009)
Boston
USA

Crane Operator
Krassimir Deliradev-I find the comment"are you crazy" hardly inappropriate launguage. Furthermore, how can self defence lessen his guilt. If he was trying to defend his own life than He had every right to "self defence". However since when his an engineer a superior in rank. I know most feel they are, but when the day comes that engineers are "actually superior" on any job site- then we are all in trouble.

Tom Doore (Nov 12, 2009) USA

crane altercation
saying the operation was "crazy" is not reason for engineer to climb crane to discipilne the operator. engineer instigated an asault and lost, should have known better.

paul (Nov 12, 2009)
Vancouver
Canada

Crane fight
The crane operator was clearly defending himself from someone who climbed all the way the way up the crane to pick a fight. The Engineer could have waited till the end of the day to confront the operator on the ground or discreetly fired him with no confrontation at all. This shows his intent as he began to climb right away... It was not the hit on the head that killed him it was the fall. The Engineer had a disregard for others safety in demanding an unsafe lift be made and a disregard for his own safety by climbing up to pick a fight atop a crane. Seems to me that work site is now a safer place...

Alan Wolf (Nov 12, 2009)
Calgary
Canada

opertor /engineer dispute
Interesting how a lack of respect for opertors of equipment lead to the confrontation and unfortunate deadly confrontation. A severe example of how things can get totally out of control. This time the engineer payed the price often it may be some other worker or even someone else.

mickey mouse (Nov 12, 2009)
fairfax
USA

The operator
the operator can refuse to lift-there is no question about that. The result of refusing is that he may be relieved by another crane operator that is willing to do the lift. It is highly irregular for an engineer to climb up to the crane cab for any reason. A simple radio call to "secure the crane, You are relieved of your duties today" should have sufficed.

Chris Gale (Nov 12, 2009) USA

Crane Fight Fatality
The engineer acted inappropriately and unsafely by entering the operator's equipment to administer discipline. An appropriate response would be to call the operator to the office to explain his actions. As to what happened on the crane - that is a matter for the local authourities to determine. Had the engineer acted in an appropriate manner however, we would not be discussing this matter at all.

W. Ketel (Nov 12, 2009)
Royal Oak
USA

Crane Fight Fatality
There are at least 2 separate issues, first, we don't have enough information to make any evaluation as to if the lift was actually dangerous. Second, we have two individuals who were not able to handle the disagreement without a fight. This suggests that there was a problem big enough that at least one of them should not have been employed there. Third, we have an assault resulting in death. For any reason, that is a criminal action, and puts the one doing it in criminal jeopardy. Any possible concern over improper language is not relavent, since there are other remedies for the use of improper language. And that could be either way, just because I am an engineer does not allow me to verbally asault anybody. My feeling is that there were 2 individuals with temper control problems, perhaps they both needed to learn a bit more self control. In adition, inside a crane control box high in the air is a REALLY STUPID place to fight.

MBSUSIL (Sep 21, 2009)
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

CRANE FIGHT
The crane operator was very much in his right to not execute a job which is dangerous or endanger the life of others. Secondly why did the engineer climb the tower crane -I am sure it was not for exchanging pleasantries . However any crime should be dealt as per the laws of the country.

Jagannatha (Sep 21, 2009)
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Improper Action Protocol
Both the victim and the accused failed to follow the right protocol of communication and discipline action. If Engineer think he is superior then he has a protocol to follow to discipline the operator instead of climibing the crane. May be operator was scared of Engineers aggression, but he should have defended and brought to the notice of authorities than taking law in to his hand which has put him in such situation. In any case Engineers need to exercise diplomacy while communicating with thier subordinates.

nathaniel (Sep 12, 2009)
cebu
Philippines

crane fatality
for me the operator have the right.because operator is qualified and more trained from engineer.

Peter Foreman (Sep 10, 2009)
East Linton
United Kingdom

Crane fight
This is not about OSHA. If someone hits another person and they fall to their death, the normal criminal law should apply. The reason for the argument is irrelevant

Aji George (Sep 10, 2009)
Duabi
United Arab Emirates

Crane fight
Why did the Engineer climb all the way up to discipline the operator? This action shows he went to pick a fight.

nathaniel (Sep 9, 2009)
cebu
Philippines

crane
base on my experience specially in big projects ..i am working in big companies in saudi such saudi aramco and sabic project with the contractors.i believed that the crane operator have the right to stop especially critical lift because they are the one who knows and trained for operate the crane.And that is there specialty.moreover this engineer is wrong even the crane operator will disobey to lift the engineer used his power because he thinking that he want his job to be finished even hazards of accident.So safety must follow..the crane have the right to stop or the right to do ..even engineer have no right to force the operator to do.safety must follow.

Krassimir Deliradev (Sep 9, 2009)
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Crane fight fatality draws big response
I believe that the comentators miss two important moments: 1) Even if the operator was right in opposing the instruction of the engineer, this does not give him the right to use unappropriate language, especially to a superior in rank. 2) Whatever the other reasons, the operator is guilty of cold blooded murder and no excuses of self defense can lessen his crime.

COMMENTS


Name *
Email *
City
Country
Subject: *
Comments: *
Math Question: *
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.	Refresh the image if not clear
	Remember me on this computer