SunCranes under scrutiny

By Euan Youdale12 June 2008

The Washington state Department of Labor & Industries has shut down the operation of three tower cranes on construction jobsites in Seattle and Renton, according to news reports. The state shut down the three cranes because of safety issues, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

According to the newspaper, the three cranes are the SunCrane brand, which are manufactured in China. All three are owned by Dallas-based Lewis Equipment. According to news reports, all three cranes' electrical systems don't meet code requirements and two have not been certified for structural integrity.

Throughout the country, tower cranes are under the microscope after accidents in New York and Florida. A tower crane accident in November 2006 in Bellevue, WA prompted new and more stringent laws regarding tower crane operation and crane operator certification.

Lewis Equipment has said it will release a statement about the cranes this week.

Latest News
Hitachi to showcase zero-emission excavator at IRE
Eight tonne model makes IRE debut
Trime to focus on sustainability at IRE
Energy-saving equipment on show
Ecofill Group appoint new CEO
Ecofill is a low-carbon technology and solution for the construction sector that transforms all types of clays and subsoils into aggregate replacement products on-site