American Scientist

Large construction cranes have been in the news frequently this year, principally because they have been involved in a number of highly visible and deadly accidents. Construction is a dangerous activity, with an average of four worker deaths each day across the U.S. In one recent year, 72 workers died in crane accidents alone, with most of the incidents getting little notice beyond the local news and trade press. But several crane accidents received unusually broad news coverage this year because they reached beyond the construction site. As much risk as working in the construction industry may entail, that risk is not expected to extend to ordinary citizens going about their daily activities on the streets below and in the apartment buildings beneath or near the towering cranes.