Crane Slides off of Barge into the gulf

[D4's D5]

Here are a few pictures from my friend Kevin in South LA. Kevin is on the D5, helping push the crane up the ramp to the barge. From my understanding, the tug boat was still winched tight to the barge, and as the weight of the crane got on the barge, the tug end of the barge came up and caused the tug to come out of the water some, hindering the tugs ability to keep the barge firmly planted against the shore. Then the barge pushed away from the shore. Either way you can see what happens next. I have a 63MB video of the whole thing also, I'll try to post it on youtube later this evening. Enjoy! BTW, the crane boom fell across the barge, people standing everywhere, but no one got hurt.

 

[D4's D5]

Video of crane accident

I posted the video on you tube here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZj5BIWP60w

 

[Dirtman2007]

holy crap! that's something you don't catch on film everyday! Glad no one was hurt.

 

[Dig-UP]

There should have been something securing the barge to shore, some sort of anchor... even a cable to the excavator would have been a good idea... Great vid!

 

[SterlingR]

Great video. I can not believe no one was hurt. If you look at the video Dig-UP the excavator had it's bucket around the bollard on the barge and then let go and then the barge slipped away.

 

[Dig-UP]

It looks like the force of the barge pulling away was great enough to overcome the hydraulic relief valve... Glad everyone is ok, but this could have been avoided...

 

[EddieWalker]

holy crap! that's something you don't catch on film everyday! Glad no one was hurt.

I couldn't say it any better.

Eddie

 

[Burnout]

Awww c'mon that'll buff right out. Nice video

 

[Allen66]

Looks to me if the guy on the dozer would have quit pushing it wouldn't have happened.

 

[dirthog28]

I like when the hoe operator couldn't hold it any more he spun around and said see you bitchs later I'm out of here.

 

[John H]

WOW!!!!!

 

[insleyboy]

You can tell who the owner or foreman was in the video. The one cussing and arms flailing after the screw up for sure. Crane accidents are awefull, and most times the machine is junk or not trustworthy after an incident!

 

[544D10]

That was a bad idea from the very beginning.

 

[Vantage_TeS]

I like when the hoe operator couldn't hold it any more he spun around and said see you bitchs later I'm out of here.

^2 he knew what was up and booked it!

 

[Jeff Arnold]

crane ops fault he stoped moving when you load a rig on a barge you dont stop till all the way on or off.

 

[special tool]

crane ops fault he stoped moving when you load a rig on a barge you dont stop till all the way on or off.

That's what I was thinking - as soon as he stops, the dozer is acting directly on the barge...to launch it!

 

[willie59]

That's what I was thinking - as soon as he stops, the dozer is acting directly on the barge...to launch it!

I think the dozer did, in fact, help launch the barge. But I think his actions were from what he could see from his perspective. He could tell the crane wansn't all the way on the barge and that his blade under the counterweight was the only thing holding it on, so he kept pushing till it was futile. What was the barge tow doing while the barge was adrift? Was he texting on his cell phone while he should have laid down the throttle? And as for the crane operator stopping, do we know he actually stopped tramming? It's possible the swing drum clutches were too loose to provide strong drive, hence the need for A DOZER PUSHING A CRANE! I can see so many safety errors in this video that the video could be used to train personnel all the things NOT to do! It's obvious that they didn't sit down, plan it out, work out the procedure, appoint "John Doe" to be the lead and only signal man, etc. It seemed everyone was doing his own herky jerky thing. And what's up with so many useless and in the way yo yo's on the barge? It's an absolute miracle that not one of those guys on the barge got squashed like a 'possom on the centerline! Amazing! ointhead

 

[Jeff Arnold]

dozer should have been pulling on the other side of barge oppsite hoe if that 108 wont pull it self because of clutch adjustment it is the ops fault

 

[Jeff Arnold]

sould have ran drag cable threw fairlead hooked too other end of barge. may not be ops fault but lack of an op.

 

[willie59]

dozer should have been pulling on the other side of barge oppsite hoe if that 108 wont pull it self because of clutch adjustment it is the ops fault

Well, I maintain that it's not just the crane operators fault, or the dozer operator, or the trackhoe, nor any one individual. There are so many errors in this whole process it is the epitome of the old saying "it's an accident waiting to happen"!