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Omaha Steve

(99,618 posts)
Fri Nov 29, 2013, 12:07 AM Nov 2013

Union: Worker warned crane was on unstable ground

Source: AP-Excite

By TALES AZZONI

SAO PAULO (AP) - A safety engineer at the World Cup stadium where a giant crane collapse killed two workers allegedly warned his supervisor of possible problems with the operation, only to have his concerns brushed aside, a labor union leader charged Thursday, as sniping over the accident heated up.

The incident has fed worries about Brazil's capacity to host next year's showcase tournament, as well as the 2016 Olympics, though authorities insist they will be ready for both.

Sao Paulo's Arena Corinthians was slated to be completed by the end of December, and workers have suggested that speed was a top priority on the construction site, with many working 12-hour shifts and skipping vacations.

The stadium was initially scheduled to be part of the Confederations Cup earlier this year, but world football's governing body FIFA scrapped the venue from the warm-up tournament because of financing problems before construction even started.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131128/DAABTDK01.html





People stand near a metal structure that buckled on part of the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013. Part of the stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup opener in Brazil collapsed on Wednesday, causing significant damage and killing at least two people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine)

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Union: Worker warned crane was on unstable ground (Original Post) Omaha Steve Nov 2013 OP
This message was self-deleted by its author awoke_in_2003 Nov 2013 #1
Well, well, well... ReRe Nov 2013 #2
Just like the railroad. The Last Dem. Nov 2013 #3
"Of course the operation is safe. We hired a safety engineer!" Ash_F Nov 2013 #4
If you are going to blow the whistle...put it in writing first and keep it safe. nt kelliekat44 Nov 2013 #5
I remember when the "Big Blue" crane collapsed during stadium construction at Miller Park HereSince1628 Nov 2013 #6
The economy of scale does not negate Murphy's Law. nt Ace Acme Nov 2013 #8
Not a pretty site eringer Nov 2013 #7

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

ReRe

(10,597 posts)
2. Well, well, well...
Fri Nov 29, 2013, 03:35 AM
Nov 2013

... the truth makes its arrival. The Corporation, be it Brazilian or otherwise, is nothing if not a prolific gambler. Money, safety, people lives? Nothing matters. Ruthless. Answerable to no one.

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)
6. I remember when the "Big Blue" crane collapsed during stadium construction at Miller Park
Fri Nov 29, 2013, 09:40 AM
Nov 2013

Lot's of finger pointing and denial in the beginning. Amounts of liability bigger than the stadium were suddenly at risk.

IIRC, it wasn't even an extreme gust of wind but more something of a puff of wind that pushed the load beyond the lateral limits of the crane.

This is video of the accident in Milwaukee as it happened...a non-engineer's eye sees nothing really go wrong until things start to pushed beyond their limits in the last seconds before the collapse.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=big+blue+crane+collapse+video&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=BEC4F228EC3ECA8EE849BEC4F228EC3ECA8EE849

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