Towards risk assessment for crane activities

A logical model for quantifying occupational risk in case of collapsing or overturning cranes, failing loads or failing objects struck by cranes developed under the Workgroup Occupational Risk Model (WORM) project is presented. It simulates the logical and stochastic interdependences of the various events involved with the fall of an object or crane and its consequences. This logical model consists of two main parts (a) the part incorporating the events preceding the failing object/crane on a person consisting mainly of preventing measures; and (b) the part incorporating events following the fall of the object/crane on a person and consisting mainly of measures mitigating the effects of the accidents. Safety measures engineered or procedural aimed at preventing the fall of an object on a person, mitigating the impact of this event on a person and influencing the consequences of a given impact are presented along with the required data for quantification of the logical model. Three levels of consequence severity are considered; lethal injuries; non-lethal permanent injuries; and recoverable injuries. Quantification results are presented for the risk of contact with collapsing, overturning cranes and failing loads from cranes. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.