On July 14, 1999, at approximately 5:12 pm, the Big Blue collapsed during the construction of the Miller Park (now American Family Field) baseball stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a load of over 450 tonnes (440 long tons; 500 short tons) on the hook.[2][3] Three Iron Workers Local 8 members, Jeffrey Wischer, William DeGrave, and Jerome Starr, were killed when the suspended personnel platform in which they were observing the lift was hit by the falling crane.[3][4] A safety inspector was filming construction of the stadium on that day and captured the collapse on video as it occurred.
Wind speeds were between 20 and 21 miles per hour (32 and 34 km/h), with gusts of up to 26 to 27 miles per hour (42 to 43 km/h), at the time of the collapse.[4] The boom was rated to 20 miles per hour (32 km/h), and other workers had expressed concern at the speed of the wind.[3][4]
An investigation revealed that although the effects of side winds on the crane itself had been calculated, it had not been considered for the load the crane was lifting.
Aftermath and memorialedit
Three firms were fined a total of over US$500,000 as a result of the collapse.[5] The widows of the workers, Marjorie DeGrave, Ramona Dulde-Starr and Patricia Wischer, settled a lawsuit against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America, the company responsible for constructing the retractable roof of the stadium,[6] for an undisclosed total of over $99 million.[7]
Teamwork, a bronze sculpture by Omri Amrany, was installed at Miller Park in 2001 to honor the three workers.[7] The Brewers wore an Ironworkers Local 8 memorial patch on the left breast of their jerseys following the accident for the remainder of the 1999 season.[8]
Work on Miller Park was later completed with a new crane, a red and white Van Seumeren Demag CC-12600.[9]
OSHA footage of the collapse
Referencesedit
^"Case Study: The Day Big Blue Fell". ThinkReliability®. September 9, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
^Ross, Bernard; McDonald, Brian; Vijay Saraf, S.E. (September 2007). "Big blue goes down. The Miller Park crane accident". Engineering Failure Analysis. 14 (6): 942–961. doi:10.1016/j.engfailanal.2006.12.002.
^ abc"Big Blue Crane Accident: A tragic day at Miller Park". The Miller Park Scrapbook. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
^"Three Firms Fined For Total of Over Half-Million Dollars". OSHA. January 12, 2000. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
^Fallone, Edward A. (2001). "Reflections on the Accident at Miller Park and the Prosecution of Work-Related Fatalities in Wisconsin". Marquette Sports Law Review. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
^ abDoyle, Candace (June 6, 2001). "Monument, statue honor Miller Park workers". The Daily Reporter. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
^"MLB Jersey & Cap History | MLBCollectors". mlbcollectors.com. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
^New red-and-white crane replaces `Big Blue' at Miller Park site The Journal Times, Dec 9, 1999.
External linksedit
Video of the accident
January 01, 1970
blue, crane, collapse, blue, lampson, 1500, transi, lift, heavy, lift, crawler, crane, that, collapsed, july, 1999, killing, three, iron, workers, datejuly, 1999, 1999, time17, 12venuemiller, parklocationmilwaukee, wisconsincoordinates43, 027694, 972389, 02769. The Big Blue was a Lampson LTL 1500 Transi Lift heavy lift crawler crane that collapsed on July 14 1999 killing three iron workers Big Blue crane collapseDateJuly 14 1999 1999 07 14 Time17 12VenueMiller ParkLocationMilwaukee WisconsinCoordinates43 01 39 7 N 87 58 20 6 W 43 027694 N 87 972389 W 43 027694 87 972389TypeCrane collapseCauseCrane was operated outside of design specifications for the combination of load and wind 1 Deaths3Non fatal injuries5 Contents 1 Accident 2 Aftermath and memorial 3 References 4 External linksAccident editOn July 14 1999 at approximately 5 12 pm the Big Blue collapsed during the construction of the Miller Park now American Family Field baseball stadium in Milwaukee Wisconsin with a load of over 450 tonnes 440 long tons 500 short tons on the hook 2 3 Three Iron Workers Local 8 members Jeffrey Wischer William DeGrave and Jerome Starr were killed when the suspended personnel platform in which they were observing the lift was hit by the falling crane 3 4 A safety inspector was filming construction of the stadium on that day and captured the collapse on video as it occurred Wind speeds were between 20 and 21 miles per hour 32 and 34 km h with gusts of up to 26 to 27 miles per hour 42 to 43 km h at the time of the collapse 4 The boom was rated to 20 miles per hour 32 km h and other workers had expressed concern at the speed of the wind 3 4 An investigation revealed that although the effects of side winds on the crane itself had been calculated it had not been considered for the load the crane was lifting Aftermath and memorial editThree firms were fined a total of over US 500 000 as a result of the collapse 5 The widows of the workers Marjorie DeGrave Ramona Dulde Starr and Patricia Wischer settled a lawsuit against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America the company responsible for constructing the retractable roof of the stadium 6 for an undisclosed total of over 99 million 7 Teamwork a bronze sculpture by Omri Amrany was installed at Miller Park in 2001 to honor the three workers 7 The Brewers wore an Ironworkers Local 8 memorial patch on the left breast of their jerseys following the accident for the remainder of the 1999 season 8 Work on Miller Park was later completed with a new crane a red and white Van Seumeren Demag CC 12600 9 source source source source OSHA footage of the collapseReferences edit Case Study The Day Big Blue Fell ThinkReliability September 9 2019 Retrieved August 14 2022 Ross Bernard McDonald Brian Vijay Saraf S E September 2007 Big blue goes down The Miller Park crane accident Engineering Failure Analysis 14 6 942 961 doi 10 1016 j engfailanal 2006 12 002 a b c Big Blue Crane Accident A tragic day at Miller Park The Miller Park Scrapbook Retrieved July 30 2014 a b c The Great American Ballpark A Occupational Safety amp Health Administration OSHA Archived from the original on April 13 2014 Retrieved July 30 2014 Three Firms Fined For Total of Over Half Million Dollars OSHA January 12 2000 Retrieved July 30 2014 Fallone Edward A 2001 Reflections on the Accident at Miller Park and the Prosecution of Work Related Fatalities in Wisconsin Marquette Sports Law Review Retrieved April 1 2023 a b Doyle Candace June 6 2001 Monument statue honor Miller Park workers The Daily Reporter Retrieved July 30 2014 MLB Jersey amp Cap History MLBCollectors mlbcollectors com Retrieved 2023 03 25 New red and white crane replaces Big Blue at Miller Park site The Journal Times Dec 9 1999 External links editVideo of the accident Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Big Blue crane collapse amp oldid 1185602791, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
