A tower crane collapse occurred at a construction site in Linshui County, Guang’an, Sichuan

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A tower crane collapse occurred at a construction site in Linshui County, Guang’an, Sichuan. On November 11, 2018, an accident involving the collapse of a tower crane took place at a construction site in Linshui County, Guang’an, Sichuan; the number of casualties and the exact cause of the incident are still under investigation. Preventing tower crane lifting accidents: 1. Before carrying out lifting operations, it is necessary to inspect the wire ropes of the lifting equipment as well as the methods used for securing their ends, along with pulleys, drums, hooks, rigging, clamps, rope loops, ground anchors, and wind ropes. All rigging equipment and components must meet safety requirements. 2. Clear signs should be placed around the lifting operation area, and unauthorized personnel are strictly prohibited from entering. When lifting the component, no one shall stand under the lifted object, and a proper safety distance must be maintained. 3. There should be no people, floating objects, or hanging items on the components being lifted by the lifting machinery. When lifting items that are prone to scattering or gas cylinders, a special lifting cage should be used. Cranes must never be used to transport people with lifting gear. 4. During lifting operations, the materials to be lifted must be securely tied; long and slender objects shall not be lifted from a single point. Hoppers should be used when lifting bulk materials; it is strictly prohibited to use steel wires for lifting. 5. The load to be lifted must be directly below the crane arm; lifting at an angle is strictly prohibited. It is also forbidden to lift components of unknown weight, those buried in the ground, or those stuck to the ground. 6. When work is suspended, temporary fixing measures must be taken for those parts of the lifting operation that do not form a stable structure. Components that are temporarily fixed should have their temporary fixing removed only after permanent fixation is completed. 7. Installation and dismantling of lifting machinery are strictly prohibited when the wind speed reaches 9 m/s or higher, or during severe weather conditions such as heavy rain, heavy snow, or dense fog. Outdoor lifting operations should be halted when the wind speed reaches 12 m/s or higher, or during severe weather conditions such as heavy rain, heavy snow, or dense fog. 8. When lifting operations are carried out after rain or snow, accumulated water and snow should be cleared away, and protective measures should be taken; a trial lift should be conducted before starting the work. 9. The use of tower cranes shall comply with the following provisions: 1) The foundation of the tower crane shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the instruction manual, and it shall be installed only after the foundation has passed the inspection ； The foundation should be equipped with drainage facilities ； 2) The bearing capacity at the attachment point of the tower crane shall meet the technical requirements of the tower crane, and the installation of the attachment device shall comply with the requirements specified in the user manual ； 3) The high-strength bolts of tower cranes should be manufactured by specialized manufacturers, and such bolts must not be welded ； When installing high-strength bolts, a torque wrench or a specialized wrench should be used, and they should be tightened in accordance with the assembly technical requirements ； 4) The jacking and extension of tower cranes shall comply with the requirements of the operating instructions ； Before lifting, the lower swing support should be securely connected to the lifting jacking frame, and the tower crane should be balanced ； During lifting, operations such as raising, rotating, or changing the boom angle must not be performed ； After the jacking is completed, the standard section should be securely connected to the lower swivel support ； 5) When attaching additional sections to a tower crane, the process should be carried out in the order of installing the attachment devices first, and then lifting and adding the sections. During demolition, the sections should be lowered first, followed by the removal of the attachment devices.