Rigger in Crane Collapse Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter

According to the New York Times on Monday, "When William Rapetti, a rigging contractor, arrived at a high-rise construction site on East 51st Street to raise a crane last March, the construction manager offered him a set of fresh slings for the job, prosecutors say. Mr. Rapetti refused the slings, a decision that led to a devastating accident that killed seven people, Robert M. Morgenthau, the Manhattan district attorney, said on Monday."

"Instead, Mr. Rapetti used four of his own slings, one of them badly worn, Mr. Morgenthau said. When one of the slings, used to stabilize the 22-story crane, snapped, a six-ton metal collar that had supported the crane fell from the 18th floor, destroying two other collars below as it slid down, the district attorney said. Eventually, the crane toppled from 51st Street onto 50th Street, gravely damaging several buildings."

"Mr. Rapetti, 48, of Massapequa Park, N.Y., and his company, Rapetti Rigging Services, were charged in an indictment unsealed on Monday with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault and reckless endangerment."

The information provided by the NY Times in yesterday's article is worth reading! It outlines some of the alleged violations that led to the accident. Click Here to Read the rest of the story in the NY Times.

This is how it's done in Illinois

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the Governor's Mansion in Springfield, Illinois; One from Chicago, another from Tennessee , & a third from Kentucky .

They all go with the governor to examine the fence. The Tennessee contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil. "Well", he says, "I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew and $100 profit for me."

The Kentucky contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, 'I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew and $100 profit for me.'

The Chicago contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the governor and whispers, '$2,700.' Incredulous, the governor whispers back, 'You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?'

The Chicago contractor whispers back, '$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire that guy from Kentucky to fix the fence.'

'Done!' replies the governor.

And that my friends, is how it all works in Illinois politics ! ! !

Manslaughter Charges Expected in Crane Collapse

Yesterday, the New York Times reported that "Manhattan prosecutors are expected to announce manslaughter charges on Monday [today] against the rigger who was overseeing the raising of a tower crane on the East Side last year when it collapsed, killing seven, according to people briefed on the case."

"The rigger, William Rapetti, has also been charged with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment and second-degree assault in the spectacular disaster, in which the 22-story crane plunged across East 51st Street, piercing one building and tearing terraces off another, the people said. The accident, on March 15, played out across a two-block swath of the Turtle Bay neighborhood, leaving two dozen people injured and the streets strewn with rubble."

If you think that you can just ignore jobsite safety without significant consequences, think again. Not only do you have to live with the knowledge that your actions (or inaction) resulted in the injury or death of a fellow worker, probably loss of your job, and inability to ever get another job doing what you love to do, you may also end up in jail! Click here to read the whole story in the NY Times.

Arrived in Irving

When I left Marshall, Texas (just west of Shreveport, Louisiana) this morning, it was about 66 degrees. When I arrived in Irving, it was 34 degrees and very windy. ITS BLOODY COLD HERE!
I had to don a pair of socks!

Arrived in Texas

I left the Pensacola area early on Saturday morning and traveled through Alabama in the fog the whole way!

I entered Mississippi at about 8:30 am (CST)


I took no photos the rest of the trip because it was foggy, rained, or there simply was nothing to photograph. Most of the way through Louisiana (I-49) was about like traveling on I-10 between Tallahassee and Pensacola.

Anyway, I made Texas and checked into a hotel just before half-time on the Atlanta-Arizona game. I proceeded to fall asleep and woke up just in time to see the overtime portion of the Colts/Chargers game. I guess I was tired.

I've got about a 3 hour lope into Dallas today and start my "new job" on Monday morning.

Halfway

Well, I'm about halfway to Dallas. The first day on the road was pretty uneventful. I stopped for a couple of hours in Gainesville and spent some time with my son. We had lunch at Chili's - the Mushroom/Jack Fajitas were great.

And, just so you don't think that I've let my safety side slide (that's tough to say, isn't it?), when leaving my son's apartment, a maintenance man repairing a basketball hoop had to be reminded to stay off the top step of his step ladder. I don't think he was happy about the reminder!

The first night was spent a few miles east of Pensacola and as soon as I take advantage of the free breakfast, I'll be "on the road again."

Last Entry before leaving for Dallas

The car is packed (except for my computer) and I'm ready to hit the road tomorrow morning. Before I start out though, I thought I'd leave you one of the 2008 Darwin Award Entries.

A Texas contract worker was hired to install reinforcement bars on a communications tower near Camp Bullis. He was wielding power tools high above the ground, when two other workers saw him lean back and fall 225 feet to his death. Turns out, the man had loosened the bolts on the bar to which he was attached. The police called it a "tragic accident." He did, however, remove himself from the gene pool, qualifying him for entry in the Darwin Awards.