Having worked in the union construction industry in NYC I can tell you these things are a result of a numberof factors. Insuffcient or shoddy inspection, (in some rare cases throguh pay-offs), improper installion and or safety proceedures and untrained or poorly trained operators.
In short “Incompetence.” That was the first word that came to mind when I read the title.
I, too have some experience with heavy construction in NYC. My experience is in geotechnical construction, not building high rise structure, but we still used heavy lift equipment regularly.
I’m no fan of unions, or working in NYC by any means, but NYC does have the best union trained operators of any I have worked with, and the inspection of cranes is also unparalleled.
There is some other factor, I do not know what is it, but operator training and inspection are not, IMO, the cause. Operator error, failure of operator or supervisors to follow procedures, unexpected wind loading, load charts that are not conservative enough, improper anchorage, etc. are all possible contributors.
It’s a bad scene, they have had far too many accidents, and high profile ones at that, and something has to change, but pinpointing that factor or combination of factors is obviously very difficult, or we would have the problem solved.
My husband went through NCCCO training the proper way, then found out several of the other operators he works with paid a guy that just takes money and mails them their card.