Barth Crane Inspections, LLC | Summerville, SC | (843) 871-8877
The Barth Crane Network
Accident Investigations
Tom Barth has built an excellent reputation with legal firms across the country for his expertise as a crane accident investigator and expert witness. With his vast experience as a crane operator and inspector, Tom assesses cases quickly and accurately and delivers concise answers to complicated questions. His lifelong commitment to crane safety gives him a unique perspective on the industry.
SPECIALIZING IN
Accident Investigation
Accident Reconstruction
Expert Testimony
Crane Inspections
Tower Crane Inspections
OTHER SERVICES
Crane Operator Training
Safety Inspections
Load Testing
Recent Activities
April 2012
A recent federal court appearance wraps up a long accident investigation involving a fatal crane accident in Michigan. Over a 2-year period, I read at least a thousand pages of depositions, reviewed crane manuals and visited the site of the accident. I gave two depositions myself and appeared in Federal court as an expert witness in April.
April 4, 2012: New York, NY
I traveled to New York to investigate a crane accident that killed one man and injured four others. The initial newspaper report noted that the boom fell when the boom hoist cable broke on the Manitowoc 4100 crane. The crane was working on a subway extension project at the time of the accident.
February 19, 2012: Los Angeles, CA
I flew to Los Angeles to investigate a crane accident that resulted in severe injuries to a worker. It was reported that workers were disassembling the lattice boom on a 165-ton truck crane when it fell.
February 14, 2012: Papua, New Guinea
I just returned from Papua, New Guinea where I've been performing crane inspections, load testing, consulting, and training crane operators, riggers and signal persons on a large construction project. I've made three trips since I started the project in 2010, spending 5-10 days on each visit. There's still work to be done and I'll be scheduling another trip soon. Here's what I see when arriving at work in the morning. What a sight!
Click image to view a larger version of the photos.
Gulf of Mexico
I'm often called to the Gulf of Mexico to work on the oil platforms. On my most recent trip, I performed crane inspections, reviewed the oil platform's crane safety program operations and submitted a written evaluation. I worked with the crane operators in reviewing specific crane regulations and created plans to improve the off loading of the supply boats. My experience in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska was invaluable—we spent a lot of time teaching the operators to "read the water" for safer and more efficent off loading. The tides, currents and winds are always changing, but there's almost always a pattern that will help you anticipate the movements of the supply boats.
Click on any image to view larger versions of the photos.