Steel Erector Dies in Crane Accident

Dana Lowe, a 53-year-old subcontractor for steel erector CSE Inc., based in Williston, Vt., died on March 14 in a crane-related accident at a Hanover Inn hotel construction site in Hanover, N.H.

Lowe was injured on the afternoon of March 13 when a crane hook hit the aerial lift he was working on, causing it to topple over, according to a statement by Hanover Police Chief Nicholas Giaccone. "Lowe landed on the concrete deck of a portion of new construction," he stated.

The New Hampshire Medical Examiner's Office listed the cause of death as blunt-force trauma to the head. The case is under investigation by the medical examiner's office, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Hanover Police Dept.

Lowe, who lived in Morrisville, Vt., was a steel erector for CSE. He died in a hospital 12 to 15 hours after the accident.

"This was an unfortunate first for us, and the magnitude is overwhelming," says William Michaud, president of CSE Inc. He declines to comment further, saying he has not yet received the police report or OSHA report about the incident.

Engelberth Construction, Colchester, Vt., is the general contractor for the Hanover Inn construction project. Pierre LeBlanc, president of Engelberth Construction, says, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family." LeBlanc declined further comment.

The crane that triggered the event is owned and operated by Able Crane Service. The company, based in Merrimack, N.H., was not willing to comment on the incident because it is under investigation.

CSE Inc. has no record of OSHA violations and is not affiliated with Commercial Steel Erection (CSE), headquartered in Madison Heights, Va.

The OSHA investigation of the incident is expected to be complete and made public within 180 days, says OSHA representative Ted Fitzgerald, in Boston.

Johanna Knapschaefer, ENR’s New England Special Correspondent, has been writing about trends in design and construction of buildings, bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure for more than a decade. She also profiles award-winning industry leaders and delves into broader construction issues such as workforce training, worker safety and health, climate change remediation and emerging offshore wind and tidal energy developments. Over the past two decades, her articles have appeared in Architectural Record, BusinessWeek, the Boston Globe, American Banker, Modern Metals, BusinessNH Magazine, Pittsburgh Magazine and many other publications. Johanna is fluent in Japanese, and taught English and academic writing in the Science and Engineering Department of Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, while living in Japan for eight years.

When not writing, Johanna enjoys mountain climbing, singing and playing her Spanish guitar.

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