Washington, DC – The DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) will immediately begin to conduct emergency inspections of all cranes operating in the District in response to the recent New York City tragedy, said DCRA Director Linda K. Argo.

All construction companies and developers are being asked to contact DCRA immediately at (202) 442-9557 to schedule an inspection as a precautionary measure. There are approximately 40 cranes currently operating throughout the District.

Argo said the decision to conduct emergency inspections is in response to a string of recent crane incidents in New York City, including this morning’s construction crane collapse on New York’s Upper East Side that smashed into a high-rise apartment building before crashing more than a dozen stories onto the street below killing at least three people.

“One of the benefits of have building height limits in the District is that a tragedy of this proportion is highly unlikely in the District,” Argo said. “However, we owe it to the residents and visitors of the District to ensure all cranes currently operating are safe.”

Companies are required to submit detailed plans to DCRA and have a three-tiered inspection process before a crane can be installed and operated in the District. All crane installations permitted and reviewed by DCRA are certified by a District-licensed structural engineer.

The District also has a strict licensing process for all crane operators in the District including the requirement of more than a decade of experience and to pass a rigorous written exam. DCRA is also beginning to conduct field tests before crane operators receive their license.

DCRA Chief Building Inspector Don Masoero said the New York City cranes are exponentially larger and are often installed on the roofs of building adjacent to construction sites which increases the risk of incidents. All cranes in the District are installed directly into the ground and mounted to multi-ton concrete pads.

“The risk of a similar incident of this magnitude occurring in the District is minimal,” Masoero said. “However, we want to calm fears of residents and ensure the crane in their neighborhood is safe and we will begin to immediately.”