Ministry Interdicts Use of Cranes After Stadium Accident

11/29/2013 - 08h23

Until the causes of the accident that killed two employees are clarified, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has banned the use of the nine cranes that are currently in Itaquerão construction site, the stadium that is being built on the East Zone of São Paulo scheduled to host the World Cup 2014 opening.

Roof Falls and Destroys Part of Itaquerão Bleachers; Builder Confirms Deaths

"It will delay the schedule, but this is not our area. Our priority is to make sure it is safe for the workers," says Antônio Pereira, one of officers checking the worksite, on Thursday morning.

Before the accident, the deadline to deliver the stadium was January 5.

Officials asked the contractor to submit the calculations used to build the base where the crane that held the last metal roof module of the stadium and fell over on Wednesday afternoon was placed.

The officials want to hear representatives from the crane manufacturer. They will also be called responsible for the outsourced companies operating the machine.

The goal is to find out if there was a black box installed. If that was the case, the device would have recorded any abnormal movement just before coming down.

Officials refused to put deadlines to end the ban. On December 12, there should be a meeting between representatives of the construction company, prosecutors and the Ministry of Labour to discuss the matter and submit the documents proving that there was security for workers at the worksite.

Through a written statement, the construction company Odebrecht said that reasonable measures were taken, which made it possible for the accident not to be huge.

Yesterday morning, the Institute of Criminology was at Itaquerão, examining the accident site. The result of the investigation must come out in 30 days.

Translated by SIMONE PALMA

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	Moacyr Lopes Junior/Folhapress
	Two workers were killed on Wednesday when a crane collapsed at the stadium hosting the opening match of World Cup 2014