See Tower Cranes Swinging In The Storm? There's A Reason For That

DENVER (CBS4) - With the spring storm season now here in Colorado and the many construction projects in the Denver metro area, some people wonder about those tall cranes and how they withstand the elements.

Tower cranes can be very susceptible to extreme winds.

When the winds come cranes can be observed swinging around, but that's for safety. It keeps the crane from being blown over.

"One of the major reasons for the destruction of a tower crane during a storm is wind. Cranes are prone to being in the direct path of strong wind currents and thus precautions must be taken," according to Vandoorn, a tower crane consultant company. "By leaving the crane in free slew this allows the slew ring to move freely with the wind and not fight against it."

So it might look like a crane might be in danger of collapsing, it's actually safer if it swings freely during high winds.