Manny Souza’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of safety, particularly in high-risk areas like crane work. Seventeen years ago, Souza experienced a life-altering crane collapse on a Miami construction site. While working as the project safety manager for the 47-story Paramount Bay condominium complex, Souza made the crucial decision to cancel a scheduled crane jump due to windy conditions. However, as he was in a nearby home for a meeting, the crane parts dislodged and fell, striking the building and sending debris crashing onto Souza and others inside. Two lives were lost, and Souza’s own injuries were severe, leaving him hospitalized for months.

Despite the horrific ordeal, Souza’s resilience shone through, and today, he uses his personal experience to improve jobsite safety. Now a senior vice president of environmental health and safety at Samet Corp., Souza advocates for heightened awareness and proactive measures in the construction industry, especially around cranes. “With my eyes, I’ve seen the worst that can happen if something’s not managed correctly,” Souza reflects.

Souza's story serves as a cautionary tale for the industry, emphasizing how quickly things can go wrong when safety protocols are not followed or overlooked. As he continues to share his experiences with industry professionals, his primary focus remains on raising the bar for safety standards and minimizing risks. "My focus is on how we can all proactively enhance safety beyond minimum requirements — particularly for high-risk operations like crane work," he says.

In addition to his advocacy work, Souza has seen significant improvements in crane safety since the 2008 incident. OSHA’s revised crane and derrick safety regulations, finalized in 2010, set higher standards for crane design, worker training, and hazard assessment. However, Souza stresses that safety shouldn’t be confined to regulatory compliance alone. “Regulatory agencies play a vital role in establishing safety requirements, but safety goes beyond that,” he explains.

Moreover, Souza is impressed by technological advancements that go beyond OSHA's standards, including features like GPS tracking, collision detection, and live-feed cameras to help crane operators avoid blind spots. These improvements have been instrumental in reducing crane-related incidents and enhancing overall site safety.

As Souza reflects on his journey, he continues to advocate for safer practices in construction, urging others to learn from his experience and to never underestimate the importance of safety. “You hear this phrase all the time in our industry, ‘I’ve been doing this for 30 years.’ But if you’ve been doing it the same way for 30 years, you’re missing opportunities to be more effective and to be a higher performer,” he concludes.

Souza’s journey is a testament to his resilience and commitment to creating safer workplaces for future generations. His advocacy is a reminder to everyone in the construction industry that safety is not just about following rules — it's about continuous improvement and learning from the past.

Originally reported by Zachary Phillips in Construction Dive.