Crane-safety teacher admitted to giving unqualified mobsters passing grades

A front page story in The New York Times this morning detailed some severe problems with the instructor of a crane-safety class that cast his fitness to teach into doubt.

The 30-hour class, which teaches the proper way to raise and lower a tower crane, was mandated for New York City crane operators after last year's fatal crane collapses. In theory, these courses should boost the Department of Building's credibility and are a good way to avoid crane accidents.

In practice, problems sometimes crop up that turn these well-intentioned requirements into a mockery of themselves.

The article claims that James Conway, an instructor, came forth with these tawdry tales in cooperation with a 2003 investigation of his union, Local 14-14B of the International Union of Operating Engineers. This investigation ended with convictions for 45 union officials, union members and crime figures on racketeering charges.

The article indicates that, though not charged along with his colleagues, Mr. Conway did not have a clean record himself. It appears that an investigation revealed that Mr. Conway helped unqualified criminals get into his union and then obtain licenses to operate small cranes. Mr. Conway also tried to recruit exotic dancers into the union as apprentices, though he claimed this was at the behest of another union employee.

Mr. Conway said that he was acting out of fear for his job and his life.

While Mr. Conway's actions are understandable if his excuses are to be believed, they are still inexcusable. Allowing questionably qualified and unqualified operators into the cabs of cranes puts every person who walks the streets of New York at risk. It is a mystery why The Department of Buildings allow him and his union to teach such a critical safety course.

When a New York Times reporter inquired of The Department of Buildings why these individuals are allowed to teach these courses, the response was "these are the people who perform this type of work." The Department of Buildings needs to hold all the instructors it licenses to a much higher standard.