Construction Sites in Emergency Mode: Cranes Keep Working Despite the Ban
The construction industry is also operating in emergency mode. Contractors are accustomed to this routine and to the guidelines formulated over the past three years, which remain unchanged now as well.
Under the guidelines, work may continue at construction sites as long as workers can reach a standard protected shelter within a reasonable time. Since working on a crane does not allow time to reach a shelter, this work is prohibited by law. However, the guidelines and reality are two different things. A Calcalist investigation found that despite the ban, contractors have learned that there is no real enforcement of Home Front Command instructions, and if the crane operator is willing to work, the work continues as usual.
It should be noted that without a crane, even if a construction site is apparently operating normally, its ability to move forward is very limited. A contractor from the central region whom we spoke with said they are working as usual, despite the instructions. “We have to keep advancing the project. Who will pay me if I’m late on schedule? The state wants to hold the stick at both ends, on the one hand it does not allow me to work, and on the other hand it expects me to meet deadlines and does not compensate me for delays.”
Roi Weinstein, chairman of the Crane Operators Union, estimates that in the central region only 30% to 40% of the cranes have been shut down. “Local authorities and the Safety Administration at the Ministry of Labor are not enforcing the Home Front Command instructions, there is zero enforcement against manpower companies and contractor companies, and contractors have learned that no one enforces Home Front Command orders. Eighty percent of crane operators work for manpower companies and do not have employment security. A crane operator who refuses to go up on a crane will be replaced the next day by a crane operator who is willing to work, and if the manpower company does not agree to send crane operators to sites, it too will be replaced.”
Roni Brik, president of the Israel Builders Association, said: “According to the state’s decision, which was reached after years of effort by the association, from last March the construction industry was defined as part of the economy in wartime emergency, meaning work may be carried out at construction sites according to Home Front Command instructions for workplaces. But, unfortunately, the Safety Administration at the Ministry of Labor refuses to approve operating cranes from the ground, as is done in many countries around the world. In fact, this was allowed in Israel for years, and about two years ago, without a logical explanation, the head of the Safety Administration announced that it was forbidden. In April the administration decided to approve a pilot in this area, but the rules that were set now do not allow crane work at most sites in the country.”
At the same time, on the day the association demanded expanding the use of remote-controlled cranes, a crane belonging to Skyline collapsed at the Neot Hovav site while being operated remotely, causing heavy damage to equipment, and fortunately no one was hurt. Skyline is leading the model of operating a crane by remote control, arguing that it is more efficient and safer. The incident occurred on the same day the company announced that it had won the 2025 Excellence in Safety Award.
Skyline said in response: “This is an incident under investigation. We emphasize that there is no connection whatsoever between the circumstances of the collapse and the remote operation of the crane. The crane was operating at a logistics center, which is not a construction site, and in accordance with the relevant procedures. The fact that it was operated remotely prevented harm to the operator and prevented a more serious disaster. The company operates with the utmost rigor according to safety procedures and is working with all professional parties to clarify the circumstances of the incident.”
