40 Years

40 years ago today, the skywalks fell.

The atrium of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency was a beautiful place; an airy, open multi-story space with three skywalks suspended in air, hanging without blocking the floor below. And on July 17, hundreds of people were taking advantage, attending an evening tea dance.

Within a few moments, the celebrations turned to terror as the 4th floor skywalk collapsed onto the 2nd floor skywalk, and both skywalks collapsed onto the crowd in the lobby. 114 people died, in the deadliest non-deliberate structural failure in the U.S. (Though the Surfside condominium collapse may pass it if more bodies are found.)

The collapse was caused by a change to the walkway design that was made at the request of a contractor - without consulting the engineers - and a lack of communication and oversight that would have caught the problem before it killed people.

Always remember - think about the consequences of what you're doing. And always make sure to communicate with all the groups involved, so a mistake doesn't get swept under the rug.