Safety Rope for MEWP

[treequip]

The rope I am talking about is about two inches in diameter and hemp not nylon, like the ones used for climbing in gyms.

 

http://www.traditionalropecompany.co.uk/images/pic-04640.jpg

 

Did you never do rope climbing in the gym at school? It is not too hard to let yourself down slowly using your legs and body. Certainly preferable to falling!

 

If you are in a tree it may just let you guide yourself to a safe branch. If you are doing building maintenance then it is sometimes possible to "walk" down the wall.

 

Oh man, I want some of whatever you have been smoking.

 

If you were that spaced out the fall wont hurt a bit.

[Frankie Lawrence]

I think if your attached to tree and standing in the basket and the platform falls its going to increase injury.

 

Ive been in a platform when it toppled and think I could probably have broke a back/neck anything else or been cut in half by the basket if I was anchored to something else. luckily walked away with nothing but a grazed ass.. Sure I know I was lucky but Id take that chance anyday than being anchored to something.

[Dean Lofthouse]

I know of someone that jumped from the basket on the way down and suffered broken leg and other minor injuries.

 

The other person in the basket suffered horrendous injuries because he couldn't undo quick enough and broke his back because the short strop he was attached with kept his waist suspended when the basket hit the floor, which probably caused the broken back

[Billhook]

Yes I see in the training manual this is the perceived wisdom but I would feel much happier to have a stout rope attached to a secure point above me, long enough to reach the floor and close enough to catch hold of should an incident like this occur. A belt and braces approach.

 

If you attach yourself to the basket you are bound to go down with it.

 

Two men thrown 25ft to floor after bus hits cherry picker in Tunbridge Wells | Kent and Sussex Courier

 

or this

 

Tree surgeons hurt in cherry picker plunge at Milborne St Andrew (From Dorset Echo)

 

Don't you think that these men would have had a fair chance of avoiding serious injury if they had such a system?

 

 

Then I must refer you to my earlier post.

 

Would these guys have survived serious injury if they had another option?

 

It does not matter how good your pads are or how good your groundie is, if a bloody bus comes round the corner and collides with a leg.

 

It may be that the ground which was apparently sound when you first looked, had a sink hole and there are times you are aware that something is going wrong with either the legs or the mechanics and you do have enough time to hang on to a rope and believe me if I had the option of falling 17 metres strapped to a basket or take my chances with a stout rope, I know which option I would choose.

[Philip Anderson]

Then I must refer you to my earlier post.

 

Would these guys have survived serious injury if they had another option?

 

It does not matter how good your pads are or how good your groundie is, if a bloody bus comes round the corner and collides with a leg.

 

It may be that the ground which was apparently sound when you first looked, had a sink hole and there are times you are aware that something is going wrong with either the legs or the mechanics and you do have enough time to hang on to a rope and believe me if I had the option of falling 17 metres strapped to a basket or take my chances with a stout rope, I know which option I would choose.

 

You need to do what you think or perceive to be best!!

The incident with the bus was purely down to poor traffic management ,what would they have attached to under your methodology ? A sky hook ?

If you have problems with your machines legs cutting out fix them or the sensors,if you don't trust your machine then don't use it,if your unsure of the ground don't set up and as for grabbing your stout rope in time would you have time to drop your tools etc grab it cleanly exit the cage cleanly and swing away like Tarzan I think not.

I think most people who operate and own mewps have given you their honest opinion on your idea I come from the background of being an owner opperator for the past 20 years and don't think its sensible.

[skyhuck]

Reading this thread makes me very glad I never use these contraptions!!!

[TIMON]

Reading this thread makes me very glad I never use these contraptions!!!

 

 

Same here...

[Philip Anderson]

Reading this thread makes me very glad I never use these contraptions!!!

 

Never say never!

[Mortimer Firewood]

Spent a lot of Tim in a picker accidents happen in a flash no time to think you may get enough time to jump if your lucky.

 

Mewps used in arb are a lot different to construction I've never really felt safe in a machine that has jacks.

 

Mind you there's nothing like moving a 140 straight boom while out at full extension to wake you up in the morning an inch on the ground is two foot in the basket. Especially if some clown had doctored the speed control.

[eldon]

A previous neighbour suffered serious injury (intensive care) when a MEWP he was working on had a failed pin joint. This was a known failure but it had been out on hire so hadn't had the recall. This was some 40' (or it might have been more) up and he was on the way down after testing the full range of travel. I think he would have had less injuries if he had been fastened into the basket as it catapulted him out onto a concrete floor.

 

Some of his work colleagues (a well known plant hirer in Leeds) refused to ride in the basket when testing and operated it apparently with roped controls. I bet he wished he had that day!