Safety Rope for MEWP

[kimtree]

i have used a nifty lift for 9 years now and have never had a incident when it looked like going over

i have had however numerous incidents involving the machines failings whilst aloft (mostly electrical)and one incident when a hydraulic line broke directly over the motor and came close to catching fire

 

now the nifty is only around now to service the new machine

 

A Cela DT24 spyder which feels a bit more "safe" than the nifty except at full height where it sort of "wobbles" about abit

 

I think if your going to use any sort of mechanical lifting device you will have to trust the manufacturer and use an anchoring device in the basket only.

And the correct use of stabilizer pads, PPE etc is advised as well

[Billhook]

I am not suggesting that anyone should cut corners on maintenance or procedure.

What I am saying is that in this particular case I am an owner operator and the machine seems to be well built compared to many. Because I have owned and operated it for over ten years I am well aware of its limitations, more so perhaps than if I had been working for a firm which kept hiring a different model each time they needed one.

The regular time consuming job is painting the windows at the top of a forty foot tower.

Because I am in the same place nearly all day it means that I am often on my own, but with wife and mobile nearby.

The basket is nearly touching the wall and I put the thick rope out of one of the windows to run in between the basket and the wall. The only point the rope is anchored is to a beam inside the tower.

I spend days doing the job and the possibility of perhaps someone backing into a leg in spite of warning tape is always possible (especially in a van), likewise, the longer you are up there the more time there is for a mechanical or hydraulic failure.

 

All I have to do is drop a paint brush and grab a rope and true it may happen too quickly for me to do anything.

 

But imagine the scenario of the postman coming in and with mind on other things, backs round heading for a leg.

From my position I can see clearly what is about to happen, grab the rope and prepare to jump out.

The alternative without the rope is to watch in horror as the accident happens giving you time to see your life go before you as you plunge forty feet to the ground.

 

It is only an option I use on this job. For other work I use the fall arrester attached to something above where possible. Is this deemed to be a bad idea also as it seems many of you would prefer to take your chances being strapped to the basket?

 

Falls from the basket are usually because someone is leaning out to try and saw off a branch just out of reach. It has to be better practice to move the machine rather than strap yourself to the basket so that you can lean out of it.

[kimtree]

the chance of being able to in a spit second drop your brush grab the rope and hold on is too unlikely to be able to rely on bearing in mind that if a stabilizer/ground gives out the lift will/may not drop vertically but could very well scoop you out from the wall in any random direction

 

if you must insist on this idea get a Petzl stop or Rig(and there are plenty of other devices on the market as well) and the correct rope size and length for your purpose and attach it to the front of your harness at all times and disconnect yourself from the basket ( disclaimer added)

 

if the worst case then happens at least you can go with the flow and then descend if you are still capable

 

falling out of the basket while cutting a branch? Must be a European thing.I have never heard of any one doing that in Australia

[treequip]

 

I spend days doing the job and the possibility of perhaps someone backing into a leg in spite of warning tape is always possible (especially in a van), likewise, the longer you are up there the more time there is for a mechanical or hydraulic failure.

 

All I have to do is drop a paint brush and grab a rope and true it may happen too quickly for me to do anything.

 

But imagine the scenario of the postman coming in and with mind on other things, backs round heading for a leg.

 

A couple of points, your machine ought to be fitted with check valves to protect the machine in the event of an incident like a hydraulic failure.

 

If someone collided with the platform that's entirely your fault, the machine should be set up and protected in such a way to avoid a struck by.

[stuartc44]

Has the mewp passed it's loler check recently?

[Billhook]

the chance of being able to in a spit second drop your brush grab the rope and hold on is too unlikely to be able to rely on bearing in mind that if a stabilizer/ground gives out the lift will/may not drop vertically but could very well scoop you out from the wall in any random direction

 

if you must insist on this idea get a Petzl stop or Rig(and there are plenty of other devices on the market as well) and the correct rope size and length for your purpose and attach it to the front of your harness at all times and disconnect yourself from the basket ( disclaimer added)

 

if the worst case then happens at least you can go with the flow and then descend if you are still capable

 

falling out of the basket while cutting a branch? Must be a European thing.I have never heard of any one doing that in Australia

 

 

Why do people fall out of baskets then? Why do they need to be attached to the basket if they are operating within the confines of the basket?

 

If I am attached to my fall arrester and the machine topples. I may receive a bruise or two, I may be left dangling forty feet up, scared but alive but with nothing like the injuries I would have falling 40 feet with the machine

 

I am just saying that I like to have another option there. I appreciate that there are times when things happen so quickly that I could not grab the rope . In that case I would have thought that it there would be a slightly better chance of survival being thrown clear rather than being taken down with the basket.

 

Frankie Lawrence said he would have received more injuries in his accident had he been attached to the basket.

 

Dean Lofthouse said much the same about someone who jumped from the basket.

 

Kimtree talks about a motor nearly catching fire!

 

How would you feel if the fire spread to the hydraulic oil tank and was slowly making its way up the pipework at the same time choking you with black smoke. You would just sit in the basket and wait for a slow and terrible death I suppose if you had no rope.

 

But there are other times such as the dustbin lorry reversing, which is usually driven by mad idiots in a hurry, when you can see what is about to happen as the 20 ton beast heads towards your machine and you could well have the time to, well I know I could, hang on to the rope and slide down.

 

Treequip, I would like to know the kind of barrier you had in mind to stop a bin lorry. If a bus driver can hit one going forwards i am sure a bin lorry would have no trouble in reverse.

 

 

It is an option. Surely we are talking about being as safe as possible. I keep the machine as well maintained, tested,, greased as I can. Visual inspections before use but accidents do happen and I am just giving myself an extra chance.

Split second it may be, but it is amazing how quick the human body can react when your life depends on it.

[Mortimer Firewood]

Why do people fall out of baskets then? Why do they need to be attached to the basket if they are operating within the confines of the basket?

 

If I am attached to my fall arrester and the machine topples. I may receive a bruise or two, I may be left dangling forty feet up, scared but alive but with nothing like the injuries I would have falling 40 feet with the machine

 

I am just saying that I like to have another option there. I appreciate that there are times when things happen so quickly that I could not grab the rope . In that case I would have thought that it there would be a slightly better chance of survival being thrown clear rather than being taken down with the basket.

 

Frankie Lawrence said he would have received more injuries in his accident had he been attached to the basket.

 

Dean Lofthouse said much the same about someone who jumped from the basket.

 

Kimtree talks about a motor nearly catching fire!

 

How would you feel if the fire spread to the hydraulic oil tank and was slowly making its way up the pipework at the same time choking you with black smoke. You would just sit in the basket and wait for a slow and terrible death I suppose if you had no rope.

 

But there are other times such as the dustbin lorry reversing, which is usually driven by mad idiots in a hurry, when you can see what is about to happen as the 20 ton beast heads towards your machine and you could well have the time to, well I know I could, hang on to the rope and slide down.

 

Treequip, I would like to know the kind of barrier you had in mind to stop a bin lorry. If a bus driver can hit one going forwards i am sure a bin lorry would have no trouble in reverse.

 

 

It is an option. Surely we are talking about being as safe as possible. I keep the machine as well maintained, tested,, greased as I can. Visual inspections before use but accidents do happen and I am just giving myself an extra chance.

Split second it may be, but it is amazing how quick the human body can react when your life depends on it.

 

Get in a 140 ft genie lift boom it out and pull the joy stick down you will not stop in the basket. The requirements of health and safety cover all mewps one can be very different from another .

 

I never clipped in to a picker when on the steel as it was my biggest feet been trapped in a basket going down seen it happen and the outcome.

If putting a rope in makes you feel better crack on but id practice the procedure as i think it all take longer than you think to set it and go getting over the side of a basket is harder than you think.

 

What sort of harness are you wearing when in the picker

 

Mind you id love to read the risk assessment

[Billhook]

Get in a 140 ft genie lift boom it out and pull the joy stick down you will not stop in the basket. The requirements of health and safety cover all mewps one can be very different from another .

I never clipped in to a picker when on the steel as it was my biggest feet been trapped in a basket going down seen it happen and the outcome.

If putting a rope in makes you feel better crack on but id practice the procedure as i think it all take longer than you think to set it and go getting over the side of a basket is harder than you think.

 

What sort of harness are you wearing when in the picker

 

Mind you id love to read the risk assessment

 

Can you just explain that one again please and tell us what the outcome was.

 

I have a Troll Lynxx full harness which I use with the fall arrester.

[Mortimer Firewood]

Can you just explain that one again please and tell us what the outcome was.

 

I have a Troll Lynxx full harness which I use with the fall arrester.

 

I never tied in to the basket in all the years I was in a picker. When I started I was expected to walk steel so getting in a picker was a dream come true. But never felt safe been tied to it.

 

We had this drummed into us on ipaff and other courses

If your harness is connected to the fall arrester at the rear and you fall out of picker and are left dangling 20 mins the bload supply will be cut off to your legs and you no what that means.

Trust me I've been hung from a rear connect harness it's not good.

[Billhook]

I never tied in to the basket in all the years I was in a picker. When I started I was expected to walk steel so getting in a picker was a dream come true. But never felt safe been tied to it.

 

We had this drummed into us on ipaff and other courses

If your harness is connected to the fall arrester at the rear and you fall out of picker and are left dangling 20 mins the bload supply will be cut off to your legs and you no what that means.

Trust me I've been hung from a rear connect harness it's not good.

 

It is not good but twenty minutes is a long time and it would not take long to call for help on the mobile.

Surely given the option of dangling for a bit or going down with the machine, the dangling has my vote!

 

My original question was about what kind of rope system would you use to exit the cage in the event of a mechanical or electrical failure.

These things happen in spite of Loler and all the checks you should do.

 

Even if you had a groundie the machine may not operate and you need to come down. It cannot be any more unsafe than coming down from a tree or abseiling.

 

At the moment I have the fall arrester which is heavy and cumbersome to rig up but which does the job and gives me free movement in the cage.

I also have this thick hemp rope as another option.

This rigging up time is not so bad as I spend a lot of time in one place when painting.

 

All I was asking was is there a better way as to me lashing myself to the cage is signing your own death warrant.

 

Surely also in a 140 ft Genie there is something very wrong with the design if by pulling a lever you go down so fast that you come out of the cage.

My machine works in a very steady manner.