Boom Lift Fatality

[Big 'Ammer]

A sad story.

 

In the USA do they have to be trained in the use of MEWPs as we do here?

[Stephen Blair]

sad indeed, i would of thought you wouldnt of been able to move one of those unless it was back in transport position, i thought it would of been full of sensors preventing it from moving. what a waste, i see painters everywhere in these things these days, over parked cars and pedestrian walkways, a couple of cones and away they go, no harnesses or safet hats. not cool

[Andy Collins]

You can move these machines at full reach, and this is taught on the IPAF course, but the speed is very slow, so it is quicker to drop down to transport position and accelerate faster. Of course, a banksman is a must in any scenario with a machine that can be moved from aloft, as you cant always see whats on the ground, even in transport position visibility is impaired by the sheer bulk. I've always preferred the JLG/Genie machines over other forms of mewp I just love their stability, but you must check your chosen route out before moving.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Jesus... it's basic mewp operating law, manhole covers!

 

I also personally NEVER move a boom while fully extended just in case, a pestrian walkway is built for pedestrian traffic not vehicular, that should have been a massive factor when choosing the mewp, a low ground pressure machine such as a tracked machine

 

What a waste, I personally dont think the mewp courses cover enough

[Tom D]

Pretty tragic, I cant beleive the machine even lets you move it at height. Just dropping a wheel off the kerb would be scary enough.

 

I once was driving little 2 ton forklift with a man basket on it, my boss was in the basket changing a ight bulb at pretty much full extension on the mast. He asked me to drive forward and as I did the front wheels dropped into a drainage gully, it was only about 3" deep but he nearly **** himself.

[skyhuck]

Really, really sad, as others have said, it should have been foreseen and avoided.

 

He was inspecting a steeple, probably had no other way to gain access, we on the other hand can simple climb the tree and use rope and harness.

 

When working a tree I know its been there for X number of years, so is well nailed down. You stick a MEWP next next to the tree and it has no history of stability on that site (unlike the tree)

 

The ONLY reason I could ever see for using a MEWP, would be lack of skill on the contractors part and if thats the case then its probably a good call.

[Mr Ed]

The ONLY reason I could ever see for using a MEWP, would be lack of skill on the contractors part and if thats the case then its probably a good call.

 

No quite true. No lack of skill on my part, but I use the JLG type on rare occasions. Very usefull when crown raising long lines of trees along a road for instance.

[skyhuck]

No quite true. No lack of skill on my part, but I use the JLG type on rare occasions. Very usefull when crown raising long lines of trees along a road for instance.

 

I would argue that you could achieve the same speed for the same cost by just get in 2 extra climbers and maybe use a ladder to speed up access.

 

I think road side is one of the LAST places you would want to be using a MEWP.

[Peter]

I'd like to know where you can get two extra climbers for £220 plus vat per week.

[skyhuck]

I'd like to know where you can get two extra climbers for £220 plus vat per week.

 

I was talking about a day.

 

My humble apology for not knowing the cost of MEWP hire, but I don't use them so don't know.

 

People are always saying how expensive they are