26.05.2010
Proper Usage or abusage?
A reader snapped two men using a 65ft boom lift at a shopping centre in the UK this week. On the one hand the lift was far larger than was needed for the job, so the two men decided to place the lift well back out of the way and then boomed into the work area.
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Note the pedestrians passing beneath the boom
The problem was of course that in doping so the boom was located over the heads of shoppers entering the Mall- something that is clearly regarded as bad practice
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The boom was placed well back from the entrance
The benefit of course is that the machine was well out of the way of shoppers causing no disruption, while keeping any noise of fumes from the front of the shop.
By rights the area under the boom should of course been cordoned off - However it is hardly a Death Wish. In their favour the men were both wearing harnesses and lanyards and the machine was located in a traffic free area.
What do you think?
vertikal editor
I don't think this is the same shopping centre, if I recall the one you refer to had a flat roof over the entrance?
As to whether this is the right machine it is hard to say, the point is that standing back out of the way has its advantages, but working over members of the public?? We thought this was a questioinable and debatable work method although it can be argued either way.
Des Alcock
This is all well and good but if a shopper walks under the boom and looks up and trips who's to blame its the employer and the operator, what if they walk around the boom and into the traffic and get run over by a passing car, this has got to stop if it can happen it will so get your guys trained or you will end up in court.this is not a one off there are big Hire companys in the UK and they dont give a hoot about safety but they do all the IPAF courses only because it MAKES MONEY.I wont let my men work without a full risk assesment simply because we are Trained in road traffic management and we know the risks but the Big Guys think so what we only hire out the machine its not our problem.
James Langdale
Is this the same shopping centre that you had a previous "death wish" article on last year, where they were using an articulated boom only then to stand on the lower roof?!
James Marchant
I have read your article but looking at the two pictures they may well be using the correct machine.
There are bollards preventing closer access to the sign but it is impossible to tell if there is access from the other side for a smaller machine.
The area in front of the shop is also paved and it is often the case that machines are not allowed to set up as these slabs are often cracked, broken easily and costly to repair. Tarmac is often a greater weight bearing load to set up on.
A tracked machine could have potentially gained access but often the outriggers negate the machines outreach on certain 'up and over' applications and they are not as mobile.
They also may have been working on another area, of what looks like a retail park that may have needed a Genie S65 and for costs purposes they used one machine for all access requirements.
I do agree that they should have cordened off a safe access route for pedestrians but this is often a missing aspect by many hirers of equipment.