15.05.2017
Fatal telehandler fall in Florida
A man in his 40's has died while a man in his 30's is seriously injured after they fell from a makeshift platform in Jacksonville, Florida last Thursday.
We are not quite sure what happened, the local police said that the two men were loading supplies into a third-storey window from a wooden crate on the forks of the telehandler, when the crate came off the forks and fell to the ground, pulling the two men down with it.
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The incident in Jacksonville last week
Comparing this statement with photograph we have been sent, indicates that they might have been working from the crate. However another photo shows some sort of makeshift platform using two ladders lashed horizontally to two upright frames. The ladders appear to have slipped on one side, what we do not know is how this was related to the telehandler load drop?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the incident. A spokesman is quoted as saying: “They are doing interviews and gathering folks up, trying to figure out what the hell went wrong.” The general contractor on the job is Summit Contracting, but the men work for a sub-contractor, M & R Construction.
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A makeshift platform? Just along from the telehandler
Summit issued the following statement: “Summit Contracting Group sends its deepest condolences to the family that lost a loved one in the tragic accident yesterday, and our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery to the worker who was injured. The two workers were employed by M&R Construction, LLC, who is a subcontractor to Building Materials and Construction Services.“
"OSHA is currently investigating the accident and Summit is providing OSHA with all requested information necessary for OSHA to complete its investigation. Summit has no further comment on this active OSHA investigation other than to reiterate our commitment to job site safety, including our commitment to fully cooperate with the OSHA investigation.”
Another complete waste of life !
And look at the crooked angle the ladders are set at on the temp support system - now look at the crooked angle in the first photo that the site signage is suspended at its the same wonky angle... Warns you not to buy on of these flats - lord alone knows what passes for a horizontal surface on this site.
Lets hope their OSHA throw the book at them - also that the second guy makes a full recovery !