13.08.2018

The leaning tower of Poole

Spotted this morning in Poole, Dorset, on the UK’s south coast a 14 metre leaning stairway scaffold tower.
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Spotted in Poole a high tower with two tradesmen at work

The incident was spotted by one of our regular readers in the Lilliput area, close to the harbour and some of the most expensive real estate in the UK. The photograph shows the high tower is only supported by regular stabilisers, rather than extra large ones, meaning that the base width to height is all wrong. On top of that it is leaning into the building and as far as we can see is mounted on casters. If not anchored to one of the balconies the base could kick out, bringing the whole lot down.
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The outriggers are definitely too small and as far as we can see not properly set

There is also the fact that the recommendations for free standing mobile towers is that the height be no more than three or four times the maximum width of the base – let’s be very generous and assume that the width over the outriggers is 2.4 metres – is so, this would limit the tower height to between seven and 10 metres, and that would assume the outriggers were correctly placed on each corner at 45 degrees!
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Spot the one legged rail balancer

In addition to all this the tower is set up in an area where cars are turning and manoeuvring with no cordoning off, so vulnerable to being hit by a reversing car. And if all that was not bad enough, check the lowest balcony. It seems that the tradesman is standing on the balcony rail or a horizontal brace on the tower and is on one leg.

With all that going on it seems churlish to mention the lack of toe boards and guardrails. Definitely one for our Death Wish Series.