22.03.2007

Lift operator injured in fall

An employee of Brogan Access was seriously injured yesterday after falling around 10 metres through the roof of an Edinburgh warehouse and landing on his head. His fall was broken slightly by the fact that he landed on stack of books.

He suffered head injuries, a broken arm and leg in the fall, which occurred at David Flatman ltd’s warehouse in Granton. He was treated by first aiders and the then paramedics before being taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he is reported to be in a "serious but stable" condition.

The man had taken surveyors up in his lift to inspect the corrugated iron roof but for some reason he left the safety of the platform and was standing on the roof when a section of it gave way.

The Health and Safety Executive has taken over the investigation from police, and inspectors were interviewing workers at the warehouse yesterday.

In the meantime, employees were allowed back into the building. David Flatman is currently in administration. The retail side of the business has been sold to The-Works, while the management is buying the publishing business.

The administrator said that the landlord was carrying out the inspection and had organised the aerial lift.

Vertikal Comment

It is hard to comment on such an incident where a man has been seriously injured without having been there in person.

However the sad thing here is that having taken the trouble to rent in an aerial lift, the surveyor and the operator both left the platform. Given the high number of falls through fragile roofs one wonders how this happened.

Perhaps if the operator had kept his harness on but extended his lanyard he might have fared better?

Hopefully the man will make a full recovery and the facts used as an example to prevent others making the same mistake.