17.11.2023

Crane operator rescue

Earlier this week the operator of a tower crane with a hook height in excess of 50 metres, had to be rescued from his cab, after suffering a serious health episode.

Thankfully the man, 50, managed to make contact with his colleagues on the ground, they called the emergency services and headed up the tower to provide assistance. The emergency services decided to bring in a helicopter, due to it being too high for their turntable ladders and the availability and site access issues for a 70 metre plus truck mounted lift.
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By the time the helicopter arrived a colleague and a firefighter had reached the man, they determined that given his critical condition the best plan was to lower him to the ground rather than airlift him directly to hospital.
He was placed on a rescue stretcher and bag and flown to a field next to the site, where an emergency medical team was ready to take over. After intensive treatment on site, the man was finally taken to hospital in an ambulance. Where we understand he is stable condition.
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Photos courtesy of Berufsfeuerwehr München

Vertikal Comment

This news story highlights the importance of a plan for such eventualities. From what we understand this rescue went extremely smoothy, perhaps more to do with the fact that they were in Munich, where a helicopter was on hand to reach them so rapidly, not to mention the well-equipped medical crew in place on the ground. If he had been on a more remote site, or in a country region where the emergency services are not so well equipped or where they are overstretched, the outcome could have been ended entirely differently.