26.10.2010

Dutch innovation

A reader in Holland spotted one of the most unusual pieces of access equipment we have ever seen.

The device brings a new meaning to forklift and a pallet type access and in our book is a definite Death Wish. The sorry is probably best told in the words of our reader:

“My car needed some diesel this morning so off to the gas station in my village which is next to an old garage. Inside the garage I spotted a fabulous and ultra modern piece of access equipment.”
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An amazing work platform from Holland

“The painter using it was just having a coffee break and told me that he invented it eight years ago and it has been proven very economic and safe, particularly having an escape hole in the platform floor with a ladder to get him down.”

“His only problem is exiting the platform when the forklift driver is away for a while, is not to so easy, but so he said: ‘I am considering to add a folding ladder connected to the fixed one so that I can come to the ground and do it all by myself !!!”

“When I asked him if it would not be more safer to have guardrails around the platform he said: possibly, but in that case I need the driver permanently to position me up and down and now I can use my painting stick and rolls much better if I work on walls.’ We Dutch are so smart”

Vertikal Comment

Well it is a form of powered access... and probably safer than a tall step ladder, but it risks giving the user a false sense of security, which as we all know leads to accidents.

The fork truck is probably underutilised, so the fact that its is tied up all day with the painter is probably not a major issue. However if the device came off the forks, or our man fell while trying to get down when the operator was away the cost over renting a proper lift or even a scaffold tower would look decidedly expensive.

This is yet another example of the philosophy 'It won't happen to me.'