11.04.2011

Homemade Death Wish

A couple of men pruning trees were spotted last week in Ireland breaking every sensible safety rule in the book and the worst fact of all is that they were working as contactors to the local authority.

The description is best left in the words of our correspondent:

“Please refer to the attached - I am not sure if this qualifies as a 'Death Wish', but the manner in which it was being used certainly does. This is a trailer mounted access platform that is powered by a small petrol generator. It was being used by a hedge trimming contractor, (I am sure he made it himself, I could be wrong) employed by our local council.”

“The men in the platform were not using harnesses or any form of load spreading device under the outriggers, in spite of it being set up on soft wet grass. To make matters even worse, the two men were operating petrol powered trimmers - in this tiny basket!”
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The home made trailer lift

“I advised them they should be taking better precautions and was told, quite unceremoniously, to mind my own business. This morning, I was able to get this picture just as they were arriving to the job site.”

This is case highlights so many issues, there is no way that this lift was CE marked or complied with any rules or standards. No harnesses, no mats under the pathetically small outrigger pads and both using chain saws in a confined homemade platform a definite Death Wish.

Vertikal Comment

While we believe that local authorities should make it easier and less bureaucratic for small local companies to quote for work and contracts in order to save themselves unnecessary expense and support the local community, they do need to ensure that they avoid ‘cowboys’.

A quick simple check on what equipment the contractor would be using would have protected them from the fallout should these two have had a serious accident and would ensure that the local companies they use have the basic quality and safety standards in place.