07.06.2011

Hong Kong overreach

A reader from Hong has sent us an example of a loader crane Death Wish or working close to people.

He tells us that the crane is lifting rolls of sheet steel from a dealer's premises, in a regular commercial shopping district. While two cones are out there is no attempt to stop pedestrians until the load actually moves out and actually blocks their path.
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A metal trader loads a truck over the heads of passers by.

While lifting over pedestrians like this would be considered a highly dangerous practice in many parts of the world and likely to generate a comment, elsewhere it does not even ‘raise an eyebrow’. In the end everyone watches out for each other- the operator – the pedestrians and the Pedestrians the operator- until that is - something goes wrong.

Looking more closely the outrigger feet are very small, no mats are in use, and they are bearing down on the pavement/sidewalk under which could be anything, from a water main to a large cellar or other void.

Yes we think that this does qualify as a Death Wish, as it is likely to be a regular occurrence it this is a dealers premises, and there are several things that could go badly wrong. Not the worst example, but bad all the same.