23.01.2012

Levelling Death Wish

Spotted by a regular reader in Slovakia, a compact Rough Terrain scissor lift being used on a slope, the machine was fitted with levelling jacks so no problem there …. except for the cribbing used to add a little more lift.

There is nothing wrong at all with the principle – it is more how it is done and what can go wrong. But first the situation, best described in out correspondent’s own words.

“I came across the attached situation two hundred yards from our own depot, thankfully not our machine and in the interest of fair play, I have covered up the name of the rental company that owns the machine, as I don’t believe it is fair to implicate them in this man’s actions.”
Please register to see all images

Level - yes but safe?

“I observed this man for about 15 minutes, during which time he went up and down twice. However, each time he tried to go up, the machine seemed to refuse, (for reasons unknown to me, as although it is set up dangerously, it is level), but eventually he would get it to go up.”

“Clearly not the right machine for installing this light over the ramp, but it was the only machine on site, and he used it for the other lights over the flat part of the yard, and then proceeded to fit the last light as shown in the picture. Incidentally we had an articulated boom in our yard at the time, within sight of where this man was working, and we did offer our services on a couple of occasions, but they insisted on using the scissor lift.”
Please register to see all images

A closer look highlights the risky cribbing - messy site reveals the mentality

The problem is of course that he has used odd off-cuts of wood, none of which matches anything… to make matters worse the top piece is too short and the unit is precariously perched on it. A slight move or shake and this unit could so easily fall off the cribbing, with the dynamic loading taking of over possibly resulting in a fatality. All for the sake of making do and supposedly saving a bit of time.

If the unit did go over the time lost/wasted would amount to several thousand percent of that saved – not to mention the trauma and cost of such an incident… Odds not worth playing. A classic Death Wish.