18.05.2012

No harness results in Fatality

A man died yesterday in Secaucus, New Jersey, near New York city, after he was catapulted from a boom lift which overturned.
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The scene after the overturn

The man, Arris Tunc, 34, was using an 80ft articulated boom lift to carry out roof and guttering work on a residential development. He was at a height of around 12 metres, with the riser and boom of the JLG 800AJ retracted when the wheels on one side of the machine sank as the ground gave way under the machines weight.
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The ground gave way under the rear wheels

The ground under the lift was apparently also sloping and the combination of the singling ground and the slope was sufficient to cause the machine to tip over backwards. The machines riser however prevented a full overturn, but sadly the operator was not wearing a harness and was catapulted into the road -Meadowlands Parkway.

Tunc was still alive when the paramedics arrived and was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. OSHA is investigating the incident.
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A heavy recoverey vehicle was brought in to help right the machine

Vertikal Comment

It is always tragic to see such easily avoidable deaths such as this. While avoiding slopes and uncertain ground conditions would have prevented the overturn, the worst fact is that had this man been wearing a harness and short lanyard he would almost certainly have survived, most likely uninjured.

Users need to understand, that no matter how infrequent incidents such as this are, they do happen and when they do a harness can prevent ejection from the platform and in most cases save their life.