11.10.2012

Overturning incidents

Reports of two incidents are coming on this morning, one in New South Wales Australia, and one in Cyprus.

The one in Australia occured between Casino and Lismore, where two men were injured after their aerial lift overturned, while they were working at a height of around eight metres.. They were both harnessed in and injuries are said to be limited to leg and back injuries, which while serious are not thought to be life threatening.

The other occurred in Aradippou, Cyprus – where two men were placing aluminium cladding panels from a ‘platform’ operated by a man on the ground, and and as such we suspect it was some kind of a forklift.

The machine was working on a slope and the three attempted to move it with the two men, aged 24 and 40, still elevated as it moved the vehicle overturned onto its side, seriously injuring the two in the men.

So far we have no further details on these two incidents, although it appears that the latter was caused by improper equipment, while the former could be due to a range of issues, from ground giving way to gross overloading to an improperly set base – outriggers or extending axles not out? Aerial lifts do not simply overturn. If anyone has more details we would appreciate hearing from you