08.11.2013

Two hurt in boom overturn

Two men were injured yesterday evening in Torquay, UK after they drove their articulated boom lift over a culvert cover which collapsed under the weight.

The two fell around six metres or so and escaped with leg injuries, they have now been released from hospital. The incident occurred outside the Speedy Hire depot, with the boom coming down onto the roof of the Speedy building that the men were said to be painting.
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The overturned lift last night

The Manitou boom lift, which weighs over six tonnes, was driven over a culvert which collapsed under the weight of the front wheel which with the boom over it would have exerted a load in the region of three tonnes working through a poly filled tyre that has little to no give.
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The lift was being used at a relatively low level

The two men were given pain killers and then taken over the road to the Torbay hospital.

Vertikal Comment

Fortunately the injuries here were not more serious, sadly this job looks as though it could easily have been carried out with a 12 metre boom lift with half the weight, either that or spreader mats should have been used. The machine could also have stood back further away from the culvert. This incident shows how important it is to check out the ground conditions before going up in a lift like this.