12.12.2013

Fighting the chimney

Spotted in the UK yesterday two men struggling alone on two separate jobs, both trying to insert a new chimney liner with only ladders and balance to work from.

In what might be a first, two almost identical Death Wishes spotted by two of our readers on the same day, both of whom managed to take photos!
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Job one a man struggles on his own to insert a chimney liner while conducting a balancing act

Could it be that our chimney man, who appears to work on his own at height was one and the same, just on two different jobs? In one case he has climbed what looks like a six metre ladder, then transferred to a roof ladder and - one assumes - dragging his long liner with him? He then balances on the ridge of the roof around seven or eight metres up, while he stuffs the liner down the chimney.
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Job two two ladders gets him up there and in this one there appears to be a mate

In the other job taken earlier in the day, it doesn’t look like he has used a roof ladder and is balancing on the chimney stack itself, and looking at the cars it all looks a bit slippery.

In both cases it looks like the job was a bit of a struggle? Perhaps if they/he had the right equipment – the liner might have gone in a little easier – it would certainly have been a lot safer. Hopefully he completed the job(s) without falling?
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A closer look, note that ladder transfer - tricky - especially if you have a chimney liner in one hand!

In the words of our correspondents:

"1.Just another contribution to show how far we have come! Quite sad really as it isn't unusual to see sights like this in our everyday travels. This was seen today in Fareham Hants, within a mile of an A-Plant depot, with a yard full of idle equipment!"

"2.Here are a couple of photos I took today. When I drove along before I stopped the man was standing on the chimney wrestling with the liner."

No question about it two examples for our Death Wish series and clearly a technique that is popular in Southern England.