11.05.2014

Arborist thrown from platform

A man trimming trees around power lines from a utility type truck mounted boom lift/bucket truck, was critically injured in Las Vegas on Friday, after he was thrown out of the platform when the booms knuckle was struck by a passing furniture removals van. A witness said that the knuckle of the articulated boom was swung out over the live traffic lane, and the driver of the high sided removals van did not spot it.

The man reportedly works for West Coast Arborists which was subcontracted to NV Energy Officer and fell from a height of around six metres or so onto the road. At least one cone had been set, but it was very close to the side of the truck.
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A photo taken shortly after the incident occured

The man was not wearing a harness or lanyard, had he been he would almost certainly have suffered only minor injuries as the bucket truck, an insulated Terex Ranger, appeared to have suffered only minimal damage and remained perfectly stable.

We have received a series of photos taken immediately after the incident, showing the injured man lying in the road, which while they do highlight the dreadful reality of this incident do not seem right to publish here.