12.11.2014

Fatal boom failure

A man died in an incident with a vehicle mounted aerial lift near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania yesterday.

The man,Paul Reese, 54, an employee of American Tree Service, of Wexford, Pennsylvania, was trimming trees from a truck mounted lift at a cemetery in Zelienople - North of Pittsburgh - when the boom apparently failed, dropping the basket to the ground. It then struck a head stone and Reese was catapulted out of the platform.

Reese was part of a four man crew working at the cemetery, his colleagues say that they found him on the ground and that he was clearly badly injured. He was declared dead at the scene. OSHA was called and will investigate the incident. We do not have much further information than this, although a photo from the scene does appear to confirm reports of the 'boom snapping', although the fact that there was little or no noise associated with the failure, contradicts this. We will update if and when we hear more.
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A photo from the scene does appear to confirm reports of a boom failure.

Vertikal Comment

Booms do not just snap there are a couple of longer term usage issues which can create a fatigue effect, which can then cause such a failure, although this is more likely to be a different type of failure. However this is not the time to be second guessing what actually occurred. Our thoughts go out to the family and co-workers who will, of course be suffering a great deal at this time.