05.02.2015

Boom overturn due to ground

A boom lift overturned earlier today in Roosendaal, the Netherlands when the ground - gave way under one of its wheels.
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The machine was only partially extended

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One of the wheels pushed through the block paving - or possibly ran off the edge - causing the overturn

The incident with a new 86ft Manitou 280TJ telescopic boom lift owned by rental company and Manitou distributor Collé, occurred at a new building at Kellebeek College, where it was being used to install awnings. Due to the snow it is hard to be certain if the block paving gave way, or the operator allowed the machine to stray off the edge of the path?

The operator was still conscious when the emergency services arrived and was treated for a head injury, he also complained of neck and leg pains. He was rushed to hospital where we understand that his condition is not thought to be critical.
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The operator was lucky to have escaped with his life

Vertikal Comment

This is not the first time that a boom lift would have pushed through block paving - a popular ground covering in the Netherlands. The problem is that due to the low flat nature of the country, much of the ground is soft and sandy, commercial buildings are therefore almost invariably constructed on deep piles, but away from, or between the piles the ground can be less than supportive for concentrated loadings.

With wheel loadings on a boom of this size easily exceeding four tonnes – concentrated by the unyielding poly filled tyres – it can prove to be too much for the interlocking blocks to support, as this example demonstrates.

In the case the user was lucky to have escaped with his life.