21.07.2015

Operator succumbs to heart attack

A tower crane operator died yesterday after suffering from a heart attack on a site in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The man was around 30 metres up the tower yesterday morning, when he complained of chest pains, co-workers came to his aide but struggled to help him back down the tower ladder. Around half way down he went into a full cardiac arrest emergency services quickly arrived on the scene and tried to resuscitate him, they then used a ladder platform to bring him down. He was the rushed the short distance to the hospital, but died shortly thereafter.
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The crane operator is brought down

Vertikal Comment

We are not been able to fully corroborate the information we have received, but apparently the operator was climbing the crane tower in extreme heat and became ill before reaching his cab, which is when he turned around and tried to get back down.

While this sort of incident is rare, it does highlight why many are now advocating the compulsory installation of elevators on tower cranes that involve this sort of climb.