22.02.2016

Leaving the platform

Spotted in Atlanta, Georgia, numerous questionable work at height practices, the worst possibly being a high rise platform transfer.

Two men used a swing stage/suspended platform to descent from the roof of a large high rise being built in Mid-town Atlanta by Balfour Beatty. A floors down the stop and clamber out of the platform onto the open balcony.

Why they did not use the perfectly good passenger hoist that was operational at the time is a mystery. To be fair the two were harnessed to the long ropes up to the roof, but would have dropped a good three or four metres before their lanyards would have caught them swinging them into the structure as they fell.

There were plenty of other examples of men working on ladders on the open balconies. But again it is important to stress that all of them were wearing harnesses and all of them attached them to the vertical ropes once the ladders were positioned and before climbing on them.
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Stretch to find the hand hold

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Leg now over - find the foot hold....

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Now get the other leg ready..

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up with the second leg

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Make sure the swing stage does not swing

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Over the rail...

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Sort out the lanyard

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There she goes....

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Wonder what was wrong with using the hoist/elevator?

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Putting it in perspective - spot the suspended platform where it all happened

The mid-air transfer however definitely deserves joining our Death Wish series