14.06.2024

Crane and access stupidity

A reader came across a company installing what appears to be a two balcony frames on an office block in Erith east London in the UK in March.

The loader crane is both unloading and placing the frames, while a man is standing on two short planks on an open frame that has already been installed, at a platform height of around seven metres. Not only is there no fall protection whatsoever, but he has a ladder set up on the short planks to install the second floor balcony at a height in the region of 11 metres.

The chances of this going wrong are exceptionally high, especially as the load swings towards the man on the ledge. Also it is not exactly an efficient method. All this occurred in full daylight in supposedly safety conscious London, with at least three adult men involved in what at least one of them must have known was high risk and stupid.

In the words of our correspondent: “Spotted in Frazer Road, Erith today. We did try to intervene, but they were having none of it!”

Hopefully they succeeded in completing the job without anyone falling.

Have a safe weekend.

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