05.07.2024

The old pallet and forks routine

Spotted by a reader in Dusseldorf, Germany yesterday, a couple of men using the old fork and pallet method of powered access.
The incident occurred on the refitting of a section the Rheinkirmes amusement/theme park in Düsseldorf. The two men, one driving and the other taking the risk up top, are checking lights on the leading edges of the attraction roofs and are using a telehandler to do it. Not cheap, not efficient, just plain stupid.

In the words of our correspondent: “The man on the forks checked one set of lights and then, remaining in this position, was driven over to the lights in the foreground. He was unsecured and not even bothering to hold on.”
Oddly it has been a while since we have seen this classic stunt, which all too often ends in tears and the pallet or the person up top slips and falls. All it takes is for the telehandler driver to apply the brakes a bit too severely, or to run over or hit an obstacle as he drives and the man on top is catapulted off.
A place like this must surely have a few boom and scissor lifts on site?
Laziness all too often kills.
Definitely one for our Death Wish series.
Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.