The coroner has issued his findings on a quadruple scissor lift fatality in Saint-Léandre, Quebec last August.
We actually missed this incident, which occurred on Saturday August 19th last year. The four - two couples - were in the platform of an aging 50ft JLG 500RTS Rough Terrain scissor lift, which they had borrowed to help finish off external work on a farm house, when it overturned
Kim Blouin, 24 and her partner Émerik Chénard, 27 - the owners of the house - were in the fully raised platform along with his mother Jocelyne Bouchard, 53, and her partner Marco Roy, 60. Various photos we have seen from the incident suggest that they might have been up in the platform admiring the view, rather than working, given that the lift is no where near the house or other building.
The overturned lift
According to the coroner the machine appears to have been tampered with so that the lift height and drive, were not disabled when the platform reached its maximum free on wheels height of 6.7 metres. As a result, the levelling jacks were not deployed, and it may well have been driveable. There were no witnesses to the incident, which was only discovered when a passing motorist spotted the overturned scissor lift.
Blouin and Chénard had apparently borrowed the lift from a neighbouring farmer, who when questioned, maintained that he had not made any modifications to the machine since buying it in 2020. The investigation revealed however that no new compliance inspections were carried out at the time of the past two ownership changes in 2015 and 2020, contrary to the requirements of local regulations.
The report by coroner Jean-Pierre Chamberland’s office, found the scissor lift's electrical wiring had been modified. He said: "At such a height, without these stabilisers, it takes very few factors to cause the equipment to roll over. Although the combined weight of the victims did not exceed the maximum weight of 2,000 pounds for this type of basket.”
“The malfunctioning of the oscillating axle, incorrect tire pressures, all four occupants moving to the same side of the platform, the sloped ground or a combination of all of those factors could have contributed to the equipment tipping over.” We have requested a full copy of the report
Incidents with the 500 RTS have been discovered before, an HSE bulletin in the UK, issued in January 2011 stated: "Following a review by the HSE into the circumstances of three fatal accidents within a four year period in Europe, all of which involved the overturn of a JLG 500RTS scissors lift, it has been established that in all three cases: the oscillating axle lockout valve failed as the platform was raised, and the lift/drive interlock system did not work allowing the platform to be elevated above 6.7m without the stabilisers being deployed. In addition, in at least one of the three overturns, the scissors lift was also driven with the platform above 6.7m which should not be possible.” Click here to see the full bulletin or enter https://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/scissorlifts.htm into your browser.
JLG issued two field service bulletins, FSB#2-12-01 in 2002 and FSB#108A3E in 2008 which required owners of affected machines to (i) install a new cam for the lift/drive limit switch and (ii) inform owners of revised checking procedures for the machine.
Vertikal Comment
This is a tragic incident that should never have occurred. Taking the lives of four people way before their time. It seems possible that they were using the machine for the wrong purpose, but had the safety systems been working, they would still have been fine. It highlights the fact that when buying used equipment, especially older models like this one, it is important that they are checked for the installation of all mandatory service bulletins etc..
One positive from this is that the Quebec authorities have been relative quick to issue a report and communicate it openly. Others need to take note. The sharing of information can and does save lives.
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