06.12.2024

Fatal lift incident

A man died on Monday after falling around 10 metres from a platform after it was struck by an overhead crane in Castenedolo near Brescia in Italy.

The man, Vittorio Di Monte, 60, was the co-owner of welding and machine shop Saldature & Meccanica, where he was installing new lighting from a platform he had rented to help with the refurbishment of the facilities. An initial police statement suggests that a sudden movement by the building’s overhead crane caught the platform and overturned it. Another man, 24, also fell from the platform but was relatively unharmed.

We still do not know what type of lift was involved, but initial feedback suggest it was a scissor lift. We will update if and when we learn more.

Vertikal Comment

It seems that there has been a spate of incidents lately involving overhead cranes and aerial work platforms. As we have mentioned before it is essential that any overhead cranes in the area are isolated before working alongside them at height.

Tool Box Talk
Given the frequency of this type of incident IPAF has released a Tool Box Talk with supporting documentation on the subject which can be downloaded Free of charge at https://www.ipaf.org/en-gb/resource-library/mewps-being-hit-other-equipment-while-elevated