22.01.2025

Fatal boom fall

A man died last week after falling from the boom lift he was working from at a secondary school in Ghent, Belgium.

The incident occurred last Wednesday afternoon -January 15th at the Go Atheneum Mariakerke on the north west side of the city. The man, 46, was using installing sun blinds on the front façade of the school from a Manitou telescopic boom lift, the main boom was almost fully retracted and elevated to around 55 or 60 degrees, when it tilted rearwards, throwing him from the platform.

The only direct report we have received so far, suggests that it dropped over a kerb, but have not yet been able to confirm this version of events. If the man was thrown in is unlikely that he was wearing an anchored harness. Sadly, several students at the school witnessed the incident

An inspector from the safety at work authority arrived and appeared to confirm that the lift tipped to one side and three the man around seven metres to the ground, he is said to have died instantly.

The school suspend classes on the Thursday, but said that instead, it will discuss the incident internally and take care of the teachers and other staff members, before having the students back in the afternoon for a similar arrangement. “The school is deeply affected by this accident It is important that we support each other well. We are also looking at how we can show our support to the victim’s family."