01.08.2025

Loading from the roof

One of our regulars spotted the video below on social media – Instagram - this week, a man on the roof loading two heavy bags into the platform of a 3.5 tonne truck mounted platform.

The unit is set up half on the pavement/sidewalk half in the road, but he has cordoned it off well from both traffic and pedestrians. But if he lowers the risers before slewing over the rear he could catch a passing truck.

On the roof he has left the platform to haul the bags across the roof back to the platform, he also appears to have draped his harness over his shoulders but not buckled or attached it… so it is as good as useless. Maybe trying to fool white van man down below that he is wearing it.

Unless he is extremely weak those bags seem heavy add them to his weight and it will come close to taking the unit close to its maximum capacity as he lowers it. But the overload would then trip so assume its within capacity limits.

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A post shared by Dawson Steeplejacks Ltd (@dawson_steeplejack)

The worst aspect of this post are some of the comments, although some are also very funny, the ignorance shown by some of them indicates that we still have a long way to go, when it comes to educating people on common sense safety when working at height and taking safe work seriously.

Let’s be fair though the unit has been set up OK ish, outrigger mats used, nicely cordoned off, although perhaps not quite level and half on the pavement which might be hiding all manner of underground voids – but as things go not bad.

The roof is almost level and has tough grippy tiles, so while its bad practice the risks are nothing like many we see, unless he had slipped, tripped or fallen while lugging those bags. He has a harness, but it will do him no good if he falls or the boom gets hit on the way down.

More interesting to us will be your take on this.

We have seen much worse and there are some redeeming factors, but still one for the Death Wish series. Have a safe weekend.