26.05.2009

What a set up

A reader in the UK sent us the photo of a lift at work in Manchester today, being used in a precarious way having been set up in the street with no common sense or regard for safety.
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The machine set up

When our reader first passed the lift was being used, as shown, to clean windows, by the time he was able to park and get his camera out, the boom had been stowed and one assumes the job was completed without an accident.

The lift was set up on a fairly steep angle, with no outrigger mats under the jacks, while the stabilisers are resting on the pavement (sidewalk) close to a large manhole which almost certainly accesses a large pipe/void running under the pavement?

Although a closer inspection reveals that when the boom was stowed the jack stroke was not long enough to reach the ground, and probably only came into contact as the boom was rotated over it?
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The machine was being operated at an angle, no outrigger mats, set up over a void and we wonder why accidents occur

The operator had though at least done some cordoning off with a couple of cones and some tape.
And we wonder why accidents happen!