Tragic Accident - Hydraulic Lift

[Fuddy1952]

What I was thinking about the harness was not clipping to the lift but a ceiling rafter. Mine I wear if I'm on garage roof, a rope around the cupola.

 

[SirMaxwell]

This is fairly local to me - I read and re-read the article. Assuming it is a traditional scissor lift, as the platform is raised stabilizers auto-descend between the wheels on both sides to provide lateral stability, but they are not outriggers. While these stabilizers are down, you cannot move the machine without first lowering the platform. If this lift was elevated and immovable, it is possible the man who had done this procedure 100s of times simply got complacent and leaned over too far rather than lower the platform, reposition and re-raise. It appears to have cost him dearly.

coldsteelva - I mean this is the nicest of ways, everything in your post is make believe. Whats the point? It is a tragic accident, for the families involved, but meaningless to the rest of us with no actual details. Appx 100 people per day (USA) die from accidental deaths (non-traffic, non-poisoning/overdose). So this article/post/news, whats the point?

 

[Todd727]

This is fairly local to me - I read and re-read the article. Assuming it is a traditional scissor lift, as the platform is raised stabilizers auto-descend between the wheels on both sides to provide lateral stability, but they are not outriggers. While these stabilizers are down, you cannot move the machine without first lowering the platform. If this lift was elevated and immovable, it is possible the man who had done this procedure 100s of times simply got complacent and leaned over too far rather than lower the platform, reposition and re-raise. It appears to have cost him dearly.

I've used numerous scissor lifts, both indoor and rough terrain types. None of these had what you are saying. All of them could be moved with the lift at full extension.

 

[ruffdog]

There have been manual crank-up type man lifts made. I have used them in tight quarters (factory) but always have weight added to the base or chained to other equipment. I could see a sports complex having one to change bulbs because it is light weight (protect the floor surface).

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a weird straight up lift (with outriggers) that has has large aluminium cylinders and you use a compressed air supply (tank) on board to extend the cylinders. It never seemed to work smoothly (Got cheap at auction) so I put it away, but was going to mount it to my loader.

 

[Renze]

Most lifts jump into safety mode when you push them under a roof beam into overload and then can only be overridden at ground level. Meaning you cant free yourself when pinned under the roof.

 

[k0ua]

I used scissor lifts for many years in factory's to run cable. Most were battery powered electric. Yes, they would move while at full extension, Some up to 40 foot high, but they would not move as fast as they would move lowered for transport. I have leaned over and pulled cable many times without ever feeling the units were going to tip over from my body weight shifts. They do sway a bit, but you soon "get your sea legs" and it is inconsequential.

The most fun one was equipped with a 2 cyl Wisconsin engine, now that thing would really move when lowered. It was fun to drive in the big Zenith Warehouse.

I have used plenty of the manually cranked up "hijackers" too. That is a young mans tool. I was young at the time, but one of those would wear me out now. These would go up to 25 foot and were a two man affair to run cable, One guy in the basket and the other guy pushing him around on the floor. All of these units must move when extended or they would be nearly useless for running cable in the Z bars of a factory ceiling.

i have uses almost every brand of these things, including the super narrow little Genie lifts for narrow isles. Even they seemed pretty stable. There are an awful lot of batteries in the bottom of these units that puts a lot of weight down low.

The only part of using them I didn't like was going down ramps as they would want to "take off" down the ramp and with the "bump, bump" steering of nothing more than a centered electrical control switch to move the steering wheels, you needed to be lined up square to the ramp before you started your descent. This was no time to be thinking about making steering corrections with such an imprecise system of steering.

After over 20 years of using all kinds of these devices including the JLG telehandler style of boom lift, I never felt in any great danger, or had any close calls.

 

[aczlan]

OSHA does not require in scissor lifts but a lot of state codes and insurance inspectors require them. I did when a general foreman, superintendent, and PM for the very reason of this accident. Tipping over like most such cases expels the user into/onto other hazards. Better to stay with the machine. Construction sites are busy places with a lot hazards when you are flying around. When faced with, "the code does not require it" my answer was "this is my job, I set the rules.
Ron

That is how it is where I work. Harnesses are required on scissor lifts and contractors have to rent their own lifts.

I've used numerous scissor lifts, both indoor and rough terrain types. None of these had what you are saying. All of them could be moved with the lift at full extension.

At work we have one lift (a JLG?) that will not move while up, we have another one (a Genie?) that will move while up as long as you are below a certain height.

Aaron Z

 

[buickanddeere]

On related note . Ever notice how many people do not use safety stands with a jack . Nor do they prop up loaders or dump boxes etc and the family now mourns a cripple or a death.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Getting crushed would be terrible. Imagine being stuck there by yourself, possibly surviving if only someone was around. The guy that ran the scrap yard in town died when a car crushed him.