I drove past it am hour or so ago, and had a bit of a lump in my throat, thinking what must have gone through his mind, and those of the people around at the time. Horrible, absolutely horrible.
Gary
Yes I came past it earlier going c/w not very pleasant to see it all in place still. If I used a Genie Z135 I think I’d think of it like a dog that after being docile for years has just decided to bite someone, I’d not be massively trusting of it from then on. Thankfully as far as I’m concerned my involvement with this type of plant is minimal.
8wheels:
We all ■■■■■ and moan about unnecessary H&S [zb] but workplace fatalities are thankfully not very common. The H&S stupidity comes in by trying to eliminate all potential causes of injury from paper cuts to grazed knees.
Hey 8wheels,
One subject so close to my heart is H&S in our industry. We’re still the worst in any of the industries by far, bar only the army has taken over us now in the last decade unfortunately and obviously.
49 died last year (nearly one a week in our industry alone) and nearly a third of all the deaths are in our industry alone too! And we’re doing terribly again this year with “Big Dave’s Socirety” relaxation of H&S in the workplace and laying off the proper H&S inspectors!
Not the silly company one’s who don’t make a jot of difference as they are too weak and not able to be independent enough as they are just employees too.
Not saying anyone’s attitude on this post is like this but a lot of the general public spout the same zb everytime down the pub/on the news etc that “H&S is a waste of time and money”.
But boy you should see the uproar when someone is disabled or killed during the course of their work, can never work that contradiction out. And people having this attitude plays into the hands of unscrupulous employers too 
Unfortunately a high proportion of this is in high and low falls, but yes I know what you mean about being on a bed, it don’t feel high, but if you do fall hopefully it won’t kill you but there is always a chance it will 
I don’t know, some of the H&S is stupid nowadays, but lots are also very necessary, just to stop you being taken advantage of I think. Again what do I know, I can only speak of my experiences, like everyone else can too 
I’ll always remember a very near fatal accident that happened on my site when I was young man, only to do the very exact same thing 4 years on at Olympics with a very different outcome luckily to myself.
C
Whilst I’ve no problem with Health & safety as a general thing to look after the workers, risk cannot be completely eliminated and trying to do so is a fools errand. I’m really of the opinion that in my job having access to the load bed with side restraints is the only way, I carry various types and sizes of equipment some of which either fill the complete width of the body or overhang the side. Others which could fit between side rails would be nigh on impossible to access the cab as the door would not open. Trying to clamber through webbing straps in or out of a machine is in my opinion more likely to make you fall from the vehicle.
In my time I have fallen twice, one when I stood on some T32 rebar that rolled over and I ended up dazed on the ground with a bit on top of me. Possibly side guards would have stopped me falling but with a 2’ gap between the two rails I could have easily fallen through got a leg or foot caught and ■■■■■■■ my head on the ground.
The second time was getting out of JCB Robot skidsteer, I got my foot caught and launched myself headlong over the side to arrive on a grassy field. Again I think restraints could have been equally in the way, and the door would have opened less a result.
Finally the one event that I really thought I was a gonner was rolling an old track marshall dozer over the side of the body, no cab no seat belt and even if it would have fit between the rails they wouldn’t have stopped it either.
I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity to demonstrate my reasoning before long 
I’ve looked at other solutions and yet to see anything to convince me.
King trailers have a system where the side stantions slide out and you slot in metal catwalk panels to create a gangway giving you the extra width. These panels are stowed when not in use underneath the beavertail. How long that would take to rig up is another matter.
http://www.kingtrailers.co.uk/product_pdfs/range/PlantBodySafety.pdf
I long ago accepted that potentially it is a dangerous occupation, I accept that risk in return for a pay packet that seems a lot bigger than many other driver jobs in the area. I don’t need a bloke in an office to tell me that I could fall over and hurt myself, I don’t want to fall over and hurt myself but accept it could happen.
Hey 8wheels,
Of course risk cannot be eliminated and you’d be silly to think you could 
When you are born there is risk all around ain’t there, just appreciating and trying to minimize it sensibly is all I meant.
Of course all of this H&S needn’t be so draconian, if people didn’t sue because of their own stupidity and the fact that common sense is declining and has been for decades. Christ even I’ve been so stupid in incidents before I wondered when my brain vacated my body and its so easily done.
Yes working on the bed like you do, you couldn’t have straps and rails it would be unfeasible, so is not actually required by H&S in reality as it has to be reasonable and effective.
Working on flats, I’ve never seen a solution yet in my time on sites…best possible compromise was the inflated air bags in my opinion for materials, but the space they need and time to set up doesn’t make them the best alternative by a long shot to protect the lorry driver if they are not set up in the right places/time etc.
With regards to the side stantions, time, space and payload loss would all be a factor, not that your life isn’t worth that being installed but I know where you are coming from in regards to its actual practicality. It was always the same with working at height, there just isn’t a one size that fits all approach for any activity we do unfortunately.
Ah ha my approach was I was on the sites too.
I long ago accepted that potentially it is a dangerous occupation, I accept that risk in return for a pay packet that seems a lot bigger than many other driver jobs in the area. I don’t need a bloke in an office to tell me that I could fall over and hurt myself, I don’t want to fall over and hurt myself but accept it could happen.
Still never liked exposing people to unneccessary large/dangerous risks and never will. Just think we all have more to give the world by staying around for longer and trying to change the status quo on many matters.
C
Jesus wept, could you imagine the feeling he had when it started to go over & he knew it was going over. RIP.
I know the thread has gone a bit off track but all this falling from height talk has made me recall a load I got given a few years back.
I had to load the big bean bag cushions at one site and take them to another, nothing sounds too bad about that until you start loading them on a beavertail and stacking them up. I ended up standing on top of them adding more layers until I was about 13’ up a bit like princess and the pea.
These bags were supposedly to protect drivers falling from a flat trailer with a solid floor but when Taylor Wimpey or Weston Homes or whoever wanted them somewhere else they were more than happy for you to have nothing to fall on to from a very squidgy high load.
They were still working on the area when I went past @ 3am. Screens were still up and everything. WTF are they looking for?
I supposed that as they’ve got the (American) manufacturers involved, after a high-profile fatality, they’re going to check every nut and bolt at least 3 times.
I wish they’d use bigger screens - I sat in a queue from the M4 clockwise for ages yesterday, all because the rubberneckers were having to slow down to get a good look at the scene. As soon as we were past it, didn’t have to slow down again until the A1 roadworks. Personally I think these ■■■■■■■■■ should be dragged out of their cars, nail-gunned to the hard shoulder, and then have their eyeballs drilled out with an SDS drill. The ■■■■■■ in front of me who was taking a photo should have his camera anally inserted at the same time.
Gary
I’d imagine that as it cannot be easily explained like the ground was uneven or gave way, then they need to thoroughly examine everything before moving any of it. According to Vertikal there are some 250 odd Z135’s in the country and 2000 or so worldwide. If they are suddenly going to start falling over then the reason needs to be found.
+1 Scaniason,
You carry the nailgun and ill follow behind with the SDS.
And the camera WTF does he share them with family and friends. Do they have no feeling for the deceased’s family and friends.
As time goes on situations where cameras are overused like that, makes me believe one of Charlie Brooker’s episode in Black Mirror last series is actually becoming true.
Winser as 8wheels said its not happened before and that needs to be investigated in case the fleet has a problem properly and i hope they do to. Also they most probably flown over from America and that ain’t an hour down the road to get here either.
C
The machine is supposed to be dismantled today and taken to Farnbourgh to be re assembled and tested. It is brand new and hadn’t been out on hire yet. HSE told the American manufacturers to go forth and multiply as they tried to take over. One line of inquiry is the machines inbuilt tolerances are incorrect so it will go over its safe radius and not lock out. The operator was 28 years old - one young chld with another on the way
Steve
Blimey Steve,
That’s some interesting information, you got there, I won’t be asking how!
If true on the safe radius then if that gets made public a lot of machines including these will have to be retested and checked then…however I doubt the authorities will rock the boat too much on this one unless it is catastrophically proven to affect all of those models!
Personally glad the Yanks got told to do one though!
So sorry to hear of that operator’s circumstances and age. I knew in my heart, as soon as I heard about it he would have been a young man, only 5 years younger than me with a proper family and this happens to them.
That situation gets worse everytime I hear more about it 
C