# Safety and Complacency



## ElectriciansGangBox (Jan 8, 2010)

In an incident today, a worker was operating a scissors type lift while elevated about 12' high. The lift came in contact with a floor drain. As you could probably guess, the drain cover gave way, causing the lift's wheel to fall into the drain. The lift did not tip over, but it did violently tilt throwing the worker off the side-rail. Luckily no one was injured. It did take a little bit of work to remove the lift, but that is another story.

At the time of the accident, the ground man was on a bathroom break. The operator must of thought, "Hey, I drive this lift 5 hours a day. What's a couple minutes without a spotter." Negligent would not be the correct term to describe the workers' actions. Complacent seems more fitting. Most accidents happen because workers become "comfortable" with what they are doing. When inspecting the work area, he over looked the drain. If the ground man was there, this may have not happened.

When performing any task a worker must address the safety hazards associated with it. I'm sure after today he'll be a lot more cautious, but it shouldn't take an "almost accident" to achieve this. A good safety plan requires repetition. That repetition equals a safe work environment. Unfortunately a safe work environment can sometimes lead to being complacent! Don't get caught in this circle. Approach every task with the same level of caution, as if it was the first time performing the task. Remember, performing a task 100 times safely does not mean that the hazards are any less relevant the 101st time.

http://www.electriciansgangbox.com/blog


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Welcome to the forum.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Lift operation doesn't require a spotter in WA. This could easily happen on most job sites I've been on.


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## ElectriciansGangBox (Jan 8, 2010)

Yeah, I've done some research online and most places do not require a spotter. I personally always like to have a spotter/groundman when working on a lift, especially in an area that may have foot or vehicular traffic. Sometimes people go out of their way, just to be in yours!!


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

this reminds me of a previous thread.
was the guy strapped into the lift?
I would want to get thrown clean rather than have the unit fall on top of me.


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## ElectriciansGangBox (Jan 8, 2010)

No he wasn't wearing a harness.....in this instance though he could have been ejected over the side. I hope this story serves as a reminder of the hazards that we face every day and to think twice before doing any task because you never know. People seem to be more safety conscious after an accident, which sometimes could be too late. I personally always used to lean folding ladders against a wall. Why? Cause I did it thousands of times without a problem. My luck ran out and had a slide out. Thankfully I wasn't injured bad, just some nice lumps on my shins and some swollen fingers! Dumb on my part, I know. The point is I felt comfortable doing it without really thinking of the consequences.


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

BuzzKill said:


> this reminds me of a previous thread.
> was the guy strapped into the lift?
> I would want to get thrown clean rather than have the unit fall on top of me.


MOst jobs are now requiring you be tied of with the proper harness. Must be the ratcheting type that work like seatbelts, not the type with the long lanyard. May be an OSHA thing ?


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

manchestersparky said:


> MOst jobs are now requiring you be tied of with the proper harness. Must be the ratcheting type that work like seatbelts, not the type with the long lanyard. May be an OSHA thing ?


Most certainly OSHA and insurance liability. Nearly all large commercial is this way, if it is properly over-seen by the PM.


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

OSHA does not require tie offs on scissor type lifts.

OSHA considers scissor lifts to be 'powered scaffolding' and you do not have to tie off on scaffolding that has all the rails in place.

I have never seen or heard of a spotter being used for driving a lift.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

I think a spotter is a complete waste of labor. Need to get someone that can drive a lift without a spotter.


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

william1978 said:


> I think a spotter is a complete waste of labor. Need to get someone that can drive a lift without a spotter.


 what he said


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

We were doing a Lowes and we had a number of these model diesel lifts.










One of them had a governor issue and if it was down I bet you could get 15 to 20 MPH out of it. It was so much fun bombing threw the building but it was a rough ride over the dirt.:jester:


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

The only time I have ever used a spotter was in operational store. It seems like caution tape means WALK HERE NOW.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Bob Badger said:


> We were doing a Lowes and we had a number of these model diesel lifts.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I love running conduit on a lift like that. You can go up in the air and don't come down till Break and lunch or to reload.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

mattsilkwood said:


> The only time I have ever used a spotter was in operational store. It seems like caution tape means WALK HERE NOW.


 Very true. Even at Home Depot they have spotters.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Bob Badger said:


> We were doing a Lowes and we had a number of these model diesel lifts.
> 
> One of them had a governor issue and if it was down I bet you could get 15 to 20 MPH out of it. It was so much fun bombing threw the building but it was a rough ride over the dirt.:jester:



You sure are an arogant prick, most good electricians don't feel the need to post pictures, bragging about jobs they are working on. How long did it take you to put together this presentation? Get a life old man, did you take all these pictures while you where on the clock? I wonder how your employer would feel about this.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

Bob Badger said:


> I have never seen or heard of a spotter being used for driving a lift.


yeah if you can't drive it, don't get on it.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

captkirk said:


> Very true. Even at Home Depot they have spotters.


Just walking around a home depot store is more dangerous than operating a scissor lift.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

lol, tell me about it!


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

Peter D said:


> You sure are an arogant prick, most good electricians don't feel the need to post pictures, bragging about jobs they are working on. How long did it take you to put together this presentation? Get a life old man, did you take all these pictures while you where on the clock? I wonder how your employer would feel about this.


I feel the need to post another picture. :jester:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Bob Badger said:


> I feel the need to post another picture. :jester:



:furious: :furious: :furious:


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

Peter D said:


> :furious: :furious: :furious:


You're mad because people can see you working? :blink::001_huh:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Bob Badger said:


> You're mad because people can see you working? :blink::001_huh:



No, because I'm ugly.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Peter D said:


> No, because I'm ugly.


 :laughing:


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

Peter D said:


> No, because I'm ugly.


What's up with the sidewinder? You don't use a hole hawg?


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

william1978 said:


> I think a spotter is a complete waste of labor. Need to get someone that can drive a lift without a spotter.


I was on a job 2 weeks ago and they had at least 20 lifts operating, that would be a huge labor draw and improve the local unemployment statistics.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

brian john said:


> I was on a job 2 weeks ago and they had at least 20 lifts operating, that would be a huge labor draw and improve the local unemployment statistics.


 You as a owner would you like to see that?


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

I worked in a GM plant a few years ago, they required a ground man below below all lifts. Their were about 200 lifts on the site. You can see how wise they are about spending money.:jester:


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

drsparky said:


> I worked in a GM plant a few years ago, they required a ground man below below all lifts. Their were about 200 lifts on the site. You can see how wise they are about spending money.:jester:


It would be very interesting if we could get a truthful answer on just who started the ball rolling on that requirement.


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## septiclecky (Oct 17, 2008)

ElectriciansGangBox said:


> In an incident today, a worker was operating a scissors type lift while elevated about 12' high. The lift came in contact with a floor drain. As you could probably guess, the drain cover gave way, causing the lift's wheel to fall into the drain. The lift did not tip over, but it did violently tilt throwing the worker off the side-rail. Luckily no one was injured. It did take a little bit of work to remove the lift, but that is another story.
> 
> At the time of the accident, the ground man was on a bathroom break. The operator must of thought, "Hey, I drive this lift 5 hours a day. What's a couple minutes without a spotter." Negligent would not be the correct term to describe the workers' actions. Complacent seems more fitting. Most accidents happen because workers become "comfortable" with what they are doing. When inspecting the work area, he over looked the drain. If the ground man was there, this may have not happened.
> 
> ...


In the UK when using a scissor lift or MEWPS only trained and licensed personnel are allowed to operate them. 

When in use the must be a banksman in attendence, if the banksman goes for a toilet break then the operator in the lift/MEWPS must stop work and return to ground level & get out off the lift/MEWPS until banksman returns.


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## septiclecky (Oct 17, 2008)

brian john said:


> I was on a job 2 weeks ago and they had at least 20 lifts operating, *that would be a huge labor draw and improve the local unemployment statistics*.


Don't work like that in the UK now they have let all off the eastern europeans in (Poles etc) UK people can't get work as poles work for a hell of lot less.


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

septiclecky said:


> In the UK when using a scissor lift or MEWPS only trained and licensed personnel are allowed to operate them.
> 
> When in use the must be a banksman in attendence, if the banksman goes for a toilet break then the operator in the lift/MEWPS must stop work and return to ground level & get out off the lift/MEWPS until banksman returns.


What the hell is a 'banksman'?


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Bob Badger said:


> I feel the need to post another picture. :jester:


Is that PEETAH!????:laughing:

~Matt


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## septiclecky (Oct 17, 2008)

Bob Badger said:


> What the hell is a 'banksman'?


 
A banksman is a person who is below making sure no one strays into work are below also there to lower scissor/Mewps in an emergency if something happens to person aloft.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> Is that PEETAH!????:laughing:


:whistling2:


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