Working at heights

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not in a million years with a bucket full of cash would I even think about doing that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
I used to work at heights most days at the smelter but never more than about 50'. A common task was preventive maintenance on the gantry cranes in the potlines. One day I was sat on the main girder and checking the XT motor onthe 13T hoist. The hoist was mounted on a frame which mover along the outside edge of the main girder. I momentarily forgot that I was 40' from the ground and leaned out to have a look at the terminals on the motor. I got the fright of my life when I saw the drop. I was wearing a full harnedd and fall arrest gear and was 'hooked on' but still scarey!

 
Only a complete idiot would put his life (and the life of his mate) at risk for the sake of doing a job more quickly. He should have hooked on all the way up to the top (using two hooks).

 
I think for that job, what he needs is not a harness, but a parachute.

At that height, he would have time to deploy a parachute and make a safe landing.

In fact it would be a perfect job for a base jumper. A quick thrilling descent after all that hard climb.

 
I havent watched it all as I have seen it many times before,

it should state in the commentary that free climbing is perfectly allowed in this form for properly trained personnel due to the nature of the work, and the speed of which ascent is required is more safely done without lanyards than with.

its a controlled risk,

that is what RA is for.

NO, the guy didnt get fired AFAIAA, it was a promotional video IIRC.

 
I think in his day Fred Dibnah might have thought twice about going up that far... Guinness

 
I think in his day Fred Dibnah might have thought twice about going up that far... Guinness
I have met Fred a couple of times, my father was a steam fanatic and worked on some of the mills that Fred was called in to do the high tower work. He was an admirable man and so humble, he was very good at his job and would be the first to admit that he actually got into the kind of work he did by accident rather than ambition. He was also fearless but forever cautious. A great man sadly missed not only by his family, but by a very inspired public, those who met him just as much as those who did not. I just can not stop laughing at his antics and his very dry sense of humour.

 
Manator, did you see the recent series?

he brought down a massive chimney with about 30' or so to spare either side....

for the technology at his disposal he was brilliant.

the missus just doesnt understand what I see in watching him. :)

 
I think I have seen them all, he was a type of hero for me knowing him before he was on the tele and all, the last trip he did with his son was a bit of a tear jerker to be honest, he knew he was going and wanted to do a memorable trip with his son, just what I think I would like to do.

 
I dont tend to watch much TV so when I do catch him it is purely luck, so unfortunately I have not seen so many perhaps as yourself.

but yes,

I would almost class him as a kind of hero, in the aspect of being that if I aspired to be like him then I would be happy. :)

 
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