Posted By Michael Regan Good afternoon all I am after a bit of help and hopefully information. I have been reviewing the planning surrounding the operation of tower cranes on construction sites, specifically the requirement as regards planning for rescue and/or evacuation of the driver (Work at Height Regs). I have followed the risk assessment path in an effort to identify the potential risk to both the driver and trained rescuers (during training and drills) and have hit a block work wall. In trying to get quality quantatitive information on the number of ACTUAL rescues/evacuations of tower crane drivers that have been carried out in the UK in the last 25 years I have contacted several sources and, although there have been a number of tails and stories, I have come up with none. I turn to this furum in the hope that someone can provide some information on such rescue and/or evacuation from tower cranes that have been carried out due to illness or incapacity of the driver. I am not looking for rescues due to catastrophic failure, collapse or collison. I look forward to informed responses. Michael

Posted By Tony abc jprhdnMurphy Crawley fire service did one last week at gatwick using a dummy. the dummy died on the way to hoospital, but joking apart it was great to watch

Posted By lisa mccaulder Michael I've just e mailed you a set of procedures. Lisa..

Posted By Dave Merchant Medical incidents are relatively common (a handful each year) but don't make the news as the process doesn't last long enough for the photographers to arrive. Crane collapses are rarer but of course there's lots of impressive stuff to film, even if you arrive after the rescue is over. Apart from asking every fire service press office, the only complete database of incidents will be RIDDOR - and you can't look in there. Having said that, you simply cannot apply evidence-based statistical analysis to work at height rescue procedures - there will never be enough case data to refer to that fits your specific circumstances. We don't work out the risks for working at nuclear power plants by counting up the number of meltdowns, nor do we decide the risk of a rescuer being injured on a crane by counting the number of rescues. Falling off once is enough for most people.

Posted By SN Sadly there is real risk and one of my collegues was involved in rescue from a TC following the operator suffering a heart attack. We now train and drill all our TC erectors in rescue from height The good news: There is some very effective and reasonably priced equipment out there for this purpose It is relatively straightforward to use The bad news: if you are on a multi crane site wehre cranes are not used constantly then there is a high probability that you may not notice someone has slumped in his seat and is dead or dieing. By the team you get the team up to perform the operation it may be a recovery and not a resuce. So stick with the health screening for your crane operators and pre work briefings to ensure all is still well with your crane operator