# You just can't fix stupid



## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

http://newsok.com/two-dead-following-forklift-accident-in-edmond/article/5343665

So what was anyone thinking here? And 2 guys are dead. Bet OSHA will eliminate skywalks or man baskets after this one. And yeah, we use one too. 

Cannot tell from the news what made it tip...but I am betting soft ground and inexperienced operator, but anyway, should not have been set up like that. That is what6 man lifts are for, not skytracks.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Well I guess stupid did get fixed because the poor guys are dead.

Working off platforms on a zoom-boom here is a no-go.


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

Over extended and loaded with materials is what it looks like.

Too bad. I feel bad for their family. Incidents like this are the reason OSHA exist.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

That's horrible. They could have been on the platform while it was moving and extended. That's a dangerous combo.


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## pritch (Nov 2, 2008)

I suppose the two guys killed were in the basket. That means the one guy injured, the kid, was at the controls. Sad deal.


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## BuckChop (Sep 26, 2014)

Thats just terrible..a few months back, a couple of guys died of carbon monoxide..they were using gas powered tools with a diesel generator in an unfinished basement. One dropped like a stone, the other must have had an inkling bad was about to happen as they found him on the stairs..trades guys too, not diy'ers..


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## dielectricunion (Feb 27, 2013)

When I hear people btching and complaining about rules or regulations, I understand where they're coming from, but the sad reality is that a lot of people need big brother telling them they're not allowed to do this stuff.

Although there is something to be said about natural selection with people walking into the street texting, running gas motors in enclosed spaces etc


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

The last picture has two pair of shoes and two hats neatly placed on the sidewalk by the impact area....:sad:


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

That's a shame.

I'm not referring to those guys. I don't know the details there.

But forklifts are like motorcycles: you have a lot of respect for the machine in the beginning....then, you fall into this false sense of confidence sprinkled with complacency.


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

That's just incredibly sad!

We used to do a lot of work off forklifts. I still think they are safe to use as long as you don't try to move when elevated, & use a good dose of common sense. That accident happened on flat ground. The only way I could see it being turned over, would be a catastrophic axle failure, (unlikely), or backing up while elevated. I bet it was backing up while turning, & then basket caught the building, & then turned over.

Very sad.


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## IHI (Dec 25, 2004)

The two guys that died were inlaws to a fella on my drag racing forum, both men had good sized families and obviously this really screwed everybody up since they were both really good fathers/uncles to all the kids as well as husbands. 

I haven't been back to the post since it was mostly a RIP/Godspeed/Condolences post for the guy who told us the story right after it happened, so never heard what the exact cause was.

Either way, sad deal anytime somebody dies, much less accidents like this, I never moved the units we rented with my guys in the basket unless it was a boom in or out situation, hit one bump and the effect is amplified many times over through the length of the boom.


Prime example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcs_weXCcvs


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## brickhook (May 8, 2012)

Its just so easy to get hurt. We use baskets as well, but for the life of me, I don't understand why anyone would drive around with the guys up in the air.

The severe arm injury was probably the operator getting his arm caught between the cage and ground.

Always hate to hear news like this.


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

There is a very fine line between making equipment safe and giving workers enough leeway to use common sense. How many times have you said or heard someone say, "I know this is dangerous but I'm not going to kill anyone! I will take some extra precautions." and it all goes well.

Unfortunately I think that people get too comfortable in the gray area of leeway and then accidents like this happen.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

pritch said:


> I suppose the two guys killed were in the basket. That means the one guy injured, the kid, was at the controls. Sad deal.


Those guys were around my age.
There is no way I would be up there with a 21 y.o. controlling the equipment.

I've known 21 y.o. that I wouldn't even get in a car with.


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