30ft fall from Tower underground ? (1 Viewer)

C

ChrisEng

Guest
Hi

Just thought I'd post this as local to me and happened earlier in the week.

Fortunately guy did not die, but no more news.

Falling 30' underground in a resevoir. How do you put that on your method statement for a rescue plan ??

Good that the emergency services know their thing. :)

EXTRACT FROM DORSET ECHO BELOW

Workman in 30ft plunge into reservoir on Portland

10:00am Wednesday 30th June 2010


A WORKMAN is lucky to be alive after plunging 30ft from a scaffolding tower into a empty underground reservoir.

He was airlifted to hospital following a complex rescue operation that lasted more than two hours.

Coastguards said it was one of the most difficult rescues they have ever had to deal with.

The man, aged 40, was working on the disused water reservoir when the incident happened just after 6pm on Monday evening.

The reservoir, on Grove Road, Easton, near to St Peter’s Church on the northern border of the Young Offender Institution, is sunk underground and can only be accessed by two small hatchways.

It was part of a system of two reservoirs originally used by the Admiralty.

The man had been working on the roof to fix some leaks using a scaffolding tower, when he fell off onto the floor of the reservoir 30ft below.

Parts of the scaffolding tower also came loose and fell on top of him.

Nigel McColm, the station officer at Portland Bill Coastguard rescue who attended the scene, said that the man was ‘lucky to be alive’, as normally a similar 30ft fall from a cliff would cause very serious injuries, if not death.

He said: “It was one of the most difficult rescues I have ever been involved with in 27 years service.”

Ambulance crews were first on the scene and quickly requested back up from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and Portland Coastguard.

A spokesman from Portland Coastguard said: “We received a call from the Dorset Ambulance first response unit at 6.30pm to assist with a 40-year-old male who had fallen from scaffolding below the ground in a dry reservoir at the Grove, on the east side of Portland.”

He added: “The problem was getting him out, as there was restricted entry through a manhole cover.

“Coastguards had to hoist someone down through the hole and winch him out.

“The man had suffered serious injuries including injuries to his head and a suspected spinal injury.

“The coastguard helicopter flew him to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester at 8.45pm.”

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene with a crew from Portland and the special rescue units from Weymouth and Poole.

Rope teams assisted the coastguards in winching the rescue crew down to the injured man and getting him out of the reservoir.

The casualty was transferred to the waiting helicopter on a stretcher and was flown to hospital within six minutes.

The man is reported to be now on a ward in the hospital and is having further assessments.

It is understood he also has a broken collarbone. A spokesman for South Western Ambulance described the man’s injuries as ‘serious,’ but said that he was conscious when the emergency services had rescued him.

He said: “This was a very good example of emergency services working together.

“The special skills of the coastguards and paramedic crews ensured that the patient received the best possible treatment.”
 
No one goes to work in the morning not expecting not to come home in the evening .
Had few near misses myself and for a bit it made me slow down but after a while you forget about it and carry on regardless .
At least the bloke never died !!
 
very true - fair way to fall tho
 
Harness????

Was this guy wearing any fall restraint/Harness??? If not who is accountable, him or the company that sent him to do the job????????
 
Was this guy wearing any fall restraint/Harness??? If not who is accountable, him or the company that sent him to do the job????????

Erm i dont no, if he no's the job is dangeours should ask or have his own harness, but if a harness was supllied and he has not used it as instructed them the company at liable he is
 
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