high elements

The other day I was at this particular exhibition centre in Singapore. I was sitting at a cafe, observing some workers putting up banners on the exterior of the building. Their modus operandi was as such: 2 workers were at the top of the aluminium scaffolding, some 15 metres tall, tying the banners to the pillars, while 4 other workers each stood at the 4 legs of the scaffolding, pushing the whole tower to a new location whenever the top guys were done, and locking the wheels with their feet. When the top guys were tying the banner, the 4 workers at the bottom went to one side and slacked.

The guys on top were not wearing any safety harnesses. Imagine one slip while tying the banner. Also, by a simple lever-arm mechanism, if the workers on top leaned to one side of the scaffolding, a turning moment would be resulted and the scaffolding would just topple and there was no way the 4 guys at the bottom could prevent it, even if they were at the base and trying to hold the legs down.

If the company used those aerial platform, not only would it be safer, they could also save the 4 manpower at the bottom cos you can control the wheels from the top. Oh well, better equipment means money.