Two recent incidents of crane climbing
indicate that the dangerous activity isn’t going away any time soon. It’s not just the risk-takers looking to climb the tallest item on a construction site. In fact, the people in these cases weren’t climbing for thrills.
Here are two very different stories.
The Jobless Crane Climber
In Los Angeles, a man got by security and managed to climb up an 80-foot crane at a construction site, then sat on the ledge for three hours. He did not secure himself. If a gust of wind would have hit, it would have surely blown him off the crane as the video showed.
ABC7 reports
that crisis negotiators from the LA fire and police departments talked him down. He didn’t climb the crane for malicious reasons. Rather, a witness said he was depressed because he didn’t have a job.
The Protesting Crane Climber
In a second case from Florida, a demonstrator climbed a crane on a construction site. He had a banner and the American flag in hand to prepare for President Trump’s arrival. Miami’s WSVN 7 News quotes
Sweetwater Police Chief Placido Diaz as saying the man wanted Trump to pardon a Cuban exile.
Because of the incident, the police told construction workers to leave. The situation put the construction company at least one day behind schedule.
So, construction site trespassers aren’t always daredevils looking for a thrill. They could be someone who feels depressed, has a mental illness, or wants to protest. Nonetheless, it reinforces the need for construction sites to implement the right security measures to help prevent crane climbing. In both cases, the suspects forced their way into a locked construction site.
How to Effectively Prevent Crane Climbing
One way to deter future crane climbers is to use live video monitoring. Trained security specialists watch for suspicious movement and can immediately contact the local authorities. Security specialists can continue following the suspects and stay on the line for as long as the police need their help.
Construction security that includes remote video surveillance provides a fast return on investment. Just deterring one crane climber avoids potential project delays that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each day the crew does not work.
Should a climber fall, it could lead to longer delays. The local authorities might have to block the construction site for an extended period to complete their investigation.
Stealth can protect crane shafts where thrill seekers, protestors, depressed people, and other crane climbers
scale the crane. We strategically place wireless cameras that notify a trained operator whenever unusual activity occurs. The technology is designed to move with the crane as it is raised.
If you’d like to learn about the construction security solutions to prevent crane climbers and vandalism while improving safety and maintaining productivity, please contact us.
