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I've been seeing a lot of a particular type of crane recently, and I'm wondering what access along the boom of these to a potential exit point is like.

I'm talking about the ones that have the boom at only 20 degrees or so from vertical, not the classic variety with a horizontal boom that you could walk out along easily. Please could anyone who's been on one of these, or works with them, let me know if there is generally ladder access along the boom to the tip, whilst it is still near vertical? Or do they have to lower it back to horizontal before maintenance access is available?

Cheers for any info, R.

Got your eye on something Ross?

Something festive this way comes....



Plus there's lots around my end of the UK...

some of the big ones have a walkway inside the boom or on top with a wire hand rail for yor safety lanyard to atach to .access is usualy were the boom butt attaches to the crane .

Is that likely to be a walkway or a ladder on this type of boom though?

Basically, the ones I'm looking at are at too steep an angle to climb if it's just flat walkway....

I've jumped a couple of those in the States. I bet the style in the UK is different, but here they pretty much suck to climb. There is no ladder or rail, and you climb the structure itself. Then, when you get to the top, there is no real clean exit point, so you end up kind of precariously balancing/hanging and dropping/pushing off. It's an interesting experience, but having done it a couple times, it doesn't really call to me so much anymore.

Thanks Tom, that's what I was afraid of

I could help you out with this if I knew the tonnage rating of the crane. Is it a ground mounted structure? One other thing to keep in mind, it may, or may not have a greased cable going up the boom. I doubt there is any type of walkway or ladder. If what your looking at is a derrick crane it's going to be a matter of climbing the boom, which will be your standard lattace work of cross members. The exit point will be sketchy at best.

the picture is an example only from google.com

This picture is only an example, but the type/height of the crane is roughly the same to my untrained eye. It is ground mounted.

Edit to change link to better example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/...Image:TowerCrane.jpg

The easeist way would be to gain access to the controls of the crane, either by knowing how to operate it or buying off the operator after hours in darkness and go up in a man basket.

>> Starts collecting the pennies

Years ago I used to think that bungee jumping was where it was at, and there used to be a crane like the one in the picture sited permenently by Putney bridge at point pleasent that was owned or leased by the UK bungee club.

It was just under 360 foot to the tip of the boom I believe if my memory serves me right.

Its not there any more, but I often wonder these days if it was ever jumped when the bungee club had packed up for the night.