Fundamentally it comes down to the safety systems engineered into the types of devices.
If a forklift experiences a hydraulic failure, it can plummet the load to the gorund very very quickly. Devices designed for lifting humans are required to have safety systems in place to lengthen the descent time to something less likely to cause injury...
In this particular case, she was only up about 6 feet, and they had given at least some cursory attention to safety. It might have been a manlift, rather than a forktruck; I didn't see the rig.
In this particular case, she was only up about 6 feet, and they had given at least some cursory attention to safety. It might have been a manlift, rather than a forktruck; I didn't see the rig.
I don't worry about you, Jay, I just don't someone to read this thread one day and get the idea that they can just use a forklift for their flying effect.
People who are capable of spotting life-safety problems (preferably by reflex), and absolutely unabashed about throwing a fit to keep them from hurting anyone, are the solution to all this sort of trouble; I try to be one.
Thanks for the help in answering my question! I'm writing a paper on the use of technologies in theatre and the lift being used in wicked was a great example I could think of. Thanks for the help!
Somewhere on the Internet was a great and lengthy article about why material lifts are NOT good replacements for personnel lifts. I'll have to try and find it.