Many long time Controlbooth members have heard this story before but many of our newer members have not. I'm retelling it now in the hope that at least a few of our younger members will learn from the mistakes I made when I was at what I call the magical age of twenty-five; old enough to know better, but still young enough to feel immortal.
Twenty years ago I survived a fall that really should have killed me. I'm posting this in the hope that my experience will highlight the importance of proper training, the use the proper personal protective equipment or PPE and following safety procedures when working at height.
September 1st. of 2000, I was striking lights from the Irvine Bowl, the amphitheatre that houses the Pageant of the Masters. I did several things wrong that night. First off was that I was not using a fall arrest harness, so I had nothing to catch me if I fell. My second mistake was that I was carrying my lights down the truss rather than lowering them with a rope. Third, I was in a hurry to finish. As a matter of fact the only safety procedure that I did follow that night was that I wasn't working alone. I had someone else with me acting as a bottom man while I did the climbing, which makes the failure to use a rope just that much more stupid. But even there, I had violated this rule on any number of occasions in my previous eleven years in the industry.
I was in the process of carrying my last light down the truss and I was anxious to finish the job and get to the crew party. I was nearly half way down the truss when I missed my grip. I'm not sure exactly how far I fell, but it was somewhere between ten and fifteen feet. The way the fall started I really should have hit the ground head first. I've never been sure exactly how I did it, but I somehow managed to straighten myself out so that I hit the concrete steps feet first.
In short, I got lucky. That fall should have killed me. As it stands, I injured both of my knees and pinched a nerve in my back. The pinched nerve went undiagnosed for four years; four years in which I was in constant pain. There again, it was pure blind luck that lead to discovering the pinched nerve. Nearly four years after my fall, I somehow managed to un-pinch it. While the pain is no longer a constant in my life, it's still a frequent visitor. I'm in the gym 3 to 5 days a week dealing with pain issues and take anti-inflammatories far more often than I'd like. While I'm currently furloughed due to Covid-19, I'm hoping to be back to doing the same work next year. The primary difference between now and twenty years ago is that now I have learned to use the proper PPE for this and other aspects of my job, to follow proper procedures and most importantly, never, ever be in a hurry. My life isn't worth the minute or two I might save.
I'm lucky that I walked away from that fall with a lifetime of knee problems when I really should have died. This wasn't the only time that luck has saved me from serious injury or death, but you can't depend on luck. Luck will only take you so far, then it'll get you or someone else killed. Learn from my mistakes and don't make them yourself. Learn and follow proper safety procedures. Learn to use the proper PPE for a given activity, then use it properly. And finally, always take the necessary time to do the job right.
Follow safe practices and learn from my mistakes. It just may save your life someday.
Twenty years ago I survived a fall that really should have killed me. I'm posting this in the hope that my experience will highlight the importance of proper training, the use the proper personal protective equipment or PPE and following safety procedures when working at height.
September 1st. of 2000, I was striking lights from the Irvine Bowl, the amphitheatre that houses the Pageant of the Masters. I did several things wrong that night. First off was that I was not using a fall arrest harness, so I had nothing to catch me if I fell. My second mistake was that I was carrying my lights down the truss rather than lowering them with a rope. Third, I was in a hurry to finish. As a matter of fact the only safety procedure that I did follow that night was that I wasn't working alone. I had someone else with me acting as a bottom man while I did the climbing, which makes the failure to use a rope just that much more stupid. But even there, I had violated this rule on any number of occasions in my previous eleven years in the industry.
I was in the process of carrying my last light down the truss and I was anxious to finish the job and get to the crew party. I was nearly half way down the truss when I missed my grip. I'm not sure exactly how far I fell, but it was somewhere between ten and fifteen feet. The way the fall started I really should have hit the ground head first. I've never been sure exactly how I did it, but I somehow managed to straighten myself out so that I hit the concrete steps feet first.
In short, I got lucky. That fall should have killed me. As it stands, I injured both of my knees and pinched a nerve in my back. The pinched nerve went undiagnosed for four years; four years in which I was in constant pain. There again, it was pure blind luck that lead to discovering the pinched nerve. Nearly four years after my fall, I somehow managed to un-pinch it. While the pain is no longer a constant in my life, it's still a frequent visitor. I'm in the gym 3 to 5 days a week dealing with pain issues and take anti-inflammatories far more often than I'd like. While I'm currently furloughed due to Covid-19, I'm hoping to be back to doing the same work next year. The primary difference between now and twenty years ago is that now I have learned to use the proper PPE for this and other aspects of my job, to follow proper procedures and most importantly, never, ever be in a hurry. My life isn't worth the minute or two I might save.
I'm lucky that I walked away from that fall with a lifetime of knee problems when I really should have died. This wasn't the only time that luck has saved me from serious injury or death, but you can't depend on luck. Luck will only take you so far, then it'll get you or someone else killed. Learn from my mistakes and don't make them yourself. Learn and follow proper safety procedures. Learn to use the proper PPE for a given activity, then use it properly. And finally, always take the necessary time to do the job right.
Follow safe practices and learn from my mistakes. It just may save your life someday.
