Tower worker falls to his death.

 

Subject:	wind mill industry/ possible saving workers compensation
Date:	10/10/2011 4:58:36 P.M. Central Daylight Time
From:	pschnurr@hailo.us
Reply To:   To: sdlombardi@aol.com

Dear M. Lombardi, My name is Paul Schnurr and I work for Hailo US. Hailo, a company that mostly serves the wind mill industry and renewable energy sector. Our products are mainly safety access components, such as climbing ladders, fall arrest safety systems and man-lift/elevators for service wind tower technician. I am reaching out to you today to receive your advice and guidance on how we can show and proof that companies who have service technicians going up and down a wind mill tower will save money with installing a man-lift (elevator for service technician) inside their tower. I did some investigation and learned that due to climbing a ladder the chances that the technician receives sooner or later joint problems/pain related to climbing a 260 feet tower (about 24 stories tower) are very high. I learned also that this will increase the company's workers compensation rate. With using a man-lift (elevator for service technician) those issues will not arise BUT will the opposite will happen. I learned that the workers compensation rate can be reduced due to the reason that a man lift inside of a tower is considered being safer than climbing a ladder! Is this information correct? The most wind mills (over thousands) across the USA do not have a man-lift installed because companies do not see the actual $ of savings in workers compensation due to an installation of a man-lift. I kindly would like to ask if you could please help me to show how much a company would save by installing a man-lift. Also, when I look from an emergency perspective and a technician needs to be rescued a distance of 260feet on a ladder which will take very long and with that may have significant impact on the rescued person who needs urgent professional help. Please find some pictures for more information as followed: Wind mills man-lift for wind mills climbing a wind mill on a ladder to reach the engine room (climbing up to 260feet) Side note: When we look at buildings almost every 4th or 5th story building has an elevator installed but how can it be that a 260feet wind mill tower (about 24 stories) does not have a man-lift for the technician. Could this industry also be compared to the mining industry? I believe every mine has a man-lift/elevator. I am very thankful for your help and advice! Thanks and have a blessed day! Paul Schnurr