this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2025
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[–] [email protected] 47 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I get that it looks risky, but I don't really see a problem here. The platform is in undisturbed water, no waves, no sudden changes. If the platform is strong enough, which it seems to be to me, it will not easily tip over.

I've worked on a few lifts like that, and if you manage to tip one over I can only say that you were either really stupid or you were trying to do it. All the weight is at the bottom. They are very stable.

The only way to make them fall over is if your floor is not level while driving. Driving is out of the question in this picture, and as long as both guys stay in the fork lift the center of gravity will not change much.

So the platform will not move, the lift will not move, basically they are fine.

If something was to happen you're fucked though.

And different solutions are available. I've personally been in a different lift that had an arm so the lift would be a the side of the pool and the part where I was standing was elevated above the water. That probably would be a better solution, if you have enough space to get one of those lifts in.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Disagree. The lift is on a gimbal. If the wheels on one side of the lift are 1cm higher than the other, that would move the platform at the top by 8cm or something. If both guys are on one side of the platform that could be enough to make the whole thing tilt by another 1cm at the wheels, and so on.

That lift is not designed to be operated on a plastic barge.

That dock is not designed to carry equipment, certainly not an elevated platform, and is not designed to be operated as a barge.

IDK why there's so many commenters here rushing to defend this kind of practice. Working at height, on equipment not intended for that application is a hard no. Why would you work for an employer that would put you in that situation? This kind of "it's probably fine" risk assessment is just absurd.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Well, have you ever stood on a lift like that? I did, on a regular basis. You can lean over quite a bit with them.

Also, the lift itself already has play. You can easily get it to swing 4 centimeters while the base is stationary. It's just play in bearings and metal slightly bending.

I agree that the lift is not made to be like that. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I've done worse, that is for sure. But you have to use your brain.

Clearly the platform has great floating capacity. If the platform would not be capable of carrying that load, it would have sunk by now. The lift is in the middle, who j means the load is putting equal pressure on all sides. That has a stabilizing effect.

Water also pushes back. If you've every tried to flip a raft in the pool, you know that it is much easier if you move it side to side a few times, the water wil help you push it over, as long as you keep adding energy at every swing. If you don't, you will stabilize.

Unless something keeps adding energy to the swing, the swing will only get smaller and smaller. If it's swinging too much? Just stand still, don't move and let it stabilize.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the higher you go, the bigger the leverage is. At some point it will probably tip over if you swing it too much, but I don't think those guys are at that point.

But in the end, this is probably not the proper way to do the work. It's fun to discuss it, but a professional company would arrange something else.

Still legendary though, I've worked for companies that would do sketchy shit sometimes and while dangerous, it was also kind of fun. And I always checked for myself first if it was safe. Because I want to go home at the end of the day. Doesn't mean you have to be scared of everything though.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago

Unless something keeps adding energy to the swing, the swing will only get smaller and smaller. If it's swinging too much? Just stand still, don't move and let it stabilize.

Guy this just isn't true. The people on the top are on a gimbal (?) The further they are from the centre of the base the more weight is on their side and the further they will move from the centre of the base.

I'm not trying to be derisive or whatever but checking whether you think something is safe isn't really good enough. If that's the company culture then sooner or later some idiot injures themselves unnecessarily because they checked whatever thing and thought it was safe.

Safety regulations and certifications take the decision of whether something is safe out of your hands.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

What makes you say the dock isn't designed to carry equipment?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Show me me the specs. Note also that this dock is not fixed to pylons, so it's being used as a barge.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

What? I asked what makes you certain that the dock isn't designed for it. If you're certain, presumably you have a reason for this certainty and already know the specs from looking at it. I can't see into your mind to know your motivation for making this assertion, which is why I asked.

I assume you have some expertise that makes this obvious to you, so would you like to share it?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I consider myself an expert in not dying.

No one with a Height Safety Clearance is going to work from a platform which is not certified for that use.

It's up to you to prove that this contraption is certified. Spoiler: it's not.

Anyhow, while I look forward to reading your final witty retort, I'm happy to let you engage in whatever practices you deem to be safe while I do the same. Good day sir.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

(Not parent commenter) lil hedge makes it harder to argue! And more clear to me about experience/intuition vs. some specific dataset on hand.

Hope this comment doesn’t feel pushy - emphasis on my additions:

The lift is likely on a gimbal. If the wheels on one side of the lift are 1cm higher than the other, that would move the platform at the top by 8cm or something. If both guys are on one side of the platform that could be enough to make the whole thing tilt by another 1cm at the wheels, and so on.

From what I can tell, that lift is not designed to be operated on a plastic barge. So, ostensibly:

That dock is not designed to carry equipment, certainly not an elevated platform, and is not designed to be operated as a barge.

:)

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (3 children)

EZ Dock Floating Work Platforms

The manufacturer markets them for carrying equipment.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

How are they going to get out of the lift and how will they get the lift off fhe mattress?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 days ago (3 children)

If they have to get out of the lift, it is at it's lowest position. That means all the weight is in the middle of the platform and the weight of 2 man will not be enough to make the platform flip over.

They will have to jump to the side I suppose. Just step off. Maybe the can even paddle the platform around, I imagine there is at least one piece of rope to manipulate the platform when there is nobody on it.

The lift will go off, the same way it came on. Probably some sort of crane. I cannot imagine they just drove it on there, but maybe they did. Maybe even a forklift with long forks. There are forklifts that could probably handle that kind of weight so far away on the forks.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago (1 children)

This is the type of thing that I look at say this can't possibly work, and the engineer beside me will look at me a little confused and say this can't possibly fail. Sure enough they're usually right. Usually. I still won't be climbing on there.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago

Well, it's always best to listen to the little voice inside, especially if it says "I might just die here". I completely understand why you would not be climbing on that.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Trust them. They're engineers.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

With epic skill and epic gear.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago

Lol, they're wearing hard hats correctly. No, there are no engineers in this image.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 6 days ago

Make sure you have all your PPE.

Hard hat ✔️ Safety glasses ✔️ Swimmies ✔️

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 days ago (6 children)

If it works, it's not hybris, is it?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (3 children)

You say it’s working but they haven’t yet gotten back out of the lift nor have they gotten the lift back out of the water.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

Some say they are still stuck inspecting those ceiling beams to this very day. It would be the safest pool in the region if it weren't for the giant lift on a raft stuck in it.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The only people thinking this looks too risky are the same people who don't understand why ships float and planes fly. They don't understand the natural sciences.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago

This looks like a management photo op death trap to me. I'm not worried about a scissor jack being used on a flat floating surface in a pool, it's that it isn't secured to anything at all that really seems non OSHA compliant here. I just have really strong personal ethics about not eating shit 12+ feet off the ground in an hourly position. now IF the floatation device is rated for this use, and it's actually secured in place, sure, fine, but that's not what's happening.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (3 children)

Is that... a mattress? What is that lol

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