Skyjack Equipment Not Involved In Fatal Accident

Dec. 12, 2005
Skyjack officials are disputing several alerts that have been circulated through a variety of distribution channels that link Skyjack aerial work platforms to a fatal accident allegedly caused by the failure of a Skyjack lift. Officials from Bechtel ...

Skyjack officials are disputing several alerts that have been circulated through a variety of distribution channels that link Skyjack aerial work platforms to a fatal accident allegedly caused by the failure of a Skyjack lift. Officials from Bechtel Corp. have retracted the alert that blamed Skyjack for the accident.

“The referenced alerts, which link a fatal accident to the failure of a Skyjack lift, are incorrect and offer inaccurate information about Skyjack equipment,” said Brad Boehler, director, product safety and quality assurance at Skyjack. “The incident described in no way related to, nor did it in any manner involve, any Skyjack equipment.”

The originating alert was published by Bechtel, Mining and Metals GBU ES&H Alert, as Mining and Metals Safety Alert No. 11. This alert was based on a poorly worded initial report, linking Skyjack equipment to a completely unrelated fatal incident. Skyjack officials said Bechtel made no attempt to verify this report with Skyjack prior to publishing its alert, which was intended to be an internal document. After Skyjack informed Bechtel that the fatal incident alleged to involve a Skyjack SJM 3219 never occurred, Bechtel agreed to issue a complete retraction of its original alert.

The Bechtel, Mining and Metals GBU ES&H Alert, Mining and Metals Safety Alert No. 12 was issued to retract, rescind and declare null and void, its Alert No. 11.

Further information including the Bechtel retraction, and a complete Skyjack clarification letter can be found at www.skyjackinc.com or by contacting Skyjack Product Support at 1-800-275-9522.