Boom lift on public road

adocholiday

Hi all,

Wasn't quite sure where to put this post but this seemed most appropriate. I have some trees along the public road that are really in dire need of pruning. My driveway runs parallel to the public road but it's an 8 degree slope so I can't use a boom lift on it. I can only get at them from the public road.

My question is do I need to get permits or anything from the council? I intend to put up signage and traffic cones where I'd be working anyway but just wondering if there is anything else I need to concern myself with?

Operation of the boom, safety etc. is all covered no issue with any of that.

Many thanks!

listermint

8 degrees is quite small. Why not prop the end wheels of the boom up to level the whole unit.

Or rent one that has hydraulic arms to level instead of wheel reliance.

I'd steer clear of the road if I could excuse the pun. If only for insurance reasons if anything

Le shovelle

adocholiday wrote: »

Hi all,

Wasn't quite sure where to put this post but this seemed most appropriate. I have some trees along the public road that are really in dire need of pruning. My driveway runs parallel to the public road but it's an 8 degree slope so I can't use a boom lift on it. I can only get at them from the public road.

My question is do I need to get permits or anything from the council? I intend to put up signage and traffic cones where I'd be working anyway but just wondering if there is anything else I need to concern myself with?

Operation of the boom, safety etc. is all covered no issue with any of that.

Many thanks!

If your closing part of the road or footpath, you'll need to apply for a permit from the council. As part of the application you'll have to submit a traffic management plan detailing how you propose to cordon off the work area and manage the traffic/pedestrians. Also you'll need someone with a sign and lighting ticket to put out the cones,signs, barriers etc.
I'd agree with listermint in staying away from the public road if at all possible and that perhaps a different type of lift would work.
Hope this helps

glynf

listermint wrote: »

8 degrees is quite small. Why not prop the end wheels of the boom up to level the whole unit.

Or rent one that has hydraulic arms to level instead of wheel reliance.

I'd steer clear of the road if I could excuse the pun. If only for insurance reasons if anything

Scaffolding planks are great for leveling up, as some one who has driven booms on a public road, avoid like the plague.. If you have to look at getting a self drive boom-basically a Mitsubishi canter or the like with a boom on the back, good for about 8-10M or so and you can drive on a standard license. Just don't take any corners too fast with it.

kadman

Make sure you have someone with you who knows the proper procedure to descend you
safely from the ground in case you lose control at the bucket.

I know quite a few guys who bought boom lifts for their own property, and ended up
getting the firebrigade to get them down. And later they were given a bill for the callout.

Learn all the emergency drills in your own lift as well.

My own 12 metre boom has 3 methods of control. Normal control at the tub.
Emergency electric pump control from the tub.
Tub controls from the van, manual hydraulic control from a hand operated pump at the van, and
manual valve operated drain at the van. And i check them before use everytime.

adocholiday

Thanks all. I'd be very wary about levelling with scaffolding planks myself, across a 4.5m span I have a drop of about 700mm (that's where I got the 8 degree slope from, about 15%) so I reckon I'd need more than a few planks to level it. Slippage etc I think would be too much of a risk.

There were two 'spider lift' options, the cheaper one though is trailer mounted and I've no vehicle with a tow bar so I think moving it would be impossible basically, and the more expensive one is €500 per day and a 1 hour training course is needed beforehand.

May just have to bite the bullet though by the sounds of things. Public road might just be too much hassle and effort. Thanks all.