Andy351
08-28-2003, 09:33 PM
today at work myself and a coworker were dismantling a skylight at an old indoor swimming center. there was a 2 x 10 tube of something like 1/4" steel that ran the length of the skylight (about 60 feet) and tied all the beams together at the peak of the roof. being that it was 60 feet long, we cut it into 3 sections where it was held up by the beams. however, each of these sections weighs well over 300 pounds.
did i mention i'm 40 feet up on scaffolding while this is going on and the beam is another 8 feet higher?
as we are swinging the beams by their ends (remember there are only 2) onto the edge of the hole for the skylight, we get one end in place.:thumbup then, i don't know where he was going but my coworker walked away and left me to deal with getting the other end of the 300 pound beam up. as i am swinging it into place, my worst dream becomes a reality. the end which was already on the roof pivots off:shocked and falls right onto the scaffolding that i'm standing on:eek: you'd be surprised how much weight 2x can take. the beam bent and split the 2x planking about 2 feet down, but it held.....barely.
had it not held, the beam would either have gone straight down to the bottom of the pool, taking out much of the scaffolding on the way there; the brackets on the ends of the beam would have at the VERY least taken my hands off, or worse, my arms or torso; or the beam could have fallen straight onto my head, crushed me and sent me down the floor to become a pile of meat.
as of right now, i'm just glad to be alive, and with all my appendages still connected:brownbag
so who else has a story to share?
did i mention i'm 40 feet up on scaffolding while this is going on and the beam is another 8 feet higher?
as we are swinging the beams by their ends (remember there are only 2) onto the edge of the hole for the skylight, we get one end in place.:thumbup then, i don't know where he was going but my coworker walked away and left me to deal with getting the other end of the 300 pound beam up. as i am swinging it into place, my worst dream becomes a reality. the end which was already on the roof pivots off:shocked and falls right onto the scaffolding that i'm standing on:eek: you'd be surprised how much weight 2x can take. the beam bent and split the 2x planking about 2 feet down, but it held.....barely.
had it not held, the beam would either have gone straight down to the bottom of the pool, taking out much of the scaffolding on the way there; the brackets on the ends of the beam would have at the VERY least taken my hands off, or worse, my arms or torso; or the beam could have fallen straight onto my head, crushed me and sent me down the floor to become a pile of meat.
as of right now, i'm just glad to be alive, and with all my appendages still connected:brownbag
so who else has a story to share?