Crane used to carry collapsed construction worker to safety
Worker collapses on the Ballito Junction construction site.
The Ballito Junction construction site turned into an action movie set yesterday morning, when one of the workers collapsed ten meters below ground level.
Netcare 911 media liaison Chris Botha said when their advanced life support paramedic and his ambulance crew arrived, they found the diabetic man lying on the ground in a serious condition.
“He was surrounded by concerned and empathetic first aid staff assisting him. It was fantastic to see the compassion and empathy that the management of the site showed towards their staff, definitely an example for others,” said Botha.
Realising that it would be difficult to get the man back up to the road level, they called the Netcare 911 Rescue Unit and SAP Search and Rescue, to set up a specialised rescue system using one of the cranes on site.
A paramedic and a SAP Rescue member were hooked up onto the crane and with skillful precision, the operator lowered them down to the patient.
“Medics immobilised the man into a stokes rescue basket, and after he was secured, they connected the patient and themselves to the crane. Once again, the crane operator and the team controlling the hoist showed phenomenal skill as they hoisted them back up to the ground level.”
The patient was loaded into the ambulance and transported to a hospital.
Construction of the 70 000 square metre regional mall is set for completion in March 2017.
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