Health and Safety at Locks?

[MartinClark]

At yesterday's opening of the Middlewood Deep Lock on the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal I took some photos that may raise a few eyebrows with all the health and safety obsession currently visible around the country.

 

First of all, there was an attempt to have the first sinking in the new lock, but luckily the deck drain holes were pretty big! The guests, who had been standing in the well deck, had to rush hastily inside.

 

Then we had the lock operator ignoring safe practice and leaving the windlass on the raised paddle gear:

 

The windlass remained there onthe raised paddle right through all the speeches, with the dignitaries and watching crowd just feet away:

 

Oo-er!

 

You will be pleased to hear that there were no bollards beside this lock and no cill warning signs attached to the balance beams.

[kayDee]

That first pic - was the boat as far back towards the lower gates as possible? If it was, EVERY 58/60ft NB is going to get a serious soaking from water coming over that top cill! Not good practice leaving the windlass on the paddle spline - ratchet or no ratchet, but there you go... There should be some sort of drain running across the top of that cill to try and stop water coming over the top. What's even worse is that it looks like it has a little overhanging ledge on the cill to make the water flow outwards and down rather than just drain down the wall of the cill ? ? ?

Kay

x

Edited September 20, 2008 by kayDee

[tony collins]

Wouldn't it have been embarrasing to sink the boat at the official opening? I wonder how BW would have explained THAT one!

 

Tony

[NB Esk]

Isn't that strange? It almost looks like it was designed for the water to cascade over the top, surely not.

 

And the *Lockie*, was he there just for the day?

[AMModels]

I think that lock will have a LOT of remedial work done on it soon or there will be sinkings there before long.

[sueb]

I think that lock will have a LOT of remedial work done on it soon or there will be sinkings there before long.

Especially when they install the Keep forward of the cill signs.

Sue

Edited September 20, 2008 by sueb

[US Marines]

Ah - I see the politicians have been busy - why just build a lock when you can have a beautiful waterfall added for the same price ?

 

I can see these catching on !

 

[seriously though, these photos need to be seen by those responsible for this - the lockie needs some serious 're-training' methinks, as does the profile of the concrete water spout]

[NB Esk]

Looks like most of that water is being forced between the gate, nearest the camera, & the cill. Must only be a teething trouble, it'll be gettin' sorted...........at least they fitted *proper* paddle gear. Not like that awful hydraulic rubbish, on the Huddersfield narrow.

[MartinClark]

I understand the locks were filled for the first time in the last day or so. The gates are still "dry". Apparently as they become acclimatised to having water next to them, the gaps between the planks will close up, so there will be less water cascading over the cill. That's the official story, anyway. The boat in the photo was a 70 footer, which is why it ended up so close to the front end while the tail gates were being closed.

[US Marines]

I note the comments about this being an unusual amount of water coz of new gates etc BUT......

 

.....surely its not beyond the wit of the designer/engineer/safety auditor to have profiled the concrete so that it doesn't cause the water to cascade out from the wall like that.....

 

They'll never seal off all the water and there are quite a few 70 footers out there......

 

...its not like they're exactly pushing the boundaries with new technology after all !

[kayDee]

And as the gates bed in, they might leak even more over that expertly designed cill !!

Kay

x

[Bones]

what a shame there werent any bollards or those lovely people would have had some delicious seats to watch the goings on.

 

Great piccies!

[MikeV]

I would like to report that Health and Safety have at least been assiduous in their duties on the L&L. Look at this freshly painted white line around a dangerous depression in a coping stone!

 

 

Obviously the straight edge of the lock is not deemed as dangerous and, as an economy measure, the white line has not been refreshed! //Mike

[Jason Wilson and Family]

It's like some hideously twisted comedy show.

[ditchcrawler]

Wouldn't it have been embarrasing to sink the boat at the official opening? I wonder how BW would have explained THAT one!

 

Tony

User error

[AJLintern]

It's all quite safe - he is after all wearing a hi-vis vest...

[PeterF]

At yesterday's opening of the Middlewood Deep Lock on the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal I took some photos that may raise a few eyebrows with all the health and safety obsession currently visible around the country.

 

First of all, there was an attempt to have the first sinking in the new lock, but luckily the deck drain holes were pretty big! The guests, who had been standing in the well deck, had to rush hastily inside.

 

Looks very reminiscent of Tuel Lane on the Rochdale with the very large rise and top gate perched up in the gods and that does not leak anything like that. We had our boat right up to the front wall on the way up and only got a light spray. Hopefully they can get it sorted as well as Tuel Lane otherwise a it will be a bit of a problem.

[DHutch]

Did Tuel land today, and as you say, its much drier over the cill. But also the cill is a very much diffrent shape.

 

 

 

 

Daniel

[tidal]

They have probably allowed for the reprofiling to be done by the stern gear of descending boats