We all have to go, but this is bizarre, poor fellow

I wonder what kind and how many safeguards they have to prevent limb/foot/body entrapment whilst they are descending (and why they didn’t work this time)? Very sad and I would imagine horrific for any witnesses.

Tim

sounded like it was an engineer working underneath it not a member of the public (you'd still expect safeguards, but e.g. lift shafts are pretty dangerous places, anyone working there would be expected to know the rules)

I was involved (peripherally, and after the event) in a case where a lift dropped as someone was stepping out of it, with fatal consequences for the person who was crushed.

This case is very different, as I'd expect that an engineer working on the toilet would have at least some responsibility for making it safe to work on. Nevertheless, there's the possibility that he was the victim of some design or manufacture failure.

I do feel sorry for the fellow and his family.

I struggle to see how the incident could have benefited from "about 25 firefighters" in attendance.

I'm sure such a device would have safety interlocks fitted - perhaps several interlocks. The problem is that, in order for an engineer to do some necessary tasks, many or all of those interlocks have to be defeated.

I have never worked on pop-up toilets, but the same situation occurs when working on electrical/electronic cabinets.

because they are mob handed work shy lay-a-bouts

In one of the pictures, about a third of those look as though they are holding the thing up. They would need at least one relief crew available and some would probably be out of sight, trying to get lifting bags under the base.

Very badly designed if that is the case.

The design looks to have an access hatch in front of it.

Paul

Telescopic? Sounds like either bad design or not put up right. Brian

Having never seen of of these urinals, there seem to be some that actully are telescopic, i.e. an 8' tall urinal retracts into a 4' hole in the pavement, and others that remain a fixed height and merely popup out of the ground.

From the pictures, it seems the one in question is a "UriLift Triple"

Depends whether the engineer was playing fast and loose overiding the interlocks?

Must be if they need 27 fireys to hold it up until they can put in something to stop it falling in the hole again.

Doesnt ,make any sense to spend heaps to make the damned things pop out of the ground either.

If its designed properly it shouldnt be possible to do that and kill yourself.

Putting in a bit of overtime in to make up for lost wages when they go on strike?

Out of interest, how do you make them pop up? Smartphone required?

They are not available on request. They are raised at night and lowered during the day.

Makes even less sense.

They are there to give an alternative to urinating in corners after the pubs and bars shut.