Crane climbing is the latest trend for thrill seekers. These climbers sneak onto construction sites, scale the large cranes, and post their excursions on popular social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. This ongoing problem can lead to safety and liability issues.
A Vancouver police constable blames “selfie culture” and social media for the popularity of crane climbing. The trespassers create and post these videos of themselves in dangerous situations to gain online notoriety.
Since May, 16 people have been involved in crane climbing incidents in Richmond Hill, Whitchurch-Stoufville and Newmarket. The police constable said the thrill seekers’ parents were called to the scene in two of the cases. In two separate instances, the York Fire Department was called in to plan and execute a potential rescue strategy. However, the crane climbers came down on their own. Canadian authorities charged them with mischief and trespassing.
Not all crane climbers are as fortunate.
One New York City crane climber’s activity ultimately led to his death. The suspect arrived at a construction site around 4:30 p.m. He climbed to the top of a 15-story construction crane where he lingered for about 40 minutes before making his descent. The construction site trespasser grabbed a rope located under the crane cab and began to swing from it. The rope snapped and the suspect plunged to his death.
ECAM is piloting a new crane climbing system to help eliminate these types of incidents. Strategically placed HD IP cameras are watched in real-time by remote video operators. So far, the system seems to be working well.
A live remote operator saw three males scaling a crane on a construction site at 2:30 a.m. The operator called the West Vancouver Police and activated an audio warning. The officers arrived on the property and intercepted the suspects before they could cause damage to the property or themselves.
In a separate incident, a Stealth emote video monitor stopped a suicide attempt.
A customized crane climbing system can help deter unwanted activity at your construction site.
ECAM is the leader in remote video surveillance in Canada and the U.S, with over 400 employees, 11 offices, and 3 live video monitoring control centers. ECAM’s proactive video monitoring watches over 17,000 IP and CCTV security cameras. Our security solutions feature advanced technology and can detect and deter crime while reducing security guard and other expenses. Our remote monitoring service can reduce or even replace security guards at a fraction of the cost. A remote surveillance operator can see suspicious activity, activate a speaker warning, and call the local police.
Please call toll-free (866) 756-7847 or contact us today for more information to protect your outdoor assets. Visit the Stealth website to see real arrest videos at construction sites, multifamily apartments, shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, auto dealerships, and other commercial real estate properties.
