Following the death of Declan Sullivan, a videographer at the University of Notre Dame, I was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune concerning the incident. Click here to read the interview.

Unfortunately, this incident was entirely preventable:

• Forseeable: On October 28, 1995, two videographers were injured while videotaping a football game at James Madison University. This was a warning for all athletic departments to review and update their work practices on utilizing scissor lifts.
• Weather Advisory: South Bend was under a weather advisory due to strong winds. The Notre Dame Athletic Department should have restricted use of the scissor lift until the advisory was lifted.
• Hazard Recognition: Mr. Sullivan was concerned about the weather and issued two statements on Twitter expressing concern regarding his personal safety.

Every athletic department using scissor lifts should review their written policies, daily inspection procedures, and operator training to ensure worker safety.

Jon