Times: USF takes steps to prevent event like Notre Dame tower tragedy

[USFishin]

October 28, 2010

USF takes steps to prevent event like Notre Dame tower tragedy

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday's news from Notre Dame that a 20-year-old student was killed when the tower from which he was videotaping football practice fell over during high winds - struck home at USF, which is in the process of building new practice fields for its football program.

Scissor lifts - the portable hydraulic lifts that allow students to videotape team drills from as high as 40 feet above the practice fields - are a common sight around most college football programs. As part of the more than $30 million USF is investing in facility upgrades over the next six months, the Bulls will have two permanent towers in place between the three new practice fields to help avoid the tragedy that Notre Dame is facing in the death of 20-year-old Declan Sullivan.

Such a tower - made of steel, 40 feet tall, anchored in a concrete foundation between two practice fields - is expensive, costing about $80,000 each, said USF executive senior associate athletic director Bill McGillis, who is overseeing the massive upgrade to USF's athletics district. In Florida, it is especially important to make sure the tower is strong enough to withstand the high winds that could come during hurricane season.

"First and foremost, we want to provide our video services staff the most functional and safe surface possible from which to videotape," McGillis said. "This is the very best that you can do from a safety standpoint."

McGillis said USF's greatest safety concern with the lifts isn't wind-related, but lightning-related, so members of the support staff have online alerts set to their phones to warn them of lightning anywhere near campus. USF's lifts are made to safely withstand winds of up to 50 mph, McGillis said, and the only time the winds were strong enough to keep the lifts down during a practice was in 2004, the day after Hurricane Charley hit Port Charlotte.

USF rents its scissor lifts, and will continue to have them available next season on the new fields, allowing video staff to occasionally tape practice from an end-zone view in addition to the sideline view from the permanent towers.

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[ncentonze]

even if we didnt have permanent towers...we should at least have common sense. Something they seem to be lacking in South bend.

[Triple B]

Kind of puzzled at first but I've got to assume the towers are a cost saving move in comparison to the on going renting of the scissor lifts for the sideline views ... That's the only way this makes sense.

[Bulls On Parade]

Boom lift rentals are more expensive. A 40' boom might rent for $300 to $350 per day or $1,000 to $1,400 per week, and a 65' boom could go for $350 to $400 per day or $1,300 to $1,800 per week.

found on a website...over time its a cost savings

still just common sense says not a good idea to be on a scissor lift in 20+ mph winds

[Triple B]

Boom lift rentals are more expensive. A 40' boom might rent for $300 to $350 per day or $1,000 to $1,400 per week, and a 65' boom could go for $350 to $400 per day or $1,300 to $1,800 per week.

found on a website...over time its a cost savings

That's what I figured ...

still just common sense says not a good idea to be on a scissor lift in 20+ mph winds

Exactly .... The article under that headline should have been about USF Athletics installing an ironclad policy for use of scissor lifts .... which it looks that they will still utilize from time to time.