An outrageous fatal fall accident recently occurred in New Taipei City, Taiwan. A 67-year-old homeowner attempted to hoist an outdoor air conditioning unit himself and accidentally fell to his death along with the unit. Four workers were also referred for prosecution for negligent homicide. Industry peers commented that there is absolutely no way a homeowner would be asked to operate the hoist themselves, calling the incident extremely outrageous. A lawyer also stated that the contractor was indeed negligent.
It is understood that the homeowner in Linkou was having two air conditioners installed on the 3rd. Because the apartment stairwell was narrow, the workers were unwilling to carry the outdoor unit upstairs. As a result, the homeowner prepared hoisting equipment. After the workers placed the unit on the hoist, they let the homeowner operate it independently. Suspectedly, the unit began to slide, and the homeowner tried to pull it back, but could not overcome its weight and fell together with the outdoor unit, resulting in his tragic death.
● High Risk for Non-Professionals Unfamiliar with Stress Points
According to CTS News, although the four workers claimed the homeowner said he had a hoist and was willing to operate it himself, industry peer, AC technician Fan, said outdoor AC units start at 40 to 50 kg. No matter what, letting an inexperienced homeowner operate it alone is unthinkable, as a non-professional has no idea about stress points or how to move the unit, making the risk extremely high.
Attorney Liu Weiting pointed out that asking a homeowner without professional training to operate the hoist by themselves, without providing assistance, indeed constitutes clear negligence on the part of the contractor.
However, air conditioning installation fees usually include not only basic installation but also moving the unit to the destined floor and securing the pipes. If the installation site is at a high floor or on an exterior wall—considered high-risk locations—workers typically charge an extra NT$20,000 (about RM2,900) to install guardrails and fall protection equipment. It is understood the homeowner may not have negotiated this extra fee with the workers.
According to CHEN Ya-Ping, Secretary-General of the Consumers' Foundation, all charges should be clearly negotiated before installing the air conditioning unit to avoid potential last-minute price hikes by the workers. (News source: China Times News Network)
It is understood that the homeowner in Linkou was having two air conditioners installed on the 3rd. Because the apartment stairwell was narrow, the workers were unwilling to carry the outdoor unit upstairs. As a result, the homeowner prepared hoisting equipment. After the workers placed the unit on the hoist, they let the homeowner operate it independently. Suspectedly, the unit began to slide, and the homeowner tried to pull it back, but could not overcome its weight and fell together with the outdoor unit, resulting in his tragic death.
● High Risk for Non-Professionals Unfamiliar with Stress Points
According to CTS News, although the four workers claimed the homeowner said he had a hoist and was willing to operate it himself, industry peer, AC technician Fan, said outdoor AC units start at 40 to 50 kg. No matter what, letting an inexperienced homeowner operate it alone is unthinkable, as a non-professional has no idea about stress points or how to move the unit, making the risk extremely high.
Attorney Liu Weiting pointed out that asking a homeowner without professional training to operate the hoist by themselves, without providing assistance, indeed constitutes clear negligence on the part of the contractor.
However, air conditioning installation fees usually include not only basic installation but also moving the unit to the destined floor and securing the pipes. If the installation site is at a high floor or on an exterior wall—considered high-risk locations—workers typically charge an extra NT$20,000 (about RM2,900) to install guardrails and fall protection equipment. It is understood the homeowner may not have negotiated this extra fee with the workers.
According to CHEN Ya-Ping, Secretary-General of the Consumers' Foundation, all charges should be clearly negotiated before installing the air conditioning unit to avoid potential last-minute price hikes by the workers. (News source: China Times News Network)