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it implies that had the authorities enforced the law correctly regarding safety in the first place these accidents would never have happened.
I don't see it that way. If people deliberately disable emergency brakes, oversight isn't going to make much difference - you can't inspect every piece of machinery every time it's serviced. Instead, you set standards and hold people accountable for maintaining them. This was a deliberate, premeditated action, not a crime of passion. By punishing these guys, you are aiming to deter other people from taking similar shortcuts.
If people deliberately disable emergency brakes,
There are two possibilities here:
1) Someone accidently left the brake in the service condition, this is a mistake and is probably systemic. The parts and service should be designed so that it is impossible to operate with the brake in the service condition. I am not convinced arrests should feature in that case. By the rationale set put above regarding investigations etc.
2) Someone sabotaged the cable car to cause an accident, or someone disabled the brake as it was causing operational issues (like landlords disabling troublesome fire alarms). Yes make arrests.
BBC are reporting that 3 people in charge of running the cable car apparently aware the emergency brakes have been disabled for weeks. Stops sounding so much like an "accident" and more the predictable consequences resulting from a set of human choices.
. Stops sounding so much like an “accident” and more the predictable consequences resulting from a set of human choices.
Oh god, how terribly irresponsible.
"Carabinieri Lieutenant Colonel Alberto Cicognani told Italian state television the three people had admitted to their involvement in the work carried out on the cable car during questioning overnight.
He said the fork-shaped clamp was placed on the brake to prevent it from engaging because it had been braking spontaneously and preventing the cable car from working.
He said the clamp was put on several weeks ago as a temporary fix to prevent further interruptions.
The cable car line went back into service on April 26 after a winter coronavirus-linked shutdown."
On Sunday, the braking mechanism on the wire bearing the weight of the cabin failed to engage and the gondola slid backwards before apparently hitting a pylon and tumbling to earth, where it rolled down the steep slope before hitting trees."
Sugegsting that a fault with a safety system was identified and not corrected. Instead, it was botched so they could operate. Also in other news, the corresponding car on the other side, had the braking system activated as intended when the haul rope failed....
There are two possibilities here:... someone disabled the brake as it was causing operational issues (like landlords disabling troublesome fire alarms). Yes make arrests.
This is exactly what happened. The brake was malfunctioning and preventing operation so they deliberately disabled it.
Jeepers this is petrifying thinking about the trust people put in these operators.
Also in other news, the corresponding car on the other side, had the braking system activated as intended when the haul rope failed…
I hadn't thought of that. The two cars are semi-balanced so the haul rope failing releases both. So the passengers in the other car must have had to be rescued after it braked - but must be feeling lucky.
Deliberately disabling a safety mechanism to continue operating should be treated as seriously as murder.