Putting Up Scaffolding Around Britain's Tallest Cathedral Spire During A Thunderstorm.....

[Weather-history]

Sherbourne Paper (Public Ledger) 27th June 1829:

"An alarming and serious effect from lightning was on Wednesday afternoon last experienced by two persons employed in reparing the spire of Salisbury Cathedral; they were engaged in forming a scaffold round the spire at the weather door, (height of three hundred and eighty feet from the ground), when an awful flash of lightning, accompanied by appalling thunder, struck both men senseless; they just retired within the door to avoid an expected storm, otherwise the effects of the shock must proved fatal. One of the men (H.N. Reeves, whitesmith) was so affected by the shock as to be rendered totally insensible for a considerable time, at the expiration of which he had no recollection of even hearing the thunder; the other man (an older man, named Samuel Applin, ) recovered very soon. bbut found his right arm much affected by numbness, which did not go off some time"

[The Penguin]

Presumably they've got over it by now.

(Methinks you have a doppelganger Mr Data:-

http://theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/...ms/t/27000.aspx

Beware the other side...)

There are strict codes regarding earthing of scaffolding now, but it's astonishing how often the straps and spikes are missing, even on large contracts.