Barack and Michelle Obama’s Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb is now under investigation for breaking numerous safety rules, Daily Mail Australia can reveal.
The Obamas were given special VIP access to do the iconic Bridge Climb without the usual jumpsuit and harness normally required by patrons paying up to $408 each for one of the world’s most unique experiences.
The former President and First Lady were photographed on Wednesday casually climbing the precarious walkway high above the busy rush hour traffic below.
While the pair received official clearance to skip wearing the jumpsuits and clip-on safety harnesses, Mrs. Obama was also spotted with her sweater wrapped around her midriff, sparking serious safety concerns.
Other members of their entourage carried their iPhones on the climb, which can easily fall and carry the risk of dropping them, the risk of falling onto the traffic below, and limiting them to grabbing the guardrail with just one hand.
Climb safety rules are notoriously strict and inflexible, and Bridge Climb enforces them with no exceptions.
The NSW government has launched an internal investigation after former First Lady Michelle Obama was allowed to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge with a sweater tied around her waist, while an aide held her phone loose in her hand
American TV star Oprah Winfrey had to tie herself up before being allowed onto the Harbor Bridge during her 2010 visit
“The idea of a jumper or a phone falling from above onto the windshield of a car below is unthinkable,” said health and safety expert Ben Chinwah, director of Benchmark OHS, based in Sydney.
Benchmark OHS director Ben Chinwah has expressed concern about the safety practices for climbing the president’s bridge
“If the regulator, SafeWork NSW, looked into that, they could call the operator. We deal with these types of incidents all the time where there is potential negligence.
“They must manage the risks – and why should the former president of the United States receive special treatment in our country?”
Transport New South Wales staged the bridge climb at the request of the Obamas during their flying visit to Sydney this week during the president’s speeches across Australia.
A spokesman insisted that the visit followed “standard security protocols in place for visiting dignitaries, which are regularly applied.”
But a TfNSW chapter source admitted that officials were now investigating how Mrs. Obama came to do the climb without anyone noticing her jersey or taking action.
Obviously, VIPs and celebrities can be allowed to climb the bridge without a safety harness as part of the standard protocols set by the state government.
Former NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet was recently photographed in a suit on the bridge’s walkway without a harness and Australia’s Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is also said to have made the climb bareback.
An aide also appears to be holding an iPhone in her hand (way in the back) behind Michelle Obama, while the former president and members of his entourage don’t always seem to maintain the recommended three points of contact with the walkway.
The photos are a stark contrast to other celebrity visits, including Sunrise team Samantha Armytage, Natalie Barr and Mark Beretta in 2014 wearing BridgeClimb jumpsuits and harnesses
Former NSW Prime Minister was previously pictured on the bridge’s walkway in his suit without a safety harness in a state government publicity photo
The state government applies different rules than those imposed by the independent company BridgeClimb Sydney, which has the exclusive commercial use of the monument.
“They’ve had people go up there and try to kill themselves, which is a big reason why they have the safety harnesses,” Mr Chinwah revealed.
“But there are a few other aspects where people need to be restrained for their own safety, such as slips, trips and falls.
“The weather on Wednesday was changeable, from sunny to showery, so the surfaces could have been wet and slippery without anyone realizing it.
“What if someone up there has a heart attack? The proper control measure to prevent falls is to have those harness straps.
“The operator has identified these risks and so they have put the precautions in place for the public – so why should the Obamas pay special attention?”
He said a security guard appeared to be carrying a bag, while an assistant, carrying an iPhone, added to the risk.
President Barak Obama and his wife Michelle soared high above the traffic on the busy Sydney Harbor Bridge without harnesses and objects that could have fallen on the cars below
Prince Harry evaded the jumpsuit, but he too was strapped to the guardrail in a safety harness as he climbed the bridge in 2018 with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison behind him
Visitors taking the exciting journey with commercial company BridgeClimb are required to wear jumpsuits and have a safety harness clipped to the railing, even celebrities such as sprinter Usain Bolt, pictured here in 2010
In addition, he said that while climbing up and down the bridge, former President Obama seemed unable to keep a grip on the handrail.
He added, “He’s got his hand up like he’s waving.
“Obviously he doesn’t have three points of contact like he should have, and neither do those people carrying stuff in their hands.
“If you have a high profile person like that, I would think they would do a risk assessment of the whole process.
“You would think they take extra precautions, especially for former presidents.”
Odrik Oliver, who works as a Bridge Climb lead, told Daily Mail Australia that although they are the only private company to run climbs, sometimes the government takes on special guests.
He added, “Bridge Climb wouldn’t do it without strapping on the harnesses and stuff.”
A TfNSW spokesperson confirmed they were reviewing their safety procedures following the ascent of the president’s bridge.
“As part of our security protocols, a routine vetting process is carried out on all visits to dignitaries,” a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.