Going... down?

"Do I have to go down to go up?" That's what I remember thinking. The lift was an open platform, suspended on the side of the building. It was quite a way below the floor I was on and I was trying to judge if it was safe to jump down. I thought it was, but I clearly wouldn't be able to climb or jump back up again once down there. I'd have to trust the lift to bring me up. There was no other way to get to the floors above.