When working within the lifting industry, it is not uncommon to find certain operations requiring workers to work at height. Lifting equipment used within industries such as shipping, construction and engineering often involves significantly tall structures as well as smaller heights, both of which carry risks of harm if something were to go wrong. For this reason, it is imperative to have a height rescue plan in place to identify and avoid risks where possible and to react to problems should they ever occur. Here, we talk you through some of the things you can do to develop an effective height rescue plan.
When it comes to working at height, there are very clear laws in place for people to follow. Previously, the law required that anybody working at a height greater than two metres would have to wear the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). However, the law has since changed and now states that PPE is required “where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.”
While some say this new guideline can be open to some sort of interpretation, this can be defined as:
Before creating an effective height rescue plan, there are several considerations you will have to make. The first is to ensure you have the correct equipment and that it has all been fully inspected before use. Another is to ensure all staff members are properly trained to use all rescue equipment in the correct way. Once these things have been put into the place, you can then make a start on creating your rescue plan, which should include the following:
As part of your height rescue plan, you will have to conduct a thorough risk assessment of the site before any operation can begin. You will have to inspect any hazards that could be posed by the task and evaluate the risks involved. Falls from height are one of the most common causes of fatality in the UK each year, and for this reason alone, it is crucial that you have a rescue plan in place should anything go wrong.
If you’re wondering how SafetyLiftinGear can help you create an effective height rescue plan, we have an extensive range of PPE and height rescue equipment that will ensure your rescue plan is carried out in the safest and most efficient way possible. A wide selection of our equipment is available for hire as well as full purchase and can be customised to match your exact rescue needs.
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For more information, be sure to get in touch with a member of the SafetyLiftinGear team today by calling 0117 9381 600 or emailing sales@safetyliftingear.com!
From construction to shipping and mining to engineering, lifting equipment is used by a wide range of different industries for various tasks and applications. Often created using robust metals and other long-lasting materials, the majority if not all lifting equipment is designed and manufactured to last the test of time. However, regardless of where lifting equipment is used, it will no doubt be subject to some degree of pressure, strain and stress at one time or another and as a result, will need to be inspected and tested to ensure it is still safe and suitable to use.
There are two primary reasons as to why you will need to conduct inspections on your lifting equipment:
Both of the above pieces of legislation declare that all lifting applications are properly planned, which involves utilising the correct equipment that has been properly tested and inspected. PUWER states that all lifting equipment must be ”safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate.” Therefore, to ensure that you stay on the right side of the law, it’s imperative to regularly inspect your lifting gear.
As well as there being two reasons to conduct lifting gear inspections, there are also two types of lifting gear inspections. Firstly, there are inspections that can be carried out by yourself. It’s recommended that these are conducted before each lifting operation to ensure that the task can be performed as safely as possible.
The second type of inspection is a thorough, professional inspection conducted by a qualified person. These inspections should be completed once every six to twelve months, depending on the type of gear. Generally, loose lifting equipment such as eyebolts and shackles should be looked at every six months, whereas other equipment should be every twelve months. Once these inspections are complete, you will receive a certificate which confirms the equipment is suitable for use until its next inspection.
In order for your equipment to pass its lifting gear inspections, it’s important to keep it in good working order. Here are some things that you can do to ensure your lifting gear maintains a longer service life:
Did you know that SLG offers professional lifting gear inspections? If you need to get your equipment inspected, simply get in touch us and a member of our qualified team can help! For more information or to get any more lifting gear inspection questions answered, do not be afraid to contact us.
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If you don't provide your employees with the equipment they need, it can pose a serious safety risk to them, and a serious legal threat to your business. AU Roofing and Building Ltd found this out the hard way after one of their employees sustained serious injuries. We've got the inside scoop on the story for you here.
Back in October 2018, a team of employees from AU Roofing and Building Ltd were working on a roof in Elmes Avenue, Kent. The team of roofers were required to carry buckets of materials by hand down the scaffold access ladder to the street level below.
One particular employee, Davey Battams, struggled to keep 3 points of contact with the ladder as he descended down the ladder, and fell the remainder of the way onto the pavement. Battams suffered serious back injuries and was unable to continue working.
The HSE investigated this accident and was able to determine that the employer hadn't provided the basic lifting equipment aids that should be in place for tasks such as this. A simple wheel and pulley would have given workers a safer way to lower the broken tiles while dramatically reducing the chances of an accidental fall.
In court, AU Roofing and Building Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 and the court issued them a fine of £28,800!! On top of this, they were also ordered to pay legal cost amounting to £4,213.70.
At SafetyLiftinGear, we know that the right equipment could have prevented this accident from ever happening, and while we can't go back and change the past, we can advise you on how to work safely in the future. Here are just a few different pieces of equipment that AU Roofing and Building Ltd could've purchased to lessen the risk of a fall.
Our ladder fall protection kits are designed to keep you tethered to the ladder, preventing an accidental slip or fall from height.
Designed to take the pressure completely out of your hands, our powered scaffold hoist can move cumbersome items from on top of the scaffold to ground level safely.
These simple, manual pulley systems can take the strain of heavy items and lower them to safety, leaving your hands free to grip the ladder.
When you need to lift or transport important materials you'll find the following lifting solutions safe and easy to use.
If you can't find a lifting solution that fits the requirements of your upcoming job, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. Our friendly sales team will talk you through various different lifting options to help you find one that's right for the task at hand.
In the past week, the team at SafetyLiftinGear have been busy helping out with an exciting project in partnership with lifting specialists, King Lifting!
The project was focused around helping to lift Dorian, a restored ship used in both World Wars, namely during the evacuation of Dunkirk.
King Lifting had previously purchased a number of round and webbing lifting slings from us to assist with other lifting applications but in order to lift the Dunkirk ship, further equipment was required.
This time around, SLG supplied a 12ft Modular Spreader Beam frame (4 x 4 meter) with associated shackles in order for the weight of the ship to be properly carried (tare weight of the boat on the crane was 9.7 tonnes), helping it on its way to the next part of its journey.
Eight long years have passed since restoration started on Dorian in 2011, but now she is ready to take to the sea again, ready for the Return to Dunkirk. Organised by the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo in May 2020, SafetyLiftinGear is proud to have played a small part in the ship’s long and historical story.
We have an extensive range of the spreader beams used to help lift the Dunkirk ship in stock, ready for both hire and full purchase, depending on your needs! And just like many other products in our vast collection, our beams are able to be customised with different configurations and extra struts. You can browse our spreader beams and see images from the project below.
Browse our Spreader Beams >
For more information on our range of lifting slings and spreader beams, be sure to get in touch with a member of the SafetyLiftinGear today by calling 0117 9381 600 or emailing sales@safetyliftingear.com.
The season of giving is far from over, as the whole team here at SLG have been working hard to expand our extensive product offering, providing our customers with even more quality lifting equipment.
Over the past week, SafetyLiftinGear has added several lightweight swivel lifting davits to help your lifting applications on-site run easier, smoother and safer. Available in a choice of working limits, Davit arms for lifting are very similar to jib cranes though limited in reach and capacity. Our collection of Davit arms is highly portable, so you can transport them along with you whenever and wherever lifting tasks are required. However, they can also be permanently fitted to a position on site where continuous lifting applications occurs.
Manufactured with galvanised materials to protect from the elements and corrosion, our Davits are perfectly suited for a range of environments, whether indoors or out. these are designed to help carry out work effectively without risk of physical overload. As with many of our products, our lifting davits can be built to your exact specification to meet your lifting needs. Learn more about the product specifications of our lifting davits below.
Product specifications:
Ready-to-use in 5 seconds
Integrated winch and rope in an ergonomic modern design
Easy to transport, only 25kg
360° rotation over a built-in pivot bearing
Maintenance-free
Model: SD125
1st cable layer: 125/250/500kg
Last cable layer (7): 125/250/500kg
Crankforce 1st cable position: 10daN
Hoisting length one rotation, 1st layer: 20mm
Max cable storage: 24mtr
Diameter cable: 4mm
Davit weight: 25kg
Floor socket weight: 7kg
For more information on any of our lifting davits available at SafetyLiftinGear.com, why not get in touch with a member of the SafetyLiftinGear team? To view our full range of Lifting Davits, hit the button below!
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