Latest info in the industry for Safety Lifting Equipment

29Sep2015

SLG are Proud to Be Part of The Bloodhound Project

mike general news

SafetyLiftinGear are official partners of The Bloodhound Project. For those of you who are not aware, The Bloodhound Project, is based in Avonmouth, Bristol, and has been created by Richard Noble OBE, and current Land Speed Record holder Andy Green, not only attempt to break the current Land Speed Record, of 763.035mph set in 2007, but to inspire young people to get into science, engineering and mathematical fields.

The Bloodhound project has been on-going for 8 years and has involved over 350 companies and universities. And we, at SafetyLiftinGear are proud to say that we are amongst them supplying the Bloodhound project with various material handling products and lifting equipment to ensure that the Supersonic car has been built as safely as possible.

In London’s Canary wharf on the 23rd of September the Bloodhound SSC went on display showing just how this supersonic car has been built. Over 10,000 people queued to catch a glimpse of this piece of amazing engineering over the weekend.

The car will undergo 200 mph tests next year in Cornwall before attempting to break the land speed world record on 15 October 2016.

SafetyLiftinGear are proud to be a part of this truly amazing project.

25Sep2015

How to Use a Beam Clamp Safely

mike products

Safe Beam Clamp

The safe use of beam clamps is essential to prevent accidents and damage to your beam clamps and accessories when in use. When you are using a beam clamp, the following should be taken into account:

Ensure that you conduct a thorough check of your beam clamp before use. Do not use faulty beam clamps, faulty beams, or faulty hoists.
Make sure you attach any suspending attachment to your beam clamp from a safety hook. This will prevent accidental detachment. All of our hoists and chain blocks here at SafetyLiftinGear have a safety hook as standard.
Ensure that the structure that you are suspending the beam clamp from, is assembled correctly, and has an adequate weight load for either an extra beam or a hoisted load. If in any doubt, do not try and set up the beam clamps, consult your supervisor or manager to confirm if it is suitable.
Ensure that you have the right clamp for the job. All beam clamps have a different Working Load Limit (WLL) so if you are lifting a load that is 3.1 Tonnes you will need to purchase a 5 Tonne beam clamp. Localised Overloading is extremely dangerous, this could cause the beam clamp to break and cause accidents.
Make sure the beam clamp that you are using is compatible with the hoist that you are using. By this we mean, making sure that the safety hook fits correctly into the eye of the beam clamp. Do not force safety hooks into the eye of your beam clamp as this could damage your beam clamp and accessories.
Ensure that the beam is positioned over the centre of gravity of the hoisted load. And ensure that the load is not swinging or at an angle to the beam clamp. As this can cause serious injury and impose health and safety risks.
If you ever need to use two clamps in tandem the use of a spreader beam may be necessary, you must ensure that the beam clamps are not suspending more than their WLL.
When dismantling the structure be sure to check over your beam clamps for any damage and make sure you are handling and storing them correctly. Make sure you don’t throw or drop your beam clamps as this could damage them and render them unusable.
Never replace the bolts on a beam clamp without consulting the supplier, this could lead to the wrong screw being fitted that could potentially cause an accident or damage your beam clamp.

Buy or Hire Beam Clamps > Contact SafetyLiftinGear >

23Sep2015

Site Equipment from SafetyLiftinGear

mike products

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we are always expanding our product ranges, and this week we have added the following new Items to our Site Equipment range.

2 Man Baskets

This 1073 2 man basket, like all the products we stock here at SafetyLiftinGear, is manufactured with safety in mind. An overhead cage ensures that the people using the lift are protected from falling objects, and a 150mm high solid wall makes sure that items cannot be accidentally kicked over the edge. The 1073 also has an overhead harness point, an internal hand rail, and can be used by crane or forklift trucks.

The 1073 is available for purchase of hire. If you would like more information on the 1073, please click here.

Fork Lift Access Platforms

Our foldable forklift access platforms are ideal for any job that requires people to work at height. We have a range of platforms, from those suitable for two people to a high lift platform that can be used when extra height is needed. All of our forklift access platforms are of the highest quality, and have been built according to the technical regulations of the Health and Safety Executive.

All of our fork lift access platforms are available for purchase or for hire. For more information and to see our full range of forklift access platforms, please click here.

Builders Gantry Hoist

Our builder's gantry hoist is lightweight, portable, and easy to assemble, and it is designed for heavy-duty industrial and construction work.

Each one consists of:

The gantry system (with frames that make it perfectly safe for use while working at height)
A 110 voly, 300kg wire rope hoist with a lift height of 25 metres and a lift speed of 21 metres a minute.
Counter balance buckets making it safe as a free standing unit.

Our builder's gantry hoists are available for purchase or hire - for more information, click here.

Fork Mounted Extending Jib

SafetyLiftinGear have just added an extending fork mounting jib to our Site Equipment range. This fork mounted extending jib allows you to access loads from previously inaccessible locations. It also has the added benefit of 2 swivel hooks and 9 different lifting positions, so you can securely lift and cradle your loads.

Our fork mounted extending jib is available to purchase or hire. For more information, click here.

Hydraulic Manhole Cover Lifter

This new hydraulic manhole cover lifter can lift up to 1.5 tonnes and even helps you lift stuck covers with ease. This manhole cover lifter is easy to assemble and disassemble, so it can fit in the back of your car or van. With our manhole lifter, it is possible to lift practically any manhole with keyholes.

We currently have 2 different models in stock: the Handilift Type 2 ring top for two keyhole covers, and the Handilift with spreader bars for the larger 4 keyhole covers.

This hydraulic manhole cover lifter is available for purchase or for hire. To find out more information, please click here.

2 Man Stretcher Cage

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we are aware that accidents happen, so we have added the 1075 stretcher cage to our Site Equipment range. This two-man evacuation cage is to be used when someone needs to evacuated quickly from height. The cage is able to easily fit 1 casualty and one attendant. This cage has 2 doors at either side, ensuring that the attendant can enter and leave the cage easily with the stretcher. Each unit is supplied with a 4 legged chain sling.

The 1075 is available for purchase or hire; for more information, click here.

Tipping Muck Skips

We have just added the original crane lift general waste skip to our Site Equipment range. The circular muck skip is hand-operated, so when the safety lock is triggered, the skip will empty; this tipping skip meets everyday requirements and is an essential addition for heavy duty site work.

We have a range of circular tipping trucks available from 150 litres to 1500 litres.

Our circular tipping muck skips are available for purchase or hire; for more information, click here.

Boat Skips

These 1045 boat skips have been designed with health and safety in mind. With a bespoke lock-and-release system, this skip ensures that the people operating the skip will be well out of the danger area.

We have boat skips available with capacities ranging from 500 to 1,500 litres, so no matter what you need to move around your site, we are sure to have the right skip for you.

Our 1045 self-discharging boat skips are available for purchase or hire. Click here for more info.

Purchasing and hiring our equipment couldn't be easier - just navigate to the product you wish to hire or purchase and click the 'Add to Basket' button (if you wish to purchase the product) the 'Hire Me' button (to ask for a hire quote). Alternatively, you can contact us on 0808 123 6969 or email us at sales@safetyliftingear.com.

22Sep2015

Prevent Serious Safety Failings

mike health & safety

As we have mentioned time and time again, working at height is very dangerous, and failing to follow the proper guidelines and safety precautions can and will get people hurt.

If you do not take the necessary precautions when working at height, the Health & Safety Executive may visit your site to ensure that you are following the law. This is what happened to a scaffolding company in London recently; a passer-by was so concerned about the working conditions of the company’s employees and the safety of the public that she raised her concern with the HSE.

The HSE visited the site and found that the scaffolding was poorly erected and there was a lack of safety precautions put in place to prevent objects from falling to the street below. The HSE served a notice to stop all work on this unsafe construction until it was deemed safe. It is stated in the Work at Height Regulations 2005 that "every employer shall take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury." (6.3)

Time and time again, we see that employers and even employees are not taking the correct safety precautions to protect themselves from harm. Over 60% of deaths during work at height involve falls, but by wearing a harness and using anchors and fall arrest blocks, these accidents are easily prevented and people’s lives are saved.

Another important point made above is the safety of the general public when you are working at height. The Work at Height Regulations also states "every employer shall, where necessary to prevent injury to any person and to take suitable and sufficient steps to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, the fall of any material or object." (10. 1)

When working on scaffolding, it is important to have nets around the scaffolding to catch any objects that fall from it. You can also protect people by simply attaching your tools to a lanyard. This simple precaution can help save lives (and your tools!)

Thankfully, the malpractices of the London scaffolding company did not end up causing any serious injuries or any harm to passers-by. However, the company’s owner did get receive a fine and a suspended prison sentence.

Visit SafetyLiftinGear’s Height Safety department and make sure you have all the safety equipment you need.

21Sep2015

Sack Trucks from SafetyLiftinGear

robin products

We offer a wide range of sack trucks here at SafetyLiftinGear, but knowing which sack truck you need for the job can be difficult. We have many different types of sack trucks, each one made to handle different weights and with different features; today, we're here to help you choose the right one for your requirements.

Sack Trucks with Solid Tyres (from £21.95)

One of our most popular products is our 150kg sack truck with solid tyres. Solid tyres are a popular choice as these types of tyres are puncture proof. Also featuring standard handle for easy load support and a fixed toe, this heavy duty truck is ideal for transporting small, heavy loads.

Sack Truck with Pneumatic Tyres (from £29.16)

This sack truck is another one of our top sellers, and for good reason, This sack truck has rubber strips on the sides of the truck to protect the goods that you are transporting, and features a P-handle so you can pull the truck along with one hand, allowing you to keep one hand spare so you can open doors or provide extra support for your goods.

Aluminium Sack Trucks (from £44.98)

This heavy duty truck can transport loads of up to 300kg and has pneumatic tyres so it performs great on rough terrain.

Our aluminium sack truck is not only lightweight, it also features puncture-proof tyres and a dual handle. This means that the truck has handles on both sides, so you can support the goods that you are transporting along with a looped handle on the top allowing you to pull the truck along with one hand, making this the ideal sack truck for delivery drivers and couriers.

Stair Climbing Sack Trucks (from £48.95)

Finally, we also have a range of stair climbing sack trucks. These sack trucks have unique, triangular triple wheels, which are designed especially for when the truck wheels hit a large curb or stairs. The wheels will easily move up the step, turning a two-man job into an easy one-person job.

The large handle is designed to provide a firm grip when climbing or descending stairs, steps, and large curbs. As well as having a maximum load limit of 200kg, this stair climber also features a large folding toe, meaning that it's perfect for transporting large items. These sack trucks are ideal for couriers, delivery drivers and furniture removal specialists.

You can view our full range of sack trucks here. If you are having any difficulty with deciding which sack truck is best for your business, don't hesitate to contact our friendly team.

15Sep2015

Need Bespoke Lifting Equipment? We Can Help!

mike products

Perhaps the single most important thing to bear in mind when you're shopping for lifting equipment is that each and every product has its own WLL (Weight Load Limit). Whether you're purchasing a chain sling, an electric hoist, or some other form of lifting gear, it's absolutely crucial to check the WLL, as this tells you the maximum weight you'll safely be able to lift using the item in question. If you need to transport a load weighing 5 tonnes, each piece of lifting equipment that you use to do so must have a weight load limit of AT LEAST 5 tonnes. Exceeding the WLL of your lifting gear may cause it fail, which can obviously cause a lot of damage.

But what if I can't find any lifting equipment with a high enough weight load limit?

If you're planning to lift a particularly heavy load, you may struggle to find equipment that's capable of safely supporting that much weight. Those who visit our 4 Leg Chain Sling department, for example, may initially think we only provide slings for weights of up to 17 tonnes.

But 17 tonnes is merely the highest weight load limit available in our standard range. We're actually capable of supplying chain slings (and many other lifting products) that are suitable for much heavier loads - it's just that these products are made-to-order, so you'll have to get in touch with us directly.

If your project is too big for our standard range of lifting gear, we encourage you to contact us and discuss your requirements with a member of the SafetyLiftinGear team. We have providing lifting equipment for a huge variety of large and/or unusual briefs in the past, and we'd be more than happy to provide a bespoke solution to suit your needs.

10Sep2015

When Load Restraint Goes Wrong

mike health & safety

Before you hit the road, you should always use the appropriate load restraint equipment to ensure that whatever you're carrying stays put for the duration of the journey. This is particularly important for heavy loads, of course, but it applies to loads of all sizes over journeys of any length. Whether you're hauling a tonne of bricks from Land's End to John O'Groats or simply forklifting a few pallets to the other end of the warehouse, securing the load should always be your top priority.

Otherwise, you might end up like the motorists in these videos...

1. Shelves come loose from trailer

Everything seems fine in the first 15 seconds of this video...but then the flimsy length of tape that was barely keeping those shelves on the trailer broke, and it all went rather wrong. Again, kudos to the motorist who filmed this - not everyone would be able to get out of harm's way that quickly!

2. Boxes take a high-speed tumble

The text at the start of this video tells us that the camera's owner was doing 100 kph (roughly 62mph) when their fellow motorist lost their load, and this really illustrates the importance of using the right load restraint equipment. If your car hits something at more than 60mph, it doesn't really matter what that something is - it's going to do a lot of damage!

3. Mattresses go flying

We're not entirely sure how those two mattresses ended up in mid-air, but we're almost certain it could have been prevented if the owner had strapped them down properly!

4. Huge crate slides off lorry

Okay, now we're just lost for words. Do these people not think to secure their loads at all? Do they think that everything will just magically stay put?

If you don't want your load to end up on YouTube, make sure you secure it with the correct load restraint equipment. It will prevent damage and - more importantly - save lives!

Get in touch to learn more about our training courses!