All posts by mike

13Apr2016

Height Safety Breaches Lead to Fines, and Even Jail Sentences!

mike health & safety

As our regular followers will know, we often write about the vital necessity of height safety measures, particularly in the workplace. We do this to remind employers and workers about the importance of abiding by the correct height safety regulations, by conducting through risk assessments, following best practice guidelines, and using the correct equipment.

Sadly, however, it seems to make little difference how often this issue is discussed either by ourselves, or by other safety professionals. Without fail, a new case of neglected height safety seems to rear its ugly head almost every week. Recently, two news stories came to our attention, both of which had serious consequences for both the workers and the companies employing them. Here's what went wrong, and what the consequences were:

The first case involves a roofing firm in Worcester, who were fined £66,000 after an employee was seriously injured at work. Whilst replacing a fragile roof in April of last year, the worker fell through a skylight and broke his wrist. After an investigation by the HSE was conducted, they found that this accident was a result of the company's failure to implement proper fall protection measures. If edge protection, nets and guardrails had been provided, the risk to the individual and other employees would have been significantly reduced.

In the second case, two construction bosses were sentenced to eight months in prison, and were ordered to pay a £90,000 fine along with £45,000 in court costs, following a worker fatality back in 2014. The incident occurred while C Smith and Sons were dismantling a building set for demolition, which required workers to operate at height. Following one near-miss, and an incident which left a 47 year old man with a fractured spine, pelvis, leg, heel and wrist, work was shockingly allowed to continue. Just hours after his co-worker was injured and only a day after one close call, Paul Harrower fell through a skylight, and died of serious head injuries.

Both of these incidents could have been prevented by the implementation of proper health and safety measures, which would have helped to save the lives and livelihoods of all those involved. Incidents like these can damage reputations and wreck lives, for the victims and their families, as well as those who are responsible. If you conduct operations at height, please take note of these regularly occurring tragedies, and avoid the same thing happening to you! Set the correct measures, follow them, and always use the correct equipment!

For all the latest H&S news and advice, follow us on Twitter.

04Apr2016

Petzl Harness: Product Spotlight

mike products

There are so many different harnesses available that it can prove to be an overwhelming task to choose the correct harness that matches all of your safety requirements. However, Petzl has designed a range of harnesses that are lightweight and comfortable for the user to wear throughout the day.

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we supply our customers with a wide range of safety harnesses, suitable for a wide range of height work. However, if you are looking for a more specialist rope access or fall arrest harness, look no further than our range of Petzl harnesses.

Petzl’s line of Fall Arrest Harnesses is the perfect option for workers who often work from height either periodically throughout the day who need a harness that won’t just keep you safe but offers a one-stop solution for all your working at height safety needs.

Petzl Avao C71 Harness

The Petzl Avao C71 fall arrest, work positioning harness features an X-Shaped Dorsal construction wraps to reduce the pressure points during a prolonged suspension, Wide Foam shoulder straps that reduce neck chaffing and a weighted waist belt to provide even distribution of weight over the shoulders.

The Petzel Avao C71 Harness also features a sternal and a dorsal fall arrest attachment point, and a rear attachment point on the waist belt, designed for the attachment of a fall restraint lanyard.

Finally, this Petzl Harness features a range of loops and retainers to facilitate the safe carrying and organisation of your equipment and tools. Click below for more information on this Petzl harness.

Petzl Avao C71 Harness >

Petzl Avao Bod Fast C71 Harness

This Petzl harness has been designed to provide optimum comfort for people who are working at height for long periods of time. The X-shaped dorsal has been specially designed to reduce pressure points during prolonged suspension. The dorsal attachment point has been designed specifically to all for the user to hang for a longer period of time, in case of a fall.

The Petzl Avao Bod Fast C71 harness also features wide, foam shoulder straps, to reduce injury caused by chaffing and a weighted waist belt to help distribute weight over the shoulders evenly. The leg loops are equipped with FAST automatic buckles for quick opening and closing without the need of readjustment.

Like the AVAO C71, this Petzl harness has a sternal and a Dorsal attachment point to allow for a fall arrest device to be attached with ease, and also features a series of built-in loops and retainers to facilitate the safe carrying and organisation of your equipment and tools. Click below for more information on this Petzl harness.

Petzl Avao Bod Fast C71 Harness >

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we take height safety very seriously. So much so that we have a whole section of the site dedicated to safety harnesses - click here to view our full range.

If you would like any more information about any of our the Petzl Harnesses or Belts mentioned above, don't hesitate to get in touch!

21Mar2016

Workshop Equipment from SafetyLiftinGear

mike products

If you're looking for workshop equipment, whether you simply need a new selection of hand tools or larger items such as gantries, we have a fantastic selection here at SafetyLiftinGear. To demonstrate the variety of items we have on offer, here are a few of the products we stock to hire or buy in as part of our range of workshop equipment.

Hand Tools

From hacksaws and hammers to screwdrivers and spanners, we stock all the essential tools that you will need in any workshop. For your convenience, we also supply many of these items as part of a comprehensive set, allowing you to kit-out your workshop quickly and efficiently, at a competitive price.

Torches and Lighting

Often an overlooked section of workshop equipment, our range of lighting products provides you with everything you need for working in dark or poorly-lit conditions. From head torches to portable floodlights, we offer a variety of items to suit a vast selection of jobs, whether you need to light a small or large area.

Gantries

If you need to complete a heavy lifting application in your workshop, our selection of gantries is ideal for ensuring a safe and secure operation. Due to the need to match the weight of your load to a specific gantry, we also offer the option to hire the gantries in our workshop equipment range, should you not require a gantry with a specific load limit for longer than a specific period of time.

Trolley Jacks

Trolley jacks are an essential item in car maintenance and repair, which is why we offer a varied selection of heavy-duty car jacks in our workshop equipment range. Ranging from 1.5 tonne to 10 tonne, you are sure to find an option to suit your needs, whether you wish to purchase the jack or hire a particular item for a set period of time.

Heaters

Workshops can often be located in cold environments such as garages and large warehouses, which means that they often lack efficient heating. In order to encompass all aspects of health and safety, we also stock a selection of infrared and fan heaters as part of our workshop equipment range, to ensure that the space remains at a safe and comfortable temperature.

To see our full range of workshop equipment and tools, click here.

21Mar2016

Workshop Equipment from SafetyLiftinGear

mike products

If you're looking for workshop equipment, whether you simply need a new selection of hand tools or larger items such as gantries, we have a fantastic selection here at SafetyLiftinGear. To demonstrate the variety of items we have on offer, here are a few of the products we stock to hire or buy in as part of our range of workshop equipment.

Hand Tools

From hacksaws and hammers to screwdrivers and spanners, we stock all the essential tools that you will need in any workshop. For your convenience, we also supply many of these items as part of a comprehensive set, allowing you to kit-out your workshop quickly and efficiently, at a competitive price.

Torches and Lighting

Often an overlooked section of workshop equipment, our range of lighting products provides you with everything you need for working in dark or poorly-lit conditions. From head torches to portable floodlights, we offer a variety of items to suit a vast selection of jobs, whether you need to light a small or large area.

Gantries

If you need to complete a heavy lifting application in your workshop, our selection of gantries is ideal for ensuring a safe and secure operation. Due to the need to match the weight of your load to a specific gantry, we also offer the option to hire the gantries in our workshop equipment range, should you not require a gantry with a specific load limit for longer than a specific period of time.

Trolley Jacks

Trolley jacks are an essential item in car maintenance and repair, which is why we offer a varied selection of heavy-duty car jacks in our workshop equipment range. Ranging from 1.5 tonne to 10 tonne, you are sure to find an option to suit your needs, whether you wish to purchase the jack or hire a particular item for a set period of time.

Heaters

Workshops can often be located in cold environments such as garages and large warehouses, which means that they often lack efficient heating. In order to encompass all aspects of health and safety, we also stock a selection of infrared and fan heaters as part of our workshop equipment range, to ensure that the space remains at a safe and comfortable temperature.

To see our full range of workshop equipment and tools, click here.

29Feb2016

Ratchet Straps: Our Best Sellers

mike products

At SafetyLiftinGear, we supply a wide selection of ratchet straps as part of our range of load restraint products, which are ideal for for the secure transportation of heavy loads. Like other lifting and transportation products, ratchet straps come with their own WLL as well as a minimum breaking strength, making it easy to select the correct strap for your particular application.

Here are some of our best selling ratchet straps:

Premium 5 Tonne Ratchet Lashing Strap

This ratchet lashing strap has a minimum breaking strength of 5000kg, and is designed to keep heavy loads held securely during transit. The 50mm polyester webbing is highly shock absorbent, which means that it is ideal for protecting delicate items from harm. It also comes with a claw hook for easy attachment, and is available in a range of lengths from 4 to 20 metres.

1000kg Ratchet Lashing Strap

This strap is made of hard-wearing 25mm webbing, and has a minimum braking strength of 1000kg. it has chassis hook at either end for secure fastening, and is available in a choice of 4 or 6 metres. If you require this product in another length, we are able to provide these on a made-to-order basis.

2000kg MBS Ratchet Lashing Strap

Made of 50mm wide high-strength webbing, this industrial-quality ratchet strap provides safe and secure transportation for loads under the MBS of 2000kg. Also available on 4-6 metres, this strap can be tailored to suit your specific needs and requirements, and comes with claw hooks and a sturdy plated steel ratchet for a highly secure fastening.

4 Tonne Ratchet Lashing Strap

Ideal for transporting heavy materials, this load restraint allows you to protect fragile materials from breaking or shifting during shipping, or other transportation processes. There are chassis hooks at either end of the strap which allow for a fast and efficient fastening process, while the strap itself comes in a choice for 6,8 or 10 metres to suit the requirements of the application.

If you are unsure of how to select the correct ratchet strap, or would like to find out more about using them correctly, read our handy guide for more information.

For more advice on how to use and assemble our products correctly, visit our Youtube channel.

29Feb2016

Ratchet Straps: Our Best Sellers

mike products

At SafetyLiftinGear, we supply a wide selection of ratchet straps as part of our range of load restraint products, which are ideal for for the secure transportation of heavy loads. Like other lifting and transportation products, ratchet straps come with their own WLL as well as a minimum breaking strength, making it easy to select the correct strap for your particular application.

Here are some of our best selling ratchet straps:

Premium 5 Tonne Ratchet Lashing Strap

This ratchet lashing strap has a minimum breaking strength of 5000kg, and is designed to keep heavy loads held securely during transit. The 50mm polyester webbing is highly shock absorbent, which means that it is ideal for protecting delicate items from harm. It also comes with a claw hook for easy attachment, and is available in a range of lengths from 4 to 20 metres.

1000kg Ratchet Lashing Strap

This strap is made of hard-wearing 25mm webbing, and has a minimum braking strength of 1000kg. it has chassis hook at either end for secure fastening, and is available in a choice of 4 or 6 metres. If you require this product in another length, we are able to provide these on a made-to-order basis.

2000kg MBS Ratchet Lashing Strap

Made of 50mm wide high-strength webbing, this industrial-quality ratchet strap provides safe and secure transportation for loads under the MBS of 2000kg. Also available on 4-6 metres, this strap can be tailored to suit your specific needs and requirements, and comes with claw hooks and a sturdy plated steel ratchet for a highly secure fastening.

If you are unsure of how to select the correct ratchet strap, or would like to find out more about using them correctly, read our handy guide for more information.

For more advice on how to use and assemble our products correctly, visit our Youtube channel.

29Jan2016

Lifting Gear Hire With SafetyLiftinGear

mike products

Whether you need lifting gear for a one-off job, or you if don't have the budget to invest in buying a product outright, then why not hire your lifting gear instead?

Almost all of the products provided on our website are available to hire or buy, making it easy for our customers to adjust their order according to the demands of the job and their budget. If you're not sure whether hiring is right for you, we've put together a handy guide here which compares both options, allowing you to decide whether or not hiring suits your particular needs.

The hiring process is made very simple by the useful 'Hire Me' button, which is displayed underneath every item which offers this option, as pictured below:

Once you have made your selection(s), simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete your order.

If you would like to speak with us in person about our lifting gear hire services, we will be at the Executive Hire Show in Coventry on the 10th and 11th of February. Lifting equipment can be found at stand D80.

You can browse our selection of Lifting Equipment here, or get in touch if you have any further questions.