Application Notes: Safety

Application Notes: SafetyIn today's working environment we must all be aware of operating our machinery in a manner that is safe and secure. This applies whether using an excavator as a crane, operating equipment where height is critical, or slewing by the side of a rail or road. Loading shovels can also be monitored for safe load and height which is an often forgotten area of machine monitoring. LOLER The construction industry standard LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) came into force in 1998. In the main, LOLER replaced existing legal requirements relating to the use of lifting equipment, for example the Construction (Lifting Operations) Regulations 1961, the Docks Regulations 1988 and the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination etc) Regulations 1992. Many aspects of LOLER should therefore be familiar to you. The Regulations aim to reduce risks to people’s health and safety from lifting equipment provided for use at work. What does LOLER do? Generally, the Regulations require that lifting equipment provided for use at work is: strong and stable enough for the particular use and marked to indicate safe working loads; positioned and installed to minimise any risks; used safely, i.e. the work is planned, organised and performed by competent people; and subject to ongoing thorough examination and, where appropriate, inspection by competent people. Safe and Efficient Plant Getting the most from your plant is essential in todays competitive market, construction plant today is more flexible and powerful than ever, but is your expensive investment giving you a maximum return? Factory fitted pressure switches, whilst meeting the minimum legal requirements, may restrict the lifting ability of your machine. This is because as the equipment is moved out the pressure increases but no account is taken of the radius and angle, result…..lower lifting ability. The answer is to fit a rated capacity indicator (also known as a safe load indicator). This system will allow maximum legal lifting capacity over the entire working envelope and enable lift planning to be carried out more easily and safely. There have been recent articles in the press regarding operation of machinery under power lines and the like. Health & Safety expect machines operating in such environments to be fitted with a means of restricting the movement of the equipment. This is best controlled from the cab and restricted hydraulically. Prolec Solutions Prolec offer a wide range of machine safety based systems for safe lifting and height and slew control. Liftwatch 5 Rated Capacity Indicator Total Moment Indicator Budget Capacity Indicator Heightwatch 6 Height monitoring system Heightmaster Digital height monitoring system Motion Control Slew and height monitoring system

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