What is Lifting equipment?

What is Lifting equipment? There are many devices, tools and equipment that can be used to lift or lower goods or people. The concept is mostly the same. But the way they work or have to be operated differs. Each solution has its own requirements, making it important that operators are trained for each solution individually.

The scope of lifting equipment includes jacks, block and tackle, hoists, rotating screws, gantries, A-frames, gin poles, shear legs, windlasses, lifting harnesses, fork lifts, hydraulic lifting pads, air lift bags, cranes and many more. You name it; the moment its purpose is to bridge a height for moving goods, people or equipment, it can be called a 'lift'.

Forklifts are a common type of lifting machinery used in most workplaces. They are popular for moving goods from point A to point B. Forklifts are used to transport small, heavy items when there is sufficient room to access it horizontally. Loading docks use forklifts to load and unload trucks or to transport heavy pallets across warehouses and construction yards. Forklifts are slow moving equipment which is also used for stacking goods for storage. Their advantage is they can lift large quantities of goods in a single load unlike when manpower is used. This has seen many companies achieving safe stacking, increased productivity and many saved hours.

Another commonly used lifting equipment is a crane. If an object needs to be lifted up, especially from a narrow area, a crane is an ideal piece of equipment. With the use of wire ropes, chains and hoists, cranes make it easier to do this without damaging the surrounding objects. Cranes can be as big or small as needed, and are often used indoors as well as out. They are used in workplaces where heavy objects require to be moved. It is remote operated and requires its operator to be sufficiently trained and to be certified by a training provider. It has specialised features to ensure that it works effectively without causing a safety threat such as weight limits and alert signals. There are various types of cranes that are used in different industries. Cranes are very useful in lifting loads but there can be equally dangerous.

Winches are commonly used to lift or lower heavy objects using a rope or chain that is wrapped tightly around a drum. The winch’s crank tightens the rope around the drum to lift an object or lowers the object by loosening the rope. It is often part of a larger lifting device such as a crane or a tow truck.

Each lift has its pro's and con's not just in terms of functionality but, more importantly, in terms of safety and security. My colleague Johnny recently wrote a few interesting blogs in which he discusses the dangers that can be attached to the individual solution. 'Risk assessment' is what it is all about when determining the perfect solution.

Johnny's blogs gave some serious and good insights in the dangers attached to the various lifting aspects and equipment. They serve as good examples of why it is important that operating and maintaining lifting equipment should not be left to the untrained and uninformed.

Trained and informed lifting equipment operators can take your company to another level. Uninformed or untrained lifting equipment operators can see your workforce being cut ?�.literally.