Light Hire Ltd - Latest News

December 2008

IPAF Voluntary emergency lowering decal

This is a new symbol that users may wish to fit on access platforms. The decal should be positioned to clearly indicate the location of the emergency descent controls. Operators should ensure that somebody at ground level is properly trained on how to use the controls in an emergency.
After consultation with members, IPAF has produced a new symbol that may be used to signpost the location of emergency descent controls.
“Even experienced operators sometimes have difficulty locating the emergency descent controls that every mobile elevating work platform is fitted with,” said Tim Whiteman, IPAF managing director. “This new symbol is a practical visual aid and a prime example of an industry initiative to make access equipment even safer. We encourage manufacturers to fit this as standard on new equipment and rental companies to fit this decal to their existing fleets.”
Emergency descent systems can be found on all types of mobile elevating work platforms. They differ in terms of where they are located on specific machines and how they operate. The decal should be positioned to clearly indicate the location of the emergency descent controls. Operators should ensure that somebody at ground level is properly trained on how to use the controls in an emergency.
“It is also vital that the emergency lower is checked in accordance with the manufacturers instruction manual before the machine is used each day. I was informed by a delegate on one of our IPAF training courses that upon testing a simple emergency lower on a hired in scissor lift from one of our competitors, he found it to be seized and when pulling hard the plastic ‘T’ bar actually snapped off! It would clearly have been too late to find that out in an emergency,” said Paul Roddis, Light Hire Training Manager.

November 2008

Convenient working at height compliance.

The easy way to achieve low level compliance with the Work At Height Regulations 2005 is with a Power Tower. It is portable from site to site with our simple trailer.

This trailer is easy to load and unload by using it's unique pivoting drawbar system. The combined weight of the loaded trailer is just 500 Kg thereby allowing it to be legally towed by anyone with a standard car licence. The Power Tower is renown for it's ease of use and versatility in non construction situations. It is available for hire as a complete package for collection at your convenience to allow multi location work with minimum fuss.

October 2008

Manual Handling training proving popular with intelligent employers.

Light Hires Manual handling strategies (Tools for life) is proving highly popular with both national and local companies looking to ensure compliance with regulation, get good value for money and keep the

training interesting and enjoyable.

" Well so far, touch wood, we have only received positive feedback, ranging from "it was much better than I thought it would be" to "Please can you come and train the rest of my staff?", so we're really happy with the format." said Paul Roddis Tech IOSH, Training Manager.

The course covers the law and regulations, Anatomy and types of injury, Risk assessment and an extreemly useful practical element all within a 3 1/2 hour time slot.

" I damaged my back at the age of 17 and it will never be right again. If I had used the simple techniques that I now train people in it would simply not have happened. It is important to me to try to ensure that nobody ruins their backs through ignorance." said Paul.

For more information on Manual Handling training please call us on 01392 255 211 and you can also click on the picture above for HSE Guidance.

LIGHT HIRE REACH NEW HEIGHTS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE THROUGH INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE

Light Hire Ltd, an approved IPAF and PASMA training centre inExeter and Barnstaple which trains people in the safe use of mobile elevating platforms and erection of aluminium towers, are investing in training for internal staff in addition to instructing their wide range of clients.

Paul Roddis, Light Hire’s Training Manager is ensuring that both current and new staff have the skills and knowledge to remain at the cutting edge of the access platform industry. Clive Wotton, the Barnstaple Depot Manager and Graham Sandford, a technician in Exeter both recently achieved success at a mechanical and electrical course for powered scissor lifts and hand held analysers at JLG UK in Manchester whilst Graham has also studied hydraulic and electrical schematics for boom lifts at the Genie European Headquarters in Lincolnshire.

As Paul comments ‘it is vital to ensure that our staff receive training in order to keep them fully aware of latest developments in our fast moving industry. Light Hire is determined to continue to invest in the personal development of all our staff in order to ensure that the equipment we supply is maintained and delivered to the highest possible standards.’

September 2008

HSE Help with equipment selection

During training courses it has become clear that a great many clearly intelligent people have a frightening lack of knowledge and are still at a loss as to work at height equipment selection. Some companies are inadvertently putting their employees at risk of injury and themselves at risk from prosecution by choosing inadequate equipment or even relying on the speed and apparent ease of ladders. This is very dangerous practice and needs to stop post haste.

The Health and Safety Executive have produced a video, that can be viewed in sections if you wish, that gives clarification into the mysteries of selecting the right equipment.

The videos are interesting, informative and short, so you have no excuse for remaining in the dark! Please click on the HSE Symbol to access their site and the Videos.

August 2008

Problem Solved!

Unique lecture theatre access tower from Light Hire

Light hire were called in to perform one of our free site surveys by a local university. When we arrived we knew straight away that this was no normal access problem. The university were fully aware of their duties in regard to prioritising collective fall prevention for their operatives. This is of course provided by guardrails and they originally asked for a powered access solution in order to fulfill their legal obligations. Powered access simply was not the answer. Luckily for the University both Brian Light (Managing Director) and Paul Roddis (Training Manager) are qualified Aluminium scaffold tower instructors. Brian and Paul went back to the university with additional measuring devices and came up with a design for a unique base section for aluminium scaffold tower, specifically designed for the job. They then got in contact with Turner Access and following a few telephone calls Lecture Theatre access solution from light hire discussing hand drawn pictures and ideas, Turner agreed to manufacture the one off components. We took delivery of the items and then Brian and Paul went to the University to put the tower up for the first time. Both were elated when it fitted perfectly and thus allowed access to all of the previously inaccessible areas. Why was it so hard in the first place? Well, it was a lecture theatre so we had to deal with steps, specific spacing's between seating and a reducing ceiling height. Not only that, there were 3 lecture theatres all with slightly different measurements! The university have now completed the work safely and we have the tower back ready for anyone with a similar access problem!

July 2008

We're cutting the jargon!

Generic slang terminology explained.

Cherry picker, platform, truck mount, access platform, flying carpet, Mewp, genie, scissor, van mount, stick boom, articulated boom, crawler, spider?

There’s a lot of different terminology out there to describe powered access equipment so this should help you to express yourself like true professional.

Mewp is an acronym and it stands for Mobile Elevating Work Platform. It is a generic term for all powered access and it is used by members of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).

In reality there are only really 4 truly different types of Mewp in common general use and what defines them is either being mobile at height or stationary at height and being able to reach out beyond the ‘tip point’ or not. Yes it really is that simple!

We will start with something nice and straightforward, a scissor lift. This is categorised under BS/EN 280 as a category 3a, in that it is mobile at height (that’s the 3 part) and it does not reach beyond the tip point (that’s the a part). As with the picture (right) most have a ‘slide out deck’ or cantilever to provide a large work platform and although it clearly extends beyond the ‘tip point’, the centre of an evenly distributed load over the entire platform is still behind this ‘tip point’. These are sometimes referred to as flying carpets, magic carpets, slab scissors, and sometimes even cherry pickers. These can be run from batteries, diesel, LPG Gas or petrol, they range significantly in size and application from small electric indoor machines right up to vast behemoths such as the MEGASTAR G-320 (right) with an incredible 32m platform height with a 1000kg safe working load. Scissors even come with tracks or yet stranger ways of getting around! You will probably not need these interesting innovations but it’s nice to know they exist!

If you don’t need to move around whilst at height or if there are problems with the amount of weight that a surface can support then an item within the category 1a would be a good bet. The 1 means that it is static whilst elevated and the a means that the load centre doesn't extend beyond the tip point. This is an area of powered access that is growing quickly as manufacturers come up with increasingly innovative solutions to low level access problems. The work at height regulations state clearly that the employer MUST, ‘do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling’. This means in practice using the hierarchy of controls in the selection of work equipment for work at height. Right at the top of the crop only just below avoiding work at height completely is the collective fall prevention provided by M.E.W.P.s. Thus the requirement for light weight portable access equipment to fulfill that requirement has become almost a competition as manufactures seek to provide better, safer and more convenient products. We at Light Hire have investigated a multitude of options and have rejected many as not feeling safe enough for us to want to put our customers in. We finally settled on the thoroughly excellent ‘Power Tower’. This offered a really sturdy feel and at only 305kg and with a working height of well over 5 meters provided the solution to many access problems in schools, hospitals, public buildings etc. The discovery of such a great piece of equipment did not end our search however and it was not long before we were shown a piece of equipment that is currently only available down under, the JLG Lift Pod. This really is lateral thinking at its best and slots in where the short ladder or stepladder would have been in common use again providing a safe solution. The LIFTPOD is the most portable aerial work platform in the world. It gives you a working height of14 feet and each piece weighs about 50 lbs. and can be carried by one person. The whole unit can be assembled in less than 30seconds.

This type of equipment doesn’t seem to have suffered from the slang commonly in use for other equipment probably due to it being so new but don’t expect that to remain the case and in fact if you have heard any or even made any up of your own please email us and let us know so we can put these terms on our site.

We now need to turn our attention to Self propelled boom lifts. By self propelled this means mobile whilst elevated and is therefore in the category of 3b where the 3 refers to its ability to do this and the b refers to the ability to reach out beyond the tip point. There is a mind boggling array of self propelled booms but generally they either fall into the category of telescopic (stick) boom or articulated (cherry picker) boom. The basic difference between the two types is the ability to reach up and over objects or not! Yes again it’s that simple! The telescopic has a primary boom that extends out horizontally and when raised arcs up to nearly vertical in a smooth curve. This type of boom can have incredible outreach but is clearly unable to

reach over obstacles. This is where the wonder of the articulated boom comes in. The basic principle is that the elbow of the primary boom is raised up by another boom thus creating outreach at height and allowing us to reach over things like houses to reach inaccessible areas for maintenance, decorating and building work. At light hire we operate a wide range of articulated booms as we feel they are simply more versatile that stick booms. We can reach places that were previously thought inaccessible by making use of fly jibs and rotating baskets. Clearly these require training and practice to ensure their versatility and efficiency are maximised. Again Light hire offer the solution in the form of comprehensive IPAF training courses.

I have saves the biggest section until last as I will admit I wasn’t looking forward to explaining a category which spans from the little trailer mounted booms that can be towed by a Mini and pushed around by hand right up to the world record holding 103 metre Bronto lorry mounted platform. I myself have only been up to a mere 93 metres in a Bronto at the Vertikal days event last year at Haydock Park but you will just have to accept that had the 103 metre beast been there I would have gone up in it! No honestly, I would! Anyway this category contains all of the crawlers, spiders, van mounts, truck mounts, trailer mounts and again cherry pickers! This is a truly awe inspiring category and manufacturers and continuing to push the boundaries and come up with more and more inventive ways of gaining height and outreach without the problem of weight. My current favorite boom lift is within the confines of this category and is it the Nifty C210SD 4x4x4. This thing has a working height of over 21metres, an outreach of over 13metres and weight less than 4 tons! It has 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steer and turf tyres so that it doesn’t damage golf courses etc.

OK, I know you want to see the 93m Bronto, I did too so here it is with me in it and another from the bottom just for effect!

Bottom line it does not matter how you get the boom to position, what does matter is that if you want to elevate you always have to put jacks or outriggers or something like that down first thus removing the ability to move at height. This clearly, as you have worked out, makes these category 1b (1 for static, b for boom).

I hope this goes some way to explaining what is a mine field to the uninitiated and I wish you good fortune with your work at height.

Paul Roddis Tech IOSH

Training Manager

Light Hire Ltd

June 2008

Rental Plus standards achieved!

Light Hire Limited the independent, Exeter based, hirer of powered access products is pleased to announce their qualification for the prestigious IPAF Rental + quality standard.

The IPAF Rental + programme sets a series of minimum quality standards for rental operations and has an on-going audit plan in place to ensure standards are maintained. The initial audit carried out by Giles Councell from IPAF covered areas such as staff training, booking and machine monitoring, as well as hire fleet management.

Brian Light Managing Director of Light Hire Limited says “ I am delighted that Light Hire has been shown to follow the highest standards and ideals of the powered access rental industry. We work hard to provide our customers with the best possible level of service and support and the achievement of the Rental + standard is recognition of this . I am also pleased that, as active members of the Access Link, all Link members have agreed to work towards achieving IPAF Rental + standards ensuring that Access Link customers throughout the U. K. and Ireland receive the best possible service from local independent companies “.

Light Hire Limited operates a fleet of boom and scissor lifts throughout the South West of England from depots in Exeter and Barnstaple and is an IPAF approved operator training centre.

Special Delivery!

Light Hire received their new Genie 3020N this week but it was only at Light Hire for long enough to be inspected and then it was delivered straight out to one of their customers for an urgent job!

"The machine looked great for the brief time I saw it" smiled Brian Light (Managing Director). Brian always likes to fully familiarise himself with all of the machines in the ever extending fleet. This of course allows Brian to be better able to recommend exactly the right equipment for each application. We all look forward to getting to know the new machine upon its return, although as it's so versatile we don't think it'll be in the yard long!

Training Exeter light hire ipaf

June 2008

Nifty C210SD 4 x 4 x 4 Right way for sensitive decorators.

An experienced decorating company was asked to paint the front of one of the most beautiful privately owned manor houses in the country and following his own survey correctly came to the conclusion that a powered access solution was the best option. This was of course due to the work at height regulations requirement to incorporate collective fall protection wherever reasonably practicable to do so.

The company called us for one of our FREE no obligation, site surveys. We were slightly stunned by the scale of the grounds and the driveway but were still not fully prepared for the sight that greeted us as we rounded the last bend. The Manor house is truly awe inspiring, a magnificent building and would clearly require a sensitive approach to the work required. Some very careful measurements and a thorough check of access, ground conditions and other hazards led us to the conclusion that the Nifty C210SD 4x4x4 would be the perfect access solution. The 210s' balloon tyres would not damage the ground, the machine only weighs 4tons but has an immense 21m working height with an incredible 13.2m outreach. This combination meant that all areas could be reached for a fraction of the cost of scaffolding and can be put away at night thus not ruining the houses beauty.

exeter training at Light hire on a Nifty C210SD 4x4x4 boom IPAF category 1B exeter training at light hire. IPAF category 1b on a Nifty SD210 4x4x4 boom

The only factor remaining was competency of the operator and Light Hire was again in a position to

provide the solution. The company agreed to send one of the team on an IPAF training course and this went

ahead on the 9th of June. The trainee proved to be an intelligent and talented candidate, not to

mention brave! The trainee went the full 21m up and reached out all of the way across the roof of

our building.

The decorating company is now ready to go and we will try to get some pictures posted of the work as it happens.

Light Hire to receive a new Genie

Money off IPAF training

Changing shattered lives through training

IPAF supports the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Shattered Lives campaign encouraging the construction and allied industries to explore the safest and most appropriate methods of working at height.

IPAF vouchers that give course participants a £20 discount at participating IPAF-approved training centres are being distributed by the HSE. The vouchers are valid until 31 December 2008.

Don't chance it when working at height. Change it by getting proper and adequate training.

May 2008

Power Tower proves perfect for sensitive work.

Light hire's power tower proved to be the perfect solution to an ongoing problem in a very important stately home in Devon. When faced with the task of cleaning priceless art works and sculptures Light Hire was asked to solve the problem of access. Clearly collective fall prevention needed to be employed whilst keeping floors and carpets protected. Access was also an issue due to the age and character of the building. Richard Philpott, our General Manager agreed to a free site visit to ascertain the best course of action. It was agreed unanimously that the Power Tower would be the perfect solution as it weighs less that 300kg, has a working height of 5.1m and is only 780mm wide.

The team that would be using it then needed training and came along to our training centre in Exeter where they spent an enjoyable day learning all about the world of powered access. Now they could begin the work legally and safely and I am happy to say the work was completed ahead of schedule with no problems whatsoever. Certainly in this instance the Power Tower was exactly the right tool for the job.

To see a full spec for the Power Tower please click on either Photograph

2008

Shattered Lives Campaign being Run by the HSE:

The campaign is aimed primarily at those most at risk of a slip, trip or fall at work and those best placed to take action - construction workers, electricians, gas fitters, site managers, kitchen managers and chefs, food retail staff, area and store managers, food operatives and their shift managers.

The HSE has produced a set of videos to assist with work at height, training and equipment selection.They are genuinely very good and well worth a look, just click on their icon.

Light Hire wholeheartedly Support the Shattered Lives campaign.

For further information please see the HSE Web Site.

Light Hire Ltd
Dennis House, Grace Road Central, Marsh Barton Trading Estate EXETER EX2 8QA
Tel: 01392 255211 - Fax: 01392 253377
Email: info@lighthire.com