| Lifting attachment for safely loading railway sleeper pallets |
| DESCRIPTION CEMEX UK was concerned that the customer supplied equipment for loading pallets consisting of up to 24 railway sleepers onto railway wagons exposed the operator to manual handling and working at height risks. The loading equipment had a lifting attachment which engaged the pallet on one side and a swinging bar connected by chains to the attachment, engaged on the other side of the pallet. The swing bar required an operative to physically push the bar with his foot, whilst holding onto the attachment with his hands to connect the pallet. A new “Grab” was designed and commissioned. The grab is hydraulically operated by the loader driver, taking away any physical contact. BENEFITS • Eliminated manual handling from the task • Banksman can confirm the grap has locked from a safe distance • Removes the need to work at height on the rail wagon • Won Balfour Beatty Zero Harm UK Safety Challenge Award 2013 and 2nd in Global Awards |