Roaring Brook News

Summer 2003

Third Party Inspections

ENGINEERING A

BETTER FUTURE

Why Should You Look at Your Auxiliary Lifting Equipment?

The reason is simple: safety. When a contractor purchases a commercially manufactures lifting fixture, that fixture comes with labeling that describes the fixture and with instructions regarding its use. Typically the weight and allowable lifted load of the fixture are listed on the fixture's label. This data is necessary for project personnel to select the proper lifting equipment and to plan a safe lift.

OSHA will not have detailed requirements for most types of auxiliary lifting equipment used by contractors. Instead, OSHA regulations often incorporate ANSI standards by reference, and one of ANSI's standards may apply to the type of fixture you want to construct. It therefore is important to do the necessary research to determine the design and certification requirements for any auxiliary lifting equipment that you are fabricating rather than purchasing.

Use Your Business Sense and Systems.

If you fabricate auxiliary lifting equipment, use basic good business practices to help you. Put a unit desig-nation or code on the item that uniquely identifies the fixture. List limitations and unit data on the unit. Tie this number to your accounting system so that you can track the costs, location, maintenance and certification history, physical condition, and billings for the unit.

Don't Forget the Auxiliary Lifting Equipment.

In the Spring issue of Roaring Brook News we high-lighted third party inspection services for general industry and mobile construction cranes. We did not specifically mention the multitude of items that are used along with these cranes.

For example, many contractors have man baskets, material handling baskets, and material handling fixtures such as spreader bars. These items need to be examined and they need to be rated for load capacity. Further, any limitations for use of a specific fixture need to be determined.

Why Construct Auxiliary Equipment?

Although there is some commercially available, specialized lifting equipment in the marketplace, many contractors and equipment suppliers construct their own auxiliary lifting equipment. The reasons for this are simple. The first reason is that specialty contractors have needs that are not common enough to warrant distribution of a standard piece of equipment in the marketplace. The second reason is tied to the first. If a commercial product is offered where there is a small demand, the number of units sold will be small and the cost will likely be to be high. This situation often prompts contractors to construct their own fixtures.

ENGINEERING A BETTER FUTURE