Why load-handling gear is about more than just safety

Using a crane allows employees to work on their own which is more productive and saves labour costs

DOES your business need to load and unload cargo that’s more than one person can handle safely?

Manual handling rules place a duty of care on operators, but Health & Safety Executive figures during the past decade show that injuries related to manual handling are still the biggest cause of absence from work.

When loading or unloading needs two people to ensure each is carrying less than the recommended 25kg limit, there is clearly a penalty in terms of efficiency and costs.

Efficiency, cost reduction and the ability to handle a greater variety of loads can all be achieved by fitting compact cranes and loading platforms, allowing drivers to work on their own with improved handling flexibility.

Using a correctly specified crane or loading platform will be more productive and also save labour costs.

Employees are likely to be less tired, with a reduced likelihood of mistakes that could cause quality of work to suffer or increase the risk of accidents.

And with no manual handling there is less risk that an item of cargo will be dropped, so fewer damaged items.

Penny Hydraulics products include the Swing Lift range of cranes for use in vans, pick-ups, and drop-sides and the Step Lift, Load Lift and Tail Lift lifting platform ranges

Penny Hydraulics supplies cranes and loading platforms with accessories tailored to the items being handled, making handling safer and reducing the risk of items falling or rolling unexpectedly.

Its Load Lift can be supplied with bespoke platforms incorporating cradles or recesses for secure support of items during handling and transportation.

You might also find that the ability to handle different types of load opens up fresh business opportunities for you.

With a winch-equipped Penny Hydraulics Swing Lift crane, items can be lowered below ground level or retrieved from difficult or even previously inaccessible positions.

Penny Hydraulics says business van managers worried about the cost of buying and fitting handling equipment should consider not just compliance with safety requirements, but also the increased productivity, versatility and capability, which alone could justify the investment.