Choosing the Right Lifting Equipment

There are many jobs that require you to use specialist lifting equipment to make sure you carry out the procedure safely. From manufacturing plants to building sites and warehouses, there are lots of situations where lifting equipment is really important, especially when there are so many health and safety considerations to be thinking of. So, how should you choose the right lifting equipment for your job?

What do you need it for?

The first thing to consider is what you actually need the lifting equipment for as the nature of the job at hand might affect what you need to use. For example, is it a big job or a fairly small one? Approximately how heavy is the load you need to lift? Where will you be lifting it? You might need to make allowances depending whether you'll be lifting the items inside or outside.

Health and safety

It might not be the most exciting topic in the world, but you need to give considerations to health and safety. This means comparing the weight of what you need to lift with the capabilities of your chosen tool. It also means you need to know whether the person operating the lifting equipment needs any special training before beginning, as if you operate it without training and then something goes wrong, you could find yourself in a bit of bother. If you don't know how the equipment works or aren't confident with it, it's often a good idea to hire somebody who does as this will give you peace of mind.

Small Lifting jobs

If your job is relatively small, then you'll probably be able to use a mechanical jack or pump to take care of your lifting job. Many industrial lifting jobs can be carried out by mechanical jacks and they have the benefit of being both portable and durable. Consider your needs in detail to make sure you get the right jack as what you're lifting and where you're lifting it to can have an impact. Do you want to lift something off the ground and transport it a short distance before putting it back on the floor? If so, you'll be able to use a less powerful jack than if you need to lift something higher up in the air. Screw jacks can also help you be more precise and move your items more effectively, so give some consideration to this as well.

Lifting Heavy Items

If your lifting job is considerably larger, then you will most likely need to use a hydraulic pump or jack. Hydraulic jacks work by moving big quantities of water from once place to another, and how much they can move and lift depends on what rating they're given. This is definitely something you need to give consideration to when choosing the right hydraulic jack as to choose the wrong rating is to expose yourself to health and safety risks. As hydraulic jacks are so powerful, it's also important that you consider service: make sure your jack comes from a supplier with a fantastic reputation. Also find out what sort of service they offer: a supplier who makes on-site checks is often a really good idea as this will give you peace of mind when you're using the equipment. It will also ensure you're keeping up to date with all relevant regulations and legislation you need to comply with.

Comments? Questions? Email Here

© HowtoAdvice.com

How to Advice .com