The old family ice chest of a bygone era was the inspiration for a lifting device designed by a team at the City of Marion to reduce the risk of back injuries.
When lifting blocks of ice into ice chests in pre-refrigeration days, many homes used a set of calipers. These clamped on to the ice strengthening their grip as they hauled the weight. Civil Works Team Leader Peter Amos remembered those days, and thought the principle might work for the removal of heavy concrete drain covers and side entry pit lids which can weigh 80 kilograms or more.
He roughed out a design and within a day maintenance welder Warren Przibilla made a prototype. Now the device, officially known as a Scissor Lift Clamp, is used by Marion employees two or three times every day. The clamp has been tested to lift 253 kilograms. “The more weight, the stronger it gets,” Peter Amos said. “It’s as simple as that.”
The clamp works from a hand operated winch inside a small crane fitted to Council vehicles. Now, instead of needing two people to lift and replace the heavy covers, one person can easily do the job without needing to bend their back. Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator Christine Crawford said maintenance workers are extremely happy about the new device. “It is a great initiative that came from them and which Council facilitated,” she said.
“Drain covers constantly need attention because of vandalism, vehicle and other damage. It used to take at least two people, one often having to stand in the pit itself, to undertake the operation. Ropes or chains had to be tied around the cover. Now no one has to enter the pit, tie ropes or risk their back physically lifting the covers. It is a much quicker operation, an important factor in emergency situations such as storms.”
She said before the clamp was put into operation it was assessed by a local engineering firm. Workers were trained to use it and evaluation undertaken. The clamp recently won a Local Government Association of SA Innovation Award in Manual Handling certificate of merit.
For further information contact Christine Crawford, telephone (08) 8375 6600
