George Town Council in Tasmania has again been recognised for its development of an innovative lifting device. The device, a pump lifter, achieved Bronze status in the category of Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety Issue at last year’s Workplace Safety Awards. It also received a commendation in the National Awards for Innovation late last year.
The lifter was designed to simplify the removal of 1,200kg sewage pumps from their wells for regular maintenance. This previously required a backhoe or crane controlled by an operator, two plumbers and sometimes a truck and a truck driver. Communication was via hand signals between the backhoe or crane operator and the plumbers. The operator could not see the pump being lifted from the well, which led to safety concerns.
Since the development of Council’s pump lifter, the same task can now be achieved with the trailer mounted lifter and two plumbers. As well as being safer, the task of removing the pumps is considerably cheaper.
Council has also won a Design Excellence Award at the Tasmanian Local Government Conference in May last year.
George Town has 11 sewage pump stations, which need monthly maintenance. Council staff who maintain the pumps were involved in the development of the pump lifter.
For further information contact Council’s Pump Lift Project Officer, Craig Perkins, on (03) 6382 1211.
