Lifting Gear Hire provided their expertise to R. Metalwork Ltd, an Architectural metalwork company, when they needed to install 162 balconies at the ‘NV Buildings project’, a prestigious apartment complex currently under construction in Salford Quays, Manchester.

The development comprises of 246 luxury apartments in three 17-storey identical blocks, which has already been awarded a commendation from The Manchester Society of Architects for 'Best Unbuilt Project' in recognition of its unusual design

‘The challenging design of the buildings and obscure shape of the balconies meant that we could not use traditional lifting methods, explained Richard Lewis, R. Metalwork, who have been contracted to design, manufacture and install the balconies.

Lifting Gear Hire used their lifting experience to design, manufacture and test two bespoke lifting frames complete with modular beams, which are fully adjustable to safely lift each balcony up to the mainframe of the apartment block using a tower crane.

‘We had been concerned that installing these balconies was going to be very time consuming, however Lifting Gear Hire not only solved the problem of how to lift the balconies but by simultaneously lifting the balconies with the two frames we were able to install balconies in just one and a half weeks on one block,’ said Richard.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE AND LGH WINCHES PROVIDE PULLING POWER FOR BLACKPOOL'S BIG WHEEL

LGH Group sister companies, Lifting Gear Hire and LGH Winches, global providers of lifting and winching equipment for hire, sale and service, provided out-of-season support when work was required on Blackpool's 'Big Wheel' on the central pier.

The Wheel, owned by Leisure Parcs, requires dismantling for refurbishment and inspection every three years for insurance purposes. Lifting Gear Hire originally supplied their specialist lifting equipment to Fairport Engineering, a major engineering firm in the North West of England, when the Wheel was erected in 1996. They have subsequently provided sister company, Fairport Site Operations, whose specialist field is the structural refurbishment of piers and chemical plants, with the necessary lifting equipment and application advice for the Wheel's tri-annual safe dismantlement.

The wheel weighs a total of 18 tonnes and is made up of 13 segments, each weighing 1.7 tonnes, all of which were removed one at a time over a weeklong period. As each segment was removed a pull and break system was required to prevent the rest of the wheel swinging round due to the decrease in overall weight.

The specialist lifting and winching gear supplied by Lifting Gear Hire was used to create an efficient pull and brake system that distributed the weight of the wheel. Tirfors were used to control the safe movement of the wheel whilst a 3.5 tonne air winch, which was sourced from LGH Winches, was used to pull the wheel round.

'This was a ingenious engineering solution to a complicated control issue,' explained John Gerrard manager of Lifting Gear Hire's Atherton branch.

'Through clever calculation the pulling factor of this set up was 5:1 providing effective and safe control of the wheel in difficult and cramped conditions.'

Wintry weather and restricted working hours due to the sea tides meant that the equipment required needed to be reliable and robust.

'We rely on the quality of equipment provided by Lifting Gear Hire and its proven track record in enabling us to dismantle this wheel,' said Darren McHugh, Fairport Site Operations Ltd.

Following extensive testing and refurbishment, the Big Wheel has been re-erected in reverse fashion and is ready for the return of Blackpool's pleasure seekers.

CPCS TRAINING NOW AVAILABLE

CPCS have accredited LGH Training as a recognised training centre.

Anyone who operates plant on a Major Contractor Group (MCG) or National Contractors federation (NCF) site now has to have a CPCS CARD – in fact most other sites are also insisting that their workers have the card. The CPCS Card certifies that you are qualified and trained to operate plant specific to your job on site.

The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and has been set up for the registration of plant operators.

To obtain your card you will firstly need to pass the CPCS operator test for which you will need to carry out basic training.

LGH Training is a CPCS accredited training provider. LGH Training belongs to LGH Group plc and is a dedicated training organisation that has been providing a wide variety of courses covering all aspects of lifting and lifting equipment for 20 years.

LGH Training can therefore deliver the necessary CPCS training for the following categories of plant:

Slinger/Signaller
Rough Terrain Forklift/Masted truck
Industrial Forklift truck
Reach truck
Mobile elevating work platforms (Scissor)
Mobile elevating work platforms (Boom)
Mobile elevating work platforms (Mast Climber)
Lorry loader

LGH Training will not only provide the necessary training but will also administer the necessary registration paperwork to obtain the card.

LGH RIGGING SERVICES SIGN EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT WITH
Q-PRODUCTION IN HOLLAND

LGH Rigging Services, specialists in the hire, sales and service of rigging and associated equipment, has signed a two-year contract with Q-Production, the leading producer of dance-events in Holland.

The contract, which has been secured by LGH Rigging Services’ Dutch operation, is for the hire and supply of Lodestar motors, control and associated rigging equipment for rigging the lighting, sound and video equipment at over 50 annual dance events held all over Holland and supported by well known DJ’s, such as Tiësto, Paul Van Dyk, Mauro Picotto, Sven Vath, Marco V, Dana and many others.

‘Q-Production have until now sourced their rigging equipment through their lighting supplier but realised that it would be more beneficial if they were to come direct to a supplier of rigging materials explained,’ Frank Kreuk, Dutch manager, LGH Rigging Services.

‘As one of the largest producers of dance events in Holland, Q Production need immediate and reliable access to a wide range of rigging equipment from one source and so they decided to use LGH Rigging Services, a dedicated supplier, who can also provide them with advice and expertise.’

LGH Rigging Services recently expanded into Holland and is based in Utrecht. It was originally established in the UK in 1997 as a dedicated, back-up, equipment resource for the entertainment industry by LGH Group plc, world leaders in lifting and winching equipment for over 30 years.

LGH HIJSMATERIEEL PROVIDE FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR UNUSUAL LOADS

LGH Hijsmaterieel, providers of lifting equipment for rent, sale and service, has recently become an exclusive supplier of the Modular Lifting Beam System, a range of spreader beams that offer a modular span capability with a wide range of capacities.

Unlike fixed length spreader beams, the flexibility of the Modular Lifting Beam system means that even the most awkward loads can be accommodated. Using a range of different components together means an almost infinite number of configurations are possible to suit virtually any lifting scenario.

Convoi Europe B.V., who have over 130 mobile cranes in the south-east of Holland, needed to lift four chimney sections, 18 metres in length, with a 6.9 metre diameter and weighing 53, 000 kg. They used their 500 tonne mobile crane in conjunction with a modular beam system supplied by LGH Hijsmaterieel.

The flexibility of the modular beam meant that they could safely and efficiently handle the unusual length and load capacity of each chimney section. The low weight and configuration possibilities of a modular beam system meant that they could lift this heavy load without having to use a bigger and more expensive crane.

'We are delighted to be able to exclusively supply these modular beams to our customers in the Benelux,' explains Kees van Toorn, manager, LGH Hijsmaterieel.

'We pioneered the concept of renting lifting equipment in Holland over 10 years ago and we continually strive to provide our customers with the most up-to-date and modern equipment that safely and efficiently meets their diverse range of lifting requirements.'

Designed for easy one-man use, the Modular Lifting Beam system is both portable and lightweight. Most of the beams and end units within the system can easily be manually handled on site without the need for lifting equipment, reducing the time needed for set-up. The majority of the Modular Lifting Beam system components are light enough to be transported in a small van or pick-up, helping to cut transportation costs.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE CORPORATION ACQUIRES MAXIBAR RIGGING RENTAL DIVISION

Lifting Gear Hire Corporation announce the purchase of MaxiBar Rigging Rental Division from Bishop Lifting Products, Inc. enabling them to broaden their existing array of products and services and provide comprehensive solutions for industry.

The acquisition of MaxiBar, an organisation specialising in the hire of spreader bars, slings, and rigging accessories, will increase Lifting Gear Hire Corporation’s spreader beam system portfolio capacity range over and above 350 ton and complements their existing line of lifting equipment with a one-stop vendor for Modular Beam System solutions.

‘As the market leader in the hire equipment market, the majority of our customers already turn to Lifting Gear Hire Corporation for lifting solutions using our existing Modular Beam System,’ explained Pat Fiscelli, Vice President, Lifting Gear Hire Corporation.

‘With the LGH MaxiBar division we can expand our spreader beam capability and provide a world-class turnkey solution ensuring our customers maximise their resources through our comprehensive product capability.’

LGH WINCHES TAKE CONTROL OF WHITE-KNUCKLE RIDE

LGH Winches, global providers of lifting and winching equipment for hire, sale and service, worked with engineering firm, Sprint Engineering, to provide a permanent solution for Chessington World of Adventures and their annual inspection of the Runaway Train ride.

'The maintenance team need to be able to inspect the condition of each individual train carriage for fitness or defects' explained Richard Siddons, LGH Winches.

'They decided that a permanent solution for controlling the movement of the train for inspection during shut down needed to be found and so called upon the expertise of LGH Winches to provide a bespoke solution.'

The train is stationed within one of the tunnels and to complete a full inspection the train needs to be hauled out backwards, in controlled stages, through the maintenance bay and along the track.

'The track comes out in a straight line from halfway inside the tunnel and through the maintenance bay for approximately 10 metres. It then raises up an incline and round a bend, so it was not possible to attach a wire rope to the rear of the carriage and haul the train straight back, nor were we able to make any modifications to the track to divert the wire rope around the turn' said Richard.

LGH Winches therefore devised a solution using a bespoke winch arrangement, which they designed, manufactured and permanently installed. The winch has been mounted in such a position to allow the wire rope to exit the drum and travel parallel to the straight section of the track. It then meets a snatch block, situated to permit correct fleeting and to divert the wire rope to the middle carriage of the train. The winch then pays in as required, hauling the train backwards in stages for each carriage inspection.

Once the middle carriage has been inspected the train is chocked so that the wire rope can be removed and re-attached to the first carriage. This enables the train to be pulled even further back and inspection of the remaining carriages completed.

'We supplied a bespoke winch because the distance from the winch to the snatch block meant that the drum width needed to be 250mm. It required a force of 750kg to haul the carriages up the incline, however the winch's Safe Working Load was designed to 1200kg so as to provide optimum safe control and allow for the weight of extra carriages if ever the ride is extended,' added Richard.

LGH MEGALIFT SQUEEZES INTO A TIGHT SPOT

LGH Megalift, innovative solution providers for the movement and lifting of plant equipment using hydraulic gantry systems, assisted Frank Barnes Crane Hire, on contract to Gissing and Longsdale of Barnoldswick, when they replaced a Drying Oven (10mtrs x 3metres high x 2.5 metres wide and weighing 20 tonne), upon a three metre high support stillage with no room to manoeuver at Speciality Coatings, Darwen.

The oven could have possibly been dismantled and rebuilt on the stillage or the factory roof removed and a crane used for the install. The direct costs and production downtime, however, for both of these options were unfeasible. Instead LGH Megalift used their expertise to safely install the oven in just four days and at much lower cost.

Two lengths of Megalift track were placed on the floor running parallel up to the stillage. Two Megalift 'goalpost' systems, comprising of two jacks and a connecting beam and with a joint lifting capacity of 170 tonnes, were placed on the tracks. The oven was delivered in between by Frank Barnes engineers and connected to the gantries.

The jacks were extended raising the oven to the desired height. It was tracked along the rails until the first gantry system reached the stillage and the front end of the oven was projected over it. The front end of the oven was lowered upon skates, which had been fitted to the stillage, and the first Megalift gantry disconnected. The Oven was winched along the stillage by Frank Barnes engineers with the second Megalift gantry carrying the rear of the load. This continued until sufficient length of the Oven had been installed upon the stillage to enable the rear Megalift gantry to be disconnected.

The Oven was then winched into final position and was operational within the time allocated despite the restrictive conditions that LGH Megalift had been confronted with.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE – SAFETY FIRST FOR MANUAL HANDLING

Every year one third of all construction industry accidents reported to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) involve manual handling. Deaths that have occurred during lifting operations are generally as a result of workers being struck by falling or moving loads during the actual lifting operation or when lifting machines overturn.

Provisional statistics from operational data indicate there were 72 fatal accidents in the construction industry between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2004. *

As a result the HSE are focussing their efforts on the construction industry this year, which has included intensive site inspection campaigns both in March and June. The HSE are aiming, as a result of these campaigns, to significantly impact upon controlling the risks associated with these major causes of fatal and serious injuries.

One of the four core issues that inspectors are concentrating on is lifting and carrying and as a result of this the HSE expects that:

Manual handling tasks are to be eliminated by design and mechanisation
Safe handling is to be based on an assessment of risk
All workers are to be trained in basic, safe, manual handling techniques

Lifting Gear Hire - Puts Safety First

From its inception, Lifting Gear Hire recognised the importance of safety - ‘safety first’ even forms an integral part of the company logo.

Lifting Gear Hire’s extensive fleet of over 80,000 pieces of equipment for hire and sales is continually evolving in order to ensure best practice. Qualified experts guarantee Lifting Gear Hire’s equipment safe for use and fit for purpose. Ongoing research combined with expertise ensures the equipment is the most up-to-date and complies with all legal standards.

‘By relying on Lifting Gear Hire, users of our lifting equipment are guaranteed peace of mind,’ adds Paul.

Kerb Handling - HSE’s New Enforcement Policy

An example of this is the HSE’s new enforcement policy regarding the handling of heavy kerbs (weighing more than 20kg) and similar products. The enforcement policy states that:

For new build work, manual handling of heavy kerbs was to be eliminated by the end of June 2004

For spot repairs/maintenance, manual handling of heavy kerbs will be eliminated by December 2004

It also states that a risk assessment should be undertaken for all heavy kerb laying activity which identifies the appropriate control measures to avoid the risk of injury from manual handling.

In response to this Lifting Gear Hire has, after extensive product profiling, included within the hire and sales fleet specialist equipment such as mechanical or hydraulically operated clamps and vacuum lifting systems.

They have also produced leaflets for customers to help them understand and comply with this new policy.

Lifting Gear Hire PLUS

Lifting Gear Hire’s commitment to safe lifting operations in the construction industry doesn’t just stop at hiring and selling equipment. As part of the Lifting Gear Hire PLUS services they are also able to provide:

Training - over 40 specialist courses at 4 NVQ and SEMTA approved training and assessment centres. With recent CPCS accreditation and course endorsements including CITB, NEBOSH & NPORS, they are able to provide a whole host of relevant courses including:

Height Awareness and Inspection of Harnesses
Slinging and Signalling
Mobile elevated platforms (articulating)
In-service inspection and management of lifting equipment
Site safety Awareness
Regulations – LOLER & PUWER
Safe use of lifting equipment and management of lifting operations
Manual handling
Risk assessment and method statement

Refurbishment

Expert LEEA certified technicians refurbish all types of lifting and handling equipment on site or in their fully equipped workshops. All refurbished equipment is issued with a statutory thorough examination certificate.

LGH TRAINING OPENS NEW CENTRE IN LONDON

LGH Training, a lifting equipment training organisation and subsidiary of LGH Group plc, has opened a new training centre in North London in response to increased customer demand in this region

‘The fully equipped centre combines lecture rooms with a workshop area, which has been fitted with a custom made crane to enable hands on specialist training,’ explains Wilfred Manjengwa, manager, LGH Training.

This new centre in London means that LGH Training now has 4 regional training centres, 2 also in Manchester and 1 in the East Midlands. All the specialist-lifting courses are delivered by means of practical demonstration, video and lecture so as to ensure that there is a balance between workshop activities and classroom tuition. All trainees are required to complete a course assessment.

LGH Training can also come and deliver training at your company’s premises, in the trainee’s working environment, utilising the equipment they actually use.

‘Common problems arising from training onsite, however, include trainees being pulled out of the course to attend to a work related matter and having to make do with the customer’s equipment - our centres are equipped with the most up-to-date equipment needed to provide this specialist training,’ explains Wilfred.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE PROVIDES SWIFT SUPPORT TO
QUAY COLLAPSE

Lifting Gear Hire, global providers of lifting equipment for hire, sale and service, had to respond quickly to an emergency call from Montrose Harbour Port Authority when approximately 80 metres of the south quay unexpectedly collapsed into the water.

Lifting Gear Hire's Aberdeen branch worked with consulting engineers Babtie and provided their specialist lifting expertise and equipment to restrain the remaining quayside, preventing any further collapse of the quay and minimising the impact upon the harbour's freight business

Tirfors were attached to plates bolted at intervals onto a section of the quay that had not been damaged. A pull system was then created to take the strain of any further quayside movement by using the bollards along the section of the quayside that had collapsed This support system remained in place for over a month until the port authority were certain the quay was out of danger.

Lifting Gear Hire also supplied and fitted load-monitoring links so as to be able to monitor any further movement in the quayside and these remained in place for two month as an extra precaution.

Montrose Harbour Port Authority have been purchasing lifting equipment from Lifting Gear Hire for use on the dock for a number of years. Lifting Gear Hire also carry out the mandatory six monthly statutory examinations of all the port's lifting equipment.

Bryan Dalgarno, Engineer, Montrose Harbour Port Authority, said, 'This was an emergency situation and we needed an immediate response to provide this speciality lifting equipment.'

'Lifting Gear Hire acted accordingly and within no time at all had installed the equipment and provided an effective solution that could support this section of the quay safely and ensure that there was limited disruption to business in the harbour.'

LIFTING GEAR HIRE'S PRECIOUS LOAD

Lifting Gear Hire, global providers of lifting equipment for hire, sale and service, assisted Great Yarmouth Stevedoring with the unloading of a £1 million land-drilling rig from the hold of a cargo ship.

The highly valuable and awkward load, which was 20 metres long and weighed 89 tonnes, was destined for the Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates but first needed to be discharged and taken away for modification prior to its final journey.

Lifting Gear Hire advised Stevedoring that to safely lift, load and unload the drilling rig using their ship-to-shore cranes they should use a modular lifting beam system.

'This system can be assembled to lift any combination of load weight and length without compromising the quality and safety of the lift, which was crucial for this particular job' explained Bryan Howe, Norwich Branch Manager, Lifting Gear Hire.

'Due to the value of the load, Stevedoring were not prepared to use the standard beams available, they wanted equipment that met the lift's exact requirements,' Brian added

'The modular lifting beam system we supplied was therefore also a cost effective alternative to designing and fabricating a beam exclusively for this one-off job.'

The modification of the drilling rig has recently been completed and Lifting Gear Hire ensured it was carefully re-loaded in mirror-image fashion back onto the boat to be taken to its final destination in the Middle East.

'This is the first time we have used Lifting Gear Hire and we were impressed with their cost effective solution to what was a difficult lifting job due to the value of this particular load,' said Rodger Lewin, Managing Director, Great Yarmouth Stevedoring.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE SAILS NEW HEIGHTS

Lifting Gear Hire, global providers of lifting equipment for hire, sale and service, supplied their flexible modular lifting beam system to Schenkers Fair and Exhibitions UK, an exhibition freight forwarding and onsite handling company, when they needed to lift a boat worth £2.5 million pounds.

The 82 foot, 62 tonne, Sunseeker boat, normally admired cruising round the South of France, was to be exhibited at the one of the world's largest international boat shows. Its sheer size means it cannot be transported by road and had therefore previously not been exhibited.

This year, however, the Schroders London International Boat Show had moved to the Excel Exhibition Centre, whose dockland location meant that, for the first time, delegates would be able to admire these larger, more impressive boats on dry land.

'The Sunseeker was just one of 16 prestigious boats, ranging in abnormal size and load, which needed to be installed this way,' explained Rob Langford, LGH Branch Manager, Dudley.

'Instead of designing and fabricating one-off expensive beams to meet each boat's lifting requirments, we advised Schenkers to hire one of our modular lifting beam systems because it could be easily assembled to lift each boat's different combination of load weight and length.'

'We have developed an excellent relationship with Lifting Gear Hire as we know we can always rely on them to provide us with the right equipment for our lifting requirements,' said Nigel Foster, Schenkers Fair and Exhibitions.

Since debuting at the exhibition the Sunseeker has been lifted to prestigious new heights having been purchased by Nigel Mansell.

LGH RIGGING SERVICES TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN HOLLAND

LGH Rigging Services, specialists in the hire, sales and service of rigging and associated equipment, have recently expanded into Holland, in order to meet the increasing demand for their services in Europe.

LGH Rigging Services was established as a dedicated, back-up, equipment resource for the entertainment industry in 1997 by LGH Group plc, world leaders in lifting and winching equipment for over 30 years. The business has until now been solely UK based at Three Mills Island Studios, London and is managed by Bob Dean.

Following their success in the UK, it has been decided to further support and develop European customer relationships by establishing a new mainland European base at Utrecht in Holland.
Paul Fulcher, Operations Director, LGH Group, explained; 'Our personnel's lifting and rigging expertise in the entertainment industry has been combined with a vast hire fleet to create a very powerful and professional package which can be easily replicated for the Dutch and European markets.'
The Dutch business is managed by Frank Kreuk. Frank has over 20 years experience in the entertainment business having previously worked for Focus Show Equipment and Flashlight before setting up his own company, Rotterdam Rigging.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE'S TESTING TIME FOR UNMANNED AIR VEHICLES

Lifting Gear Hire, global providers of lifting equipment for hire, sale and service, assisted Thales UK, Britain's second largest defence contractor, with the testing and certification required to suspend unmanned air vehicles over their stands at trade shows.
The Watchkeeper 180 and the Watchkeeper 450 are pilotless air vehicles used for intelligence gathering, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance purposes. Large-scale models of the aircraft are used for displays at exhibitions in support of the Thales bid for the MoD's £800m Watchkeeper programme. The models are 120kg and 250kg respectively.

The Crawley branch of Lifting Gear Hire provided the expertise and installed the necessary lifting system needed to load test whether the aircraft would be safe for suspending at exhibitions.

Testing of the aircraft was not only obligatory under Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) but also guaranteed the safety of delegates visiting the stand.

Thales UK wanted to be able to hang the aircraft safely from the roofing anchor points at exhibitions and asked Lifting Gear Hire to test and issue certification of the planes' lifting suspension points,' said Paul Bishop, Lifting Gear Hire's Crawley Branch Manager.

Although the load was lightweight it required the same diligent regard for safety and accuracy as a 100ton lift. Lifting Gear Hire therefore erected a gantry system with a capacity to lift to within a ±1% degree of accuracy so as to proficiently test the safe working load of each plane's suspension point.

The testing and certification of each aircraft took only three and a half hours to complete. Both planes have since been displayed on exhibition stands for Thales and admired safely by delegates from all over the world.

LGH MEGALIFT WORK THE LOCKS UNDER MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE

LGH Megalift has recently assisted British Waterways with its maintenance programme on the newly-restored Rochdale Canal.

LGH Megalift, innovative solutions providers for the movement and lifting of plant equipment, supplied their hydraulic gantry systems to replace several worn-out lock gates.

Since reopening the canal in July 2002 to leisure craft, British Waterways, which successfully manages 2,000 miles of inland waterways in England, Scotland and Wales, has undertaken a multi-million pound programme of upgrading and replacing equipment and infrastructure.

Lock 81, which runs under Manchester's famous Gay Village, comprised four 35-year-old wooden gates. Waterways engineers estimated they were some of the oldest still in use on the entire UK network.

However they could not be replaced because of the restricted clearance created when an office block was built above the locks in the 1960s. This meant it was impossible to use conventional cranes because the limited headroom restricted use of an elevated gantry system.

Instead LGH Megalift devised a low cost solution by installing a Minilift system. This comprised four lightweight cylinders, which are 1.9m at closed height and can extend electronically to 4.9 metres, and 2 x 7 metre beams. These were used to create two lifting systems positioned centrally, and in parallel, over the front and back gates.

The cylinders were floated, on a barge, into the lock and then manhandled into position either side of the two gates. One of the beams was then lifted onto a barge using a crane and also floated into the lock. The lock was then filled with water so that the boat rose to the required level needed to raise the beam onto each of the cylinders at the back gate and create a flexible gantry system. This was then repeated for the front gates.

The front lifting gate, which weighed 4 tonnes, was then lifted clear of its supporting 'Gimbals' hinge by using a 5 tonne chain block, which was attached to the beam and the gate, and the cylinders extended to a height of 3.5 metres. A 5 tonne girder trolley, which was also attached to the beam, was used to track the gate into the middle of the canal and which was then rotated through 90 degrees vertical.

The rear Minilift system was attached to the base of the gate using 2 x 5 tonne chain blocks. The cylinders of the rear system were then extended whilst the front cylinders were simultaneously lowered, forcing the gate to rotate into a horizontal position.

A barge was then floated underneath the gate and both Minilift systems were completely retracted. With the gate lowered onto the barge it was detached from the system and floated out of the lock.

This was repeated for the back gate and the replacement gates were installed using the same method but in reverse.

As the whole procedure did not involve further disruption such as digging up the road or draining of the canal it therefore also alleviated any local disruption to residents and businesses.

The LGH Minilift system proved so effective that British Waterways, who had previously not worked with LGH Megalift, have continued to use the equipment in Manchester City Centre to replace a further six pairs of lock gates.

LETI CHANGES NAME TO LGH TRAINING & LAUNCHES ONLINE TRAINING RECORDS

LGH Training, a lifting equipment training organisation and subsidiary of LGH Group plc, has changed its name from the Lifting Equipment Training Initiative, (LETI), in order to consolidate the identities of the Groups' core businesses in line with the LGH brand and enable enhanced synergies across all divisions.

''Puts Safety First' is our Group's ethos and this is reflected in all of our businesses including LGH Training which has all the expertise and experience you would expect from a dedicated training organisation,' explained Wilfred Manjengwa, Manager, LGH Training.

'With our new name comes a renewed commitment to providing the best in training to our customers and as such we have launched an online service offering customers real-time access to training records over the Internet,' Wilfred continued.

Free of charge, this new service is designed to make the management of refresher training needs of staff a much simpler operation. This is achieved by allowing customers of LGH Training to view the training records of their staff quickly and easily over the internet 24 hours a day.

Such a service is likely to benefit many organisations in the management of training of their employees and the organisation of training records. One particular feature of the system is its ability to flag when an individual is due to be retrained. Many organisations are aware of the need for refresher training but struggle keeping track of who needs training and at what intervals.

New developments in legislation, changes in job descriptions or working practices, new equipment or new employees are all situations where re-training or refresher training should be explored. As such, training bodies such as the CITB and EMTA recommend refresher training be carried out every five years. Anyone who has not been trained since LOLER and PUWER were introduced in December 1998 are likely to need retraining in order to be compliant with these regulations.

Viewed via any web browser application, the service gives full details of all training records of all the individuals in the company's organisation who have received training in lifting equipment courses from LGH Training.

'We expect that this service will prove invaluable to our customers. It allows managers to ensure they are legally compliant by highlighting any requirements for retraining and refresher training of their staff,' added Wilfred Manjengwa.

For more information visit www.lgh.co.uk/training

LGH RIGGING SHOW THEIR SUPPORT TO THE OLIVIER AWARDS

LGH Rigging showed their appreciation for the London theatre fraternity when they hired out the necessary trussing for the prestigious Olivier Awards at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel.

The awards ceremony brought together some of today's greatest theatrical stars for a celebration of the year's productions. Clive Anderson, who has presented the awards for six years running, was aided this year by the members of West End show, The Rat Pack, which saw 'Frank Sinatra', 'Dean Martin' and 'Sammy Davis Jnr' on stage throughout the night with special guest Kevin Spacey. Awards were presented to Eileen Atkins for Best Actress in 'Honour', Matthew Kelly for Best Actor in 'Of Mice and Men' and 'Jerry Springer-The Opera' for the Best New Musical.

The Rat Pack production at the Strand Theatre was recreated for the awards stage. The challenge for all involved was to recreate the look of the West End musical without affecting the integrity of the show's original look but with less equipment, less time and in a smaller space.

LGH Rigging supplied a configuration of trussing used to suspend lighting, video and sound equipment above the audience and the stage in conjunction with Flying Squad Arial Rigging.

'The trussing needed to be in place by 4.30am on the day of the awards so that all the equipment was ready for rehearsals to begin. The awards room at Park Lane Hilton Hotel lends itself to these type of events and so the trussing was efficiently set up in the early hours of the morning,' explained Bob Dean, LGH Rigging.

LGH Rigging worked alongside lighting specialist company LX Co, Orbital, who supplied the sound system and Creative technology the projection.

A TESTING TIME FOR LGH MEGALIFT

LGH Megalift, innovative solution providers for the movement and lifting of plant equipment using hydraulic gantry systems, recently worked with PES UK Ltd, suppliers and installers of machinery mounting, test & workholding equipment, when they needed to install and proof test a 125 tonne 'Stolle Gmbh' manufactured cast iron Test Bed. The installation took place at the Health & Safety Laboratory's new test facility, currently under construction at Buxton, Derbyshire.

The Test Bed, which is used to examine equipment, needed to be installed in segments into the pit. The segments are awkward to position as each one has to be lowered onto multiple reaction anchors and therefore high positional accuracy was required.

PES could have used a crane to offload each segment outside the building. Skates and winches could have been used to pull them to the pit, which would have to be fitted with timber and support equipment. Jacks would then be used to lower the segment into the pit whilst removing the supporting structure.

This would have been time consuming, and therefore costly. PES was also concerned that this method could not guarantee sufficient control.

Instead LGH Megalift used their 4100 system, which comprised of tracking, 4 x 25 tonne cylinders and 2 x 8 metre beams. Each segment was still offloaded outside the building but the Megalift system was used to track each one into the building and lower them into the pit.

Once installed the Test Bed needed to be commissioned by carrying out tests using components of up to 16 tonnes. These would normally have been positioned upon the test bed using the overhead crane, but this was also being commissioned and was not available for use.

LGH Megalift provided PES with their Minilift system, which, due to its small size, unit weight and lifting capacity, offered a viable alternative to the overhead crane. The other option would have been to purchase a custom-made gantry but this would have been too expensive and time consuming. The Minilift system comprised of 2 x 10 tonne cylinders. There was no need to lay tracking as the cylinders are self propelled and its size meant there was minimal obstruction to the on-going operation.

LGH MEGALIFT'S NERVES OF STEEL

LGH Megalift, innovative solution providers for the movement and lifting of plant equipment using hydraulic gantry systems, responded to an emergency call from specialist engineering firm Vacmetal (UK) Limited who were repairing a vacuum degassing unit machine at the Corus Steel Plant, Port Talbot, South Wales.

The vacuum degasser primarily consists of a large rectangular platform situated 8 metres above ground level and is attached to the main building structure by two rocker arms. The arms lift the platform, which weighs 250 tonnes, up and down using a powerful hydraulic cylinder. The bearings in one of the platform stabilising arms needed to be replaced without the platform rotating about its main support bearings and therefore additional support was needed.

A load bearing scaffolding structure could have been erected to support this reactive weight of 40 - 50 tonnes but this could have taken up to two weeks to build and dismantle and the factory could not afford this production down time.

Having seen LGH Megalift before at Port Talbot, Vacmetal called upon their lifting expertise. In just 2 days LGH Megalift devised and implemented a cost effective solution, which allowed the bearings to be replaced during a scheduled production outage.

Three Megalift jacks were assembled directly under the corner opposite the stabilising arm and clamped to the structure and the weight transferred from the arms. The cylinders then lifted the whole structure 0.4 metres allowing the bearings to be replaced with minimum disruption.

Although two rams would have been capable of supporting the structure, LGH Megalift decided to take the precaution of using three so as to ensure that the load would remain intact in the unlikely event of one of the rams failing.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON LIFTING REGULATIONS

Dedicated to helping its customers with guidance and support in all areas of safety, Lifting Gear Hire has produced a pocket guide to the main Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operation legislation.

The guide from Lifting Gear Hire covers the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998. These two pieces of legislation cover the majority of lifting equipment and lifting operations, and as such have widespread impact on all aspects of industry.

Despite being over five years old, the regulations remain poorly understood in many areas of industry. The regulations are wide reaching covering all aspects of Lifting Equipment, and as such, it is imperative that any individuals involved in lifting of any sort should understand the implications of the regulations and how they affect them.

Having identified that many businesses were struggling to understand the depth of the legislation and how it impacted upon their particular work situation, Lifting Gear Hire has developed a guide to the LOLER & PUWER regulations. The guide explains the key elements of the legislation and details what the safety implications are for those working with lifting equipment or performing lifting operations.

Paul Fulcher, Lifting Gear Hire Operations Director commented, "Safety is our number one concern at Lifting Gear Hire. Because of this we felt it was essential to have a concise, easily-understood guide to the LOLER/PUWER regulations to offer to our customers. The Lifting Gear Hire guide cuts through the confusion surrounding the legislation, and details exactly what the legislation means for the readers own situation of work."

With the advent of corporate manslaughter, the need to understand the regulations becomes even greater. The Lifting Gear Hire LOLER/PUWER Guide is a key part in ensuring that you are operating within the law.

Paul Fulcher continued, "It is important that anyone working with Lifting Equipment gains an understanding of the depth and reach of the legislation. The regulations cover a wide range of areas, from the maintenance schedules of different types of equipment, through to who is allowed to perform inspections on equipment, to details on safe methods for performing lifting operations."

For a free copy of the Guide, please contact Lifting Gear Hire on 0870 607 7070.

IT'S SHOW TIME FOR LGH RIGGING

LGH Rigging exhibited a high level of customer care when they provided a show stand for Votum Ltd, a car competition company, who were exhibiting a brand new Aston Martin, worth over £110,000, at the MPH 03 car show in December.

Votum's latest competition is offering entrants a 1 in 3000 chance of winning the car by purchasing tickets worth £75 each. The winner will also be entered into the exclusive Gumball Rally which cruises from Paris to St Tropez with luxurious 5 star accommodation all in.

This was the first exhibition show Votum had attended to promote the competition and therefore required a reliable supplier who could not only provide the necessary equipment cost effectively but who could also provide design and installation advice.

'The service provided by LGH Rigging was second to none. Not only did they supply us with an effective but simple stand but also their efficiency and expert advice meant that the day was a great success with many tickets sold and a high level of media interest.

LGH were able to effectively apply their vast experience in the entertainment industry to design and install an effective stand solution using light duty trusses.

LGH MEGALIFT - SEVERN ROAD BRIDGE / HAYES ENGINEERING

LGH MEGALIFT were up against the clock when they assisted in the refurbishment of part of the Severn Motorway bridge near Bristol.

Working for main contractor Hayes Engineering of Cardiff, LGH MEGALIFT used their jacking system to lift and remove the access cradle slung underneath the bridge. The MEGALIFT team had to work quickly as a high tide was due which would breach the site defences and potentially submerge the MEGALIFT system under water.

Installed on rails that run along the full length of the bridge, the cradle hangs from a number of wheeled trolleys that sit on the rails.

After a thorough engineering study, the LGH MEGALIFT team began the procedure to lift the cradle free from the rails to allow the trolleys to be removed. This was necessary to give the required clearance to lower the cradle back to ground level.

The trolleys were removed and taken to a factory for overhaul, whilst the cradle frame was refurbished in situ.

Once everything has been completed, the MEGALIFT will reverse the operation to re-install the cradle under the bridge.

Speed became a factor during the operation when we were informed that a High Tide was due and this would breach the defences on site and possibly submerge the MEGALIFT under water. Racing against the clock we managed to complete our part of the operation and withdraw from site before the water levels rose.

LGH PULLS TOGETHER TO RAISE THE KUSRK

In a great piece of teamwork, LGH Group's Heavy Winching specialists, NIM Hire and the Group's Dutch subsidiary, LGH Verhuur Hijsmaterieel, helped give a lift to a very high profile international project.

Working with contractors Mammoet and Smit International, NIM Hire and LGH Verhuur Hijsmaterieel supplied equipment to assist in the raising of the wreck of the sunken Russian submarine, the Kursk. This included four double drum 100t mooring winches and swivel fairleads to achieve the positioning and anchorage of 'Giant 4', the barge used by Mammoet to lift the stricken submarine.
Weighing an incredible 9000t, the Kursk needed to be raised through 110m of seawater. There was also the added complication of the sensitive nature of the cargo and the intense media attention surrounding the job. In addition, the weather played its part with swells of 6 to 7m causing the project to be delayed for days at a time.

The LGH Group businesses capitalised upon their strong reputation with Mammoet to win the business, applying all of their expertise to deliver the right equipment. With such a high profile project, the quality and reliability of the equipment from LGH was paramount. The depth of the lift and the huge load involved meant that precise and stable positioning of the barge was critical.
Despite the weather delays putting the project back by over two weeks, the lift operation progressed according to plan, much to the delight of the Russian Government, Mammoet/Smit and LGH! The wreck of the Kursk was then towed, under 'Giant 4', to a dry-dock near Murmansk where it currently resides after a successful lift and salvage operation.

LGH WINCHES INNOVATION SECURES BT CONTRACT

LGH Winches have secured a contract with BT to supply 29 Thompson Cable Recovery Winches.
Worth over £730,000, the contract involves supply of the winches for a three-year period.

LGH Winches was the first choice for BT after devising a unique detachable boom system that provided improved access to manholes. This innovation solved an ongoing safety concern highlighted by BT regarding the entrance and exit to manholes and is a perfect example of LGH Winches' ability to design a bespoke solution to meet customer's needs.

The winches are designed to recover large lengths of copper or lead cable from heavily congested ducts located underground. With diameters of up to 80mm, the old cable is much larger than the equivalent fibre-optic cables, which at 5 to 10 mm diameter can transmit the same volume of telecommunications traffic as the copper wires. The process of replacing the copper wires with fibre optics allows greater amounts of information to be transmitted in a smaller space, and removes the need for laying of new ducts with the expense and inconvenience of digging up the road.

Once recovered, the redundant cables have a considerable scrap value.
Working internationally, LGH Winches are recognised innovators and experts in the field of winching, cable handling, hoisting and access equipment.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE TAKE THE STRAIN AT ST. PANCRAS

Lifting Gear Hire were recently involved in moving a nine metre tall Victorian waterpoint at St Pancras Train Station, London, to make way for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

Contractor Jim Parkinson Ltd, needed to hire a range of lifting equipment to be used in conjunction with his own equipment and mobile craneage, to ensure that the historic building was lifted safely and without damage. Utilizing the LGH Group's strength, a large modular spreader beam, lifting beams, and ancillary equipment were provided on hire, to carry out this heavy but delicate lifting operation.

Due to the nature of the waterpoint's new site and the presence of services on the roads in between, main contractor Abbey Pynford had sliced the building horizontally into three sections to allow it to be moved safely. Using the equipment supplied by Lifting Gear Hire, Jim Parkinson then lifted and tracked the two upper sections, tottaling 238t, 700m northwards to the new site.

Lifting Gear Hire were first choice for Jim Parkinson as no other lifting equipment supplier could deliver the range and depth of equipment available from Lifting Gear Hire. Supplying equipment for unusual lifting operations is just part of the expertise available to customers of Lifting Gear Hire. With over 30 years of experience in all aspects of lifting, Lifting Gear Hire can rise to the toughest challenge.

LIFTING GEAR HIRE SIGN DEAL WITH LAING

Lifting Gear Hire (LGH), the world leading lifting gear company, has won a major accolade for its services in reaching a partnership agreement with top UK construction company Laing Limited.

It is Laing's sole agreement with a lifting gear company and means LGH will supply equipment to all their sites throughout the country.

Initially for two-years, the deal is expected to deliver substantial benefits for both companies, significantly increasing LGH's business with the construction company while also providing a streamlined service and fixed prices for Laing.

New channels of communication and tailored accounting systems will be established, with strict damage and 'lost on site' procedures also implemented. LGH will regularly monitor the equipment on site in line with its safety first policy.

Carol Slane, LGH National Sales Manager, who negotiated with Laing said: "We are delighted to reach this agreement with a company of Laing's stature. We regard it as a tribute to Lifting Gear Hire's clear commitment to the quality of equipment and service combined with our stringent safety checks and procedures."

"It will reduce costs for Laing and put in place clear channels of communication which should solve problems quickly and effectively, almost before they arise."

The agreement comes as Laing aims to continually improve relationships with suppliers and work in partnership for mutual benefits.

Sean Feeney, Laing Ltd National Plant Manager, said, "As with all partnership agreements the emphasis is on quality, commitment and efficiency. Overall, we are seeking to introduce benefits and contribute a real difference to our business."

LIFTING GEAR HIRE BRIDGE THE GAP

A number of Lifting Gear Hire branches have recently been giving a big lift to three Millenium Bridge Projects around the country. The branches have supplied equipment to the Newcastle, Stockton and York bridges, with the Grimsby, Tyneside and Teesside branches of the lifting gear specialists involved in the jobs.

Commenting upon the Newcastle Bridge, Steve Marshall, Agent for Harbour and General Works Ltd said, "We would not have achieved such a high tolerance in the final positioning of the bridge super-structure had it not been for the LGH equipment we used."

Paul Stephenson, Agent for Birse, was also thrilled with the service provided to the company during the Stockton Millennium Bridge, commenting, "The service has been both professional and cost effective throughout this contract." Paul had no hesitation in recommending Lifting Gear Hire to URSSA, the Spanish sub-contractor enlisted to perform the bridge fabrication, who were also very satisfied with the service given by the Lifting Gear Hire branches.

The contractors hired a variety of equipment from the LGH branches including, Tirfors, rams and pumps, chain blocks, pull lifts, shackles, wires and web slings.

Ron Armstrong, Lifting Gear Hire Commercial Manager said, "At Lifting Gear Hire we are very proud to be involved with such blue-chip projects, and even more delighted to be able to offer such high service levels to our customers."

Lifting Gear Hire, part of LGH Group plc, have 34 branches nationwide, offering a comprehensive range of over 65,000 items of lifting, pulling, jacking, access and safety equipment for hire, all maintained to the highest standards and backed by LGH's commitment to quality and safety.

LGE SOLVES CHEMICAL HANDLING PROBLEM AT BRIGHTON POOL

Lifting Gear Engineering provided a tailor made solution when Brighton & Hove Council wanted to improve the handling of water treatment chemicals at the Brighton's Prince Regent Street swimming pool.

The pool staff had manually handled the 25kg containers of potentially dangerous chemicals until LGE devised a method of conveying the containers from the delivery point to the storage unit safely and efficiently.

Following a successful tender LGE's design and fabrication team constructed a one tonne, power slew, free standing swing jib with a 3m radius. The jib was designed to stand 8m high because extra height was needed to accommodate being mounted at the bottom of a small pit. From initial site inspection to design and installation the project was completed within two weeks.

Also, as part of the LGH Group plc - the world leading supplier of lifting gear services - LGE provided the necessary training for jib operatives through LGH Customer Training, which carries out intensive training programmes in all aspects of lifting gear equipment in accordance with LOLER and PUWER regulations.

Nigel West, LGE sales executive, said: "LGE specialises in resolving customer lifting problems. We work closely with all our customers to establish their needs and blend our expertise and knowledge to provide a tailored service. At Brighton we were able to not only design and install the equipment but also provide onsite training for the pool personnel through LGH Training, which is dedicated to the safe handling and usage of all lifting gear."

LGH TREATMENT CURES PROBLEM FOR VET COLLEGE

Lifting Gear Engineering prescribed the remedy when Cambridge University's Department of Veterinary Medicine faced a problem with a new building being constructed to house post-mortem work.

A runway system was needed to solve the anticipated difficulty of moving animal bodies in and out of refrigeration when the height of the building was limited by council regulations and manoeuvring would be further hampered by several doorways and corners.

Originally, a runway system was designed with five beam sections and six electric hoists. However, after being brought in by consulting engineers Hannah Reed & Associates, LGE personnel at Erith, Kent, devised a system for the building which reduced the number of hoists to two, with a main hoist and a secondary back-up hoist.

LGE then liased closely with the contractor, R G Carter of Thetford, to ensure the runway would 'run true' when the building was completed. The final electric powered 30 metres runway includes two turntables and has a safe working load of two tonnes. This system substantially cut the initial installation costs and also means ongoing costs for maintenance and testing will also be considerably reduced.

Nigel West, LGE sales executive, said: " At Lifting Gear Engineering we design tailored solutions to lifting problems. While this project was unusual it illustrates the way in which we tackle every lifting challenge, using our extensive lifting experience and expertise to provide a safe and cost effective solution."