The 12th Working at Height convention was held yesterday at its new venue of the ICC Wales, The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport. The Nationwide Platforms event - the first for three years - was attended by around 300 to discuss improving powered access safety. A number of manufacturers also attended with some of their latest products and equipment both in the conference centre and a location outside.
Over the years the event has highlighted several safety improvements for those working at height such as operator entrapment, unauthorised use, ground conditions and secure handling of materials.
Various topics discussed at this year’s event included sustainability: exploring the key challenges across the supply chain, access platform policy best practice and delivering innovation through evolution. This included the launch of the improved version of Harness ON 2, a device which immobilises the boom lift until the operator has correctly clipped the lanyard of their safety harness into the device.
The new Harness ON 2 device
Developed in conjunction with Dingli, Nationwide Platform's US-based development partners Control Dynamics Inc (CDI) and BlueSky Solutions together with the help of major contractor Balfour Beatty the device will be fitted to all new Nationwide booms from 2023. It can also be retrofitted. The company said that its strategic partnership with TVH will provide worldwide distribution for the device, which is now available to all customers, manufacturers and competitors with a view to reducing the number of fatalities caused by not wearing a harness.
The lanyard of the operator's harness has to be clipped into the device before the boom lift will operate
Several manufacturers also showed new models, including the Skyjack SJ20 E mast lift, LGMG T20JE Plus and Sinoboom TB660EJ Plus/TB20EJ Plus boom lifts.
The first showing in Europe of Skyjack's 20ft SJ20 E mast lift
LGMG machines are selling well in the UK - this is the first T20JE Plus in Europe
Sinoboom showed its latest TB660EJ Plus and AB660EJ
Niftylift brought a prototype - the Nifty HR2 Hydrogen Electric articulated boom lift - which uses a replaceable bottle of hydrogen to power a hydrogen power cell which creates electricity to recharge or top up the lift’s battery, with up four complete charges per cylinder.
Something different from Niftylift - the HR2 Hydrogen Electric articulated boom which uses a hydrogen power cell to recharge the lift's battery
Haulotte brought along an articulated boom and its HS18 Pro scissor
Versalift showed one of its van mounted platforms and a Ruthmann TB260
They abound
A pity they couldn't spare the staff to go and have a look.