Construction Health & Safety

Construction Health & Safety

Improving the safety, health and working conditions ultimately depends on the co-operation of people working together, whether employers or workers. The safety management includes the functions of planning, identifying problem areas, coordination, control and management of security activities on site, all with the aim of preventing accidents and diseases.

The prevention of accidents is often misunderstood, as most people mistakenly believe that "accident" is "injury", which presupposes that an accident is irrelevant unless it involves an injury. A construction manager should obviously be concerned about injuries to workers, but their main concern should be the dangerous conditions that cause them: the "incident" rather than "injury" itself.

On a construction site, there are many more "incidents" than injury. A dangerous action can be performed hundreds of times before it causes an injury and so efforts should focus on eliminating these potential hazards. Therefore security management means taking safety measures before accidents occur. Effective security management has four main objectives:

·        A secure environment;

·        Make work safe;

·        Make the workers are aware of security;

·        Make the equipment, vehicles and machinery safe.

Telescopic Handlers and MEWPs

Construction site machinery and vehicles are major components in the area of health and safety. Without proper supervision, training and maintenance, these machines can be fatal.

Where telescopic handlers are concerned, the machine should be carefully chosen, maintained and operated by qualified drivers. Most injuries and other accidents with telescopic handlers happen when the machinery is moving and hits a person, especially whilst reversing. The other main cause is when the vehicle is lifting and overturns. These types of hazard must be identified through a thorough risk assessment where specific measures can be implemented.

The right telehandler should be picked for the job. However, in general, the telehandler must have good all round visibility around the driver, both in rear and forward positions. The vehicle should not be overloaded as this can cause the telehandler to overturn. Using the vehicle on unstable ground is another hazard worth avoiding as this will affect their operation to varying degrees. Lastly, the telehandler should adhere to the site speed limit, especially when turning round corners.

In terms of health and safety, the use of an MEWP (multi elevating work platform) shares many of the same aspects as a telehandler. The main cause of accident and injuries is through entrapment in the basket, falling, collision with people or vehicles or if the MEWP overturns.

A careful risk assessment should be in place to identify all the potential hazards for the event of an accident. All operators should be trained and the vehicles must be regularly maintained. Any overhead structures and cables need to be identified, alongside ground conditions. The weather can affect the operation of MEWPs, so this is also a factor to consider. Making sure outriggers are extended, guard rails are in place and if necessary, the securing of a harness and work restraint lanyard are all other aspects of health and safety with MEWPs.

Safety Policies

The conditions of safe and healthy working do not happen by chance: it is necessary that employers have a written safety policy in the company to establish the health and safety that aims to achieve this. This policy shall appoint the head manager that standards are applied and authorised to delegate responsibilities for management and supervisors at all levels to fulfil them. The security policy should cover the following aspects:

·        Devices for training at all levels. You need to pay special attention to key areas such as putting up scaffolding and crane handling, and where errors can be especially dangerous.

·        Methods or safe systems of work for risky operations; workers performing these operations must be involved in its preparation;

·        The duties and responsibilities of supervisors in key positions;

·        Devices to disseminate information on health and safety;

·        Measures to establish safety committees;

·        Selection and control of subcontractors.

The organisation of safety on a construction site depends on the size of the area, the employment system and the way the project is organised. You must keep records of health and safety that facilitate the identification and resolution of such problems.

In construction projects where subcontractors are used, the contract shall include the responsibilities, duties and security measures expected in the workforce of the subcontractor. Such measures may include the provision and use of certain safety equipment, methods for specific tasks safely, and inspection and proper handling of tools. The charge of the work must also verify that materials, equipment and tools brought to the same project meet minimum safety standards.

Training should be provided at all levels: management, supervisors and workers. You may also need training to subcontractors and their employees in safety procedures of the work, as different teams of specialised workers can affect their mutual security.

A system should also exist for the management to receive information quickly about unsafe practices and faulty equipment. The tasks of health and safety should be specifically allocated to certain persons. The following are examples of some of the duties that must be included:

·        The supply, construction and maintenance of security installations such as access roads, footpaths and barricades;

·        Construction and installation of safety signs;

·        Testing of lifting equipment such as cranes and cargo cranes and lifting accessories such as ropes and rings;

·        Inspection and correction of access facilities such as scaffolding and ladders;

·        Inspection and cleaning of the common welfare facilities such as toilets, changing rooms and dining rooms;

·        Emergency and evacuation plans.

No plan or security policy will be feasible unless each specific task is assigned to a specific person or is completed within a specified period. The safety plan or policy should be transmitted to the level of workers whose health and safety it is, after all, seeking to safeguard.

Safety managers and supervisors

Construction companies of any size must appoint one or more qualified individuals whose primary and special responsibility will be to promote health and safety. Whoever is appointed should have direct access to the head of the company, and their duties are:

·        The organisation of information to be transmitted from the direction of the workers, including those working for subcontractors;

·        Organising and conducting safety training programs, including basic training for construction workers;

·        Research and study of the circumstances and causes of accidents and occupational diseases, and to advise on preventive measures;

·        Providing consulting services and technical support to the safety committee;

·        Participate in pre-planning of the work.

To fulfil these functions, the safety officer should have experience in the industry and have adequate training and also belong to a professional association recognised in health and safety. You can find out much more on all aspects of health and safety on constructions sites at http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/

Contract Lifting

If you don’t have a particular expertise in construction or lack the qualified experience of heavy lifting on such a site, then there are other options. Hiring in a specialist lifting company is often the best way to go, as the teams of trained experts handle the whole operation for you from planning to completion. This eliminates any worry and stress you may have over a project.

GT Lifting provide such a service and are the leading specialists in their field. With a team of highly skilled telehandler and MEWP operators, you can rest at ease, knowing that your project will get off the ground without a hitch.

Different Merlo Telehandler Attachments And Their Uses

The world famous telescopic handler company, Merlo, brings an unmatched amount of precision and quality to their unique attachment range. It doesn’t matter if it’s a handler for construction or agricultural use, Merlo provide some of the market’s best attachments for these vehicles.


An attachment is a crucial extra to a telescopic handler and creates a tailor-made machine, ready to complete any job. The whole process of Merlo attachment design and development is completed in house at the huge Merlo factory in Italy. With such a huge team of design and engineering experts, Merlo’s attachment creations are perfectly adapted for their telescopic handlers.

Having specific attachments for every machine makes Merlo the number one handler provider in the industry. For decades, they have been relied on to provide the utmost reliability and versatility with their machines and attachments. Right now, Merlo has well over one hundred different kinds of attachments for all their handlers, for every situation. Here is just an example of some of these attachments to show the vast range they specialise in.


Forks: Manure fork and grab, folding hay bale spikes/ with sliding backrest and top spike.

Clamps: Twin log clamp, drum clamp, round bale clamp, wrapped round bale clamp and a paper or waste squeeze clamp.

Grabs: Orange peel grab, 360 degree rotating grab and a 360 degree rotating cement pipe grab.

Handlers: Tyre handler, olive tree shaker, brick handler and a boat handler.

Buckets: Digging bucket, re-handling bucket, 4 in 1 bucket, 4 in 1 cereals bucket, general purpose bucket and grab, root crop bucket, waste bucket, timber bucket and a concrete mixing bucket.

Hooks: Fork mounted hook and a carriage mounted hook.

Jibs: Crane jib, telescopic crane jib, lattice jib/with winch and the mini tower jib.

Winches/Hoists: Carriage mounted winch, carriage mounted hoist and the boom mounted winch.

Platforms: Fixed platform, slewing platform, front opening slewing platform, space 11 platform and the tunnel rib positioning system with space platform.

Other: Tunnel rib booms, platform with overhead protection, panel positioner, insulating tower, sweeper, disk bush cutter, drilling rig, and even ice coring machines.

As you can see, Merlo has attachments for almost every type of construction or agricultural job. Coupled with their world class telescopic handlers, these attachments come together to produce a truly unparalleled lifting machine. If you had to depend on a company for your heavy lifting job, then Merlo would be that company.

Why Choose A Vehicle Mounted Cherry Picker?

A vehicle mounted access platform, such as a cherry picker is an effective solution to the lifting needs of an assortment of construction jobs, maintenance of buildings and shops. These vehicles fill a gap between the need for ladders or scaffolding which can be unsafe and expensive over the long term. They have many key benefits and are commonly incorporated in and around many sites.


The requirement of a large, standalone lifting device with mounted access platforms adds speed and versatility to the process of elevation. On arrival to the site, all necessary lifting equipment needed to get the job ready to go is easily implemented in no time. Lifting equipment mounted on a vehicle is inherently more secure and stable than structures such as scaffolds and independent elevators that are placed directly on the floor.


Most vehicle access platforms or scissor units offer one or two workers easy access to high or otherwise inaccessible areas without any preliminary fieldwork needed. For any accessible project for a standard working vehicle, a vehicle mounted access platform can usually be used to achieve any high points needed for building maintenance procedures, or landscaping trees.

Cherry pickers:


These consist of a small controllable platform in the end of a crane that extends and can be remotely controlled by the operator of the platform or by a second worker in the truck. These are commonly seen in use by utilities and by a variety of companies, depending on the specific job, as elevators, mounted pickers and scissor-lifts vehicles have their own appropriate uses.

They are best suited for applications at higher levels. A cherry picker can expand and have a longer range than a scissor lift. However, a crane is generally less stable when lifting heavy loads.
Therefore, it is most useful in situations and best suited for lifts of those that include light maintenance such as painting and window cleaning, technical tasks wiring and cables, and pruning of trees and other landscape applications work.


Both the cherry picker and scissors are self-powered by an operator and are vehicles perfect for standard medium-sized work. They are also generally compact enough to access any workstation and fit into a parking space as normal. In most cases, the trucks in which mounted access platforms are installed in the vehicle can be driven by individuals with a standard car license.

Definitions and Classifications of Lifting Equipment

In the world of heavy lifting equipment, there are many definitions used to classify the numerous types that exist. These take many forms, from lifts, escalators and continuous transport, to cranes, lifts, trucks, telehandlers and other similar devices.

Crane: lifting apparatus with a discontinuous operation, intended to raise and distribute, in space, suspended loads from a hook or other attachment.

Jib crane: crane in which the arm is suspended with an accessory pen or a car traveling along it.

In the first case, the load distribution can be effected by varying the angle of inclination of the pen; in the second case, the position of the pen is typically horizontal, but it can be used to form an inclined angle.

Mobile Crane: lifting apparatus with a discontinuous operation, intended to raise and distribute, in space, suspended loads from a hook or other attachment arm.

Self-loading crane: lifting apparatus installed on vehicles suitable for transporting materials. It is used exclusively for loading and unloading.

Tower crane: A jib type crane fed by detachable power, specially designed to work as a tool in construction. They can be classified by its main features:

Stationary: the cranes do not incorporate a manoeuvre operation, i.e. the ability to move themselves autonomously via rails or other means.

Supported: Those that focus their severity through weights or counterweights located at its base.

Built: Those that focus their gravity on the ground, anchored to a concrete pad or similar means ground.

Mobile: Those that possess the capacity for autonomous movement.

Climber: Able to rise by climbing systems (wired or zippers) firmly until the building is constructed.

Telescopic: Able to elongate and rise above themselves through wide and narrow sections embedded on each other.

Hoist: A hoist is a machine used to lift or move a load. It has an advantage over other apparatus because it requires much less force to be applied to the weight. It takes two or more pulleys built to minimize stress.

Hoists vary in size and power; the small hoists are operated by hand and larger machines have an electric motor. There are rotating structures, whose entire upper structure, including pen and control unit, rotate on its base.

Swivel pen: one whose upper structure, including pen, is without a control unit and rotates on its base.

And lastly, there are pen sets: The upper structure, including pen, is fixed relative to the base.

These mechanisms are widely used in many industries that carry heavy materials and elements to make the process easy, quick and for the direct placement of parts. This could be on a construction site, in workshops, warehouses, as well as loading and unloading trucks that carry the weights.

Why May You Need Heavy Lifting Equipment?

Heavy lifting equipment is a vital component in construction, agriculture and other large-scale industries, but what kind of equipment are out there and how does it help exactly?

Firstly, there are lift tables and hydraulic lifts or hoists. The heavy lifting equipment, such as lift tables and loading dock systems are designed to help workers load and unload heavy machinery, equipment, vehicles, and make these tasks much easier and safer. These units are designed for a variety of purposes and are always to be used according to the directions provided by the manufacturers.

Consider the example of lift tables: lifting devices that are using the scissors mechanism to raise and lower materials. Manufacturing firms currently design and distribute lift tables with a variety of functions, such as:

* Rotating roof

* Hydraulic Foot Pump

* Gas Lift Mechanism

* Rocker Mechanisms

A lift table is often used to properly position the workers in the operations of the assembly line. Heavy lifting companies currently manufacture lifting tables for use in all sorts of industries, such as paper, printing and publishing, transportation of heavy machinery, light assembly and warehouse work too.

Hydraulic lifts are another example of heavy industrial lifting machines commonly used today. A hydraulic lift is basically used to raise and lower material specific heights.

An equipment loading ramp is another lifting machine used. Equipment for this includes load-levellers, dock boards, dock seals, safety rail, mini portable ramps and docks.

All these varieties, plus telehandlers at the ready to help manoeuvre in and out of tight spots around construction sites, make for a much easier and safer heavy lifting project. What once was a dangerous and deadly pursuit and not to mention time consuming, can now be achieved safely and in quick time too.

As a society, we have always built up and expanded and so to lift materials, move them and work towards an infinite amount of projects will no doubt require heavy lifting. That is where all this advanced equipment comes into it’s own and luckily for our generation, makes it a lot more achievable than was once possible.

As technology improves year on year, these lifting operations will only become better managed and safer than before. Our factories, farms and building sites will benefit greatly from the wealth of equipment available and will do for exciting future projects.

Where Would We Be Without Telehandlers?

Telehandlers of all description have helped to shape the way our industries lift and load, especially in the agricultural and construction sectors. There is now a vast array of products on the market; with both telehandlers themselves and the selection of accessories that you can get to fulfil any specific requirement. Their skilful application is what makes telehandlers so well-loved. They are extremely versatile machines and as a result, are growing massively in popularity as a vital tool for a myriad of businesses.

There are compact wheel loaders, straight mast forklifts, skid steer loaders and much larger machines too. The beauty of the telehandler is that they are extremely powerful without being cumbersome or slow. In fact, they are incredibly agile and can easily get around any corners or over a variety of different terrain.

Developed first in Europe on large farms, the telehandler soon found its way across the world and in high demand, especially in America, where they were used primarily in the construction industries. It wasn’t long before the telehandler’s capabilities were being utilised in numerous countries and for all kinds of jobs.

Telehandlers themselves have developed and evolved from the early days. Firstly, they were large machines and operated a standard pick and place boom. The handling of the vehicles progressed and it was when the compact telehandlers were made that the market saw the potential of these machines.

So we’ve seen how great telehandlers are for many industries, but what was it like before and how did these companies get by without them?

Before telehandlers, there were limited options and none that perfectly fulfilled a multi lifting task. There were forklifts, which were manoeuvrable but light weight and didn’t have the strength or number of attachments. There were cranes, which were more or less static and cumbersome, there were trucks and diggers, but these too, were not agile enough to get round tight spaces quickly. The telehandler revolutionised a filled a niche in the market that is growing every day.

The massive versatility that the telehandler provides marks it out as an invaluable machine. When before, larger vehicles had to try and carry out the job, now the range of telehandlers are equipped to complete it in double quick time. Their size doesn’t mean that they are a weak cousin however. They are more than capable of carrying out heavy lifting on the construction or agricultural sites. 

 

By, Steve Porter

GT Lifting Solutions

http://www.gtliftingsolutions.co.uk/index.htm

5 things you should do when using heavy lifting equipment

5 things you should do when using heavy lifting equipment

If you’re thinking of using heavy lifting equipment for a certain job in the near future, then it would be best to run through the requirements needed first. This is because there are a few key areas that must be adhered to before any lifting is carried out.

When lifting equipment is on the agenda, there are regulations to be met, as with many other operations in the industry. This is mainly to maintain a safe environment for all and reduce incidents of misuse or negligence. Heavy lifting when using large equipment can be very dangerous, so regulations are in place for the security of everyone.

1)      Firstly, the machine or telehandler carrying out the lift should be suitably strong for the job. It should also be on a stable surface, so as to maintain safety for the operator. The load which is being lifted should also be appropriate and not exceed the limits of the telehandler.

2)      A great sense of safety throughout the lift needs to be considered. The way that the telehandler is located in relation to other people, vehicles or buildings should be taken into account, in case of any accidents occurring.

3)      Within the lifting vicinity, there should be plenty of signs and markings to warn others of the operation. Other accessories during the lift should have a mark on them too. These are designed to serve as an instruction as to the safety of the area.

4)      You must have made sure that the lifting operation has been well thought through and planned. This should involve trained experts in heavy lifts, who have experience in this field. Given the potential for risk and injury, it is never a safe option to go it alone if you don’t have the right amount of experience. Always contact a professional for a safe and thorough job.

5)      This would include having the lifting equipment examined first, so that they fully meet regulations. Safety is number one when it comes to heavy lifting, so as to reduce the element of risk to an absolute minimum. There may be faulty attachments, loose connections, moving parts or a thousand other possible reasons for injury.

By bringing in a team of professionals to help you with the lift should put your mind at ease and make the experience a much less stressful and more rewarding one. After all, this kind of work should not be rushed into or taken lightly.

Why are Merlo Telehandlers the best lifting equipment to use?

Why are Merlo Telehandlers the best lifting equipment to use? 

Merlo have been at the forefront of innovative telehandler design for many years and have proven time and again that they’re the number one in their field. Excelling across the board, Merlo produce not only telehandlers, but also carriers, handlers, access platforms and mixers amongst others.

With almost one hundred models of telehandler, the choices have never been so great. Not only do Merlo put the maximum amount of effort into design, but also incorporate award winning safety into their products. This comes from well honed research and optimum levels of innovative development. Essentially, the Merlo engineers are the best of the best, right from concept through to distribution.

With a vast area in Italy, Merlo’s primary factory employs over one thousand members of staff to bring businesses the best telehandlers in the industry. Using advanced automation within the factory, Merlo boasts a real cutting edge when it comes to production. Selling to more than one hundred countries means that Merlo have to be efficiently run all the time and carry on producing the best telehandlers. With the customers always in mind, Merlo continues to flourish and grow year on year.

Pushing back the boundaries of what can be achieved with telehandlers, Merlo have produced stunning compact designs, making a product that is not only safe and more affordable, but also easier to handle. This compact sector is likely to lead to fresh ideas and innovations in the telehandler industry due to the unique mix of small dimensions with large strength.

Merlo always takes into consideration the driver when producing telehandlers. It’s not just about the machine itself. With a range of designs, the cabs are unequalled in comfort and storage space, making the driver feel safe and secure in their environment. Visibility is crucial to carrying out a good job and Merlo make sure that this is achieved through rigorous testing.

Merlo’s telehandlers are the smoothest over rough terrains and can even handle slopes as well, all the while keeping the driver in the utmost comfort. If needed, the braking systems are instantaneous and the all round performance of the telehandler is nothing short of unbeatable. 

For a company that are approaching their fiftieth year, Merlo have made the telehandler industry their own with a clear passion for what they do.  Some brands become synonymous with their product and this is what Merlo are – reliable, experienced and highly skilled in delivering the best telehandlers around.