Cranes & Lifting March 2021

THE DEDICATED RESOURCE FOR THE CRANE INDUSTRY / MARCH/APRIL 2021

TUTT BRYANT SANY’S NEW DEALER

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FEATURES TRT and Kobelco gathering momentum

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IN THIS ISSUE 10 Up Front Tutt Bryant Equipment announced as SANY Dealer.

14 CICA: President’s Report Despite the challenges CICA continues to make inroads on behalf of the members.

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17 CICA: The LTI Fallacy

David Solomon examines the issues related to Lost Time Injuries and how this impacts businesses and the construction sector.

20 CICA Vale CICA sadly farewells Jamie Jones, a proud family man and a strong crane industry advocate.

22 CICA Tech Corner CICA examines the issues relating to mobile cranes operating on barges.

24 UAA and “Walking Cranes” UAA discusses the practice of “walking cranes” and the impact incidents can have on the whole industry.

50: Passionate about Humma Lewis Engineering helps DRA Group with design process and orders a new model.

28 TRT and Kobelco TRT confirms how positive the market’s response has been over the past 12 months.

54 Satisfied customers leads to continued growth Customer satisfaction key to SuperService growth.

32: Komp Cranes and Liebherr Komp Cranes recently took delivery of a new Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1.

58 Reaching out for used cranes Longreach Cranes rely on Baden Davis Crane Connection to find the right crane.

36 Grove three axle all terrains Grove have been having great success with the compact, three axle series.

40 Demag heavy lifters for Sarens Tadano Group work closely with Sarens to support expansion strategy.

44 SpanSet: From concept to delivery Customers confirm SpanSet deliver premium products with a premium service.

48 New Maeda telescopic crawler goes straight to work TWE Crane Services takes delivery of the new Maeda CC1908S-1 telescopic crawler crane. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

60 T echnology helps turn crane braking systems into smart devices Altra Motion explains how preventative maintenance for braking systems is a reality.

62 Preston Hire takes delivery of SANY first

Preston Group takes delivery of an 80t capacity SANY telescopic crawler, the first of its kind in Australia.

64 Thinking outside the square Patterson Crane Hire purchases ‘left field’ crane concept.

68 New 450t capacity Demag Tadano Demag launch the all new Demag AC 450-7.

71 3D lift planning key to major Chicago rail corridor A1A Software helps La Grange Crane Service manage demanding infrastructure project.

74 New deep foundation cranes from Liebherr Liebherr announces new models including the world’s first batterypowered crawler cranes.

76 Franna AT40s are great allrounders

Two Way Cranes conform the impact their two AT40s have had on the business.

78 Dana SAC backs Australian made Dana Sac supplies world class winches for Australian made pick and carry cranes.

80 Krazy Kosci Klimb Red Radio Solutions supports a truly inspiring cause.

83 Working at Heights Association

The Working at Heights Association examines the importance of training.

85 Lift of the Month

This is what our industry is all about.

March 2021 CAL / 3

FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

WELCOME TO THE MARCH/APRIL 2021 ISSUE OF CRANES AND LIFTING DUE TO COVID 19, THE PAST 14 MONTHS have been incredibly challenging for all of us. Continued state-wide lockdowns, project disruptions and supply chain delays have been just a few of the obstacles facing the construction sector.

Importantly, the crane industry has proved to be resilient and has continued to play its vital role. With the vaccine roll out now underway, we can be cautiously optimistic that the worst is behind us It has been interesting to watch and report on changed behavioural patterns resulting from this difficult passage of time. As a result of fragile overseas supply chains and difficulties securing product, and questions around the quality of these products, there has been a growing awareness around the benefits of purchasing Australian Made. Local manufacturers have made no apologies for standing by the performance of the premium products they manufacture, which is great to see.

The team at Cranes and Lifting is always looking for different angles to report on and the content in this issue is no different. The generosity of individuals and companies never ceases to amaze, and

it has been a pleasure to report on Red Radio Solutions involvement in a heartwarming event. The issue also contains major announcements and examines how OEMs and crane distributors work closely with customers to deliver the right additions to crane fleets.

Crane hire companies continue to share their experiences with new crane models and new technology. Service and support remain key issues and industry practices such as walking cranes are put under the microscope. We thank the companies who take the trouble to forward entries for The Lift of the Month, to share with everyone what our industry does best, all day everyday.

On behalf of the Cranes and Lifting team, we hope you enjoy the read.

Published by:

11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: 03 9690 8766 www.primecreativemedia.com.au CEO John Murphy E: john.murphy@primecreative.com.au Chief Operating Officer Zelda Tupicoff E: zelda.tupicoff@primecreative.com.au Publisher Christine Clancy E: christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au Group Managing Editor (Northern) Syed Shah E: syed.shah@primecreative.com.au Editor Simon Gould E: simon.gould@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Brad Marshall E: brad.marshall@primecreative.com.au T: 0403 993 443

Simon Gould Editor, Cranes and Lifting

Client Success Manager Justine Nardone E: justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au Design Production Manager Michelle Weston E: michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Art Director Blake Storey Design Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty Subscriptions Frank Rapone T: 03 9690 8766 E: frank.rapone@primecreative.com.au The Publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. © Copyright – No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher.

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SMART INNOVATION INSPIRED BY PEOPLE

SCAN TO WATCH! For over 54 years, TRT have been supporting customers with innovative lifting and haulage solutions. A family based business that understands the importance of having the right kit to get the job done well. TIDD PC28 leverages the latest innovations to create a safe and effective pick and carry crane that is supported by a capable and expert team.

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INDUSTRY NEWS NEW TIDD CRANE DEALER APPOINTED IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA Tidd Ross Todd Limited (TRT) has appointed Routleff Motor Bodies Pty Ltd (RMB Service Group) as the new TIDD Crane dealer for South Australia.

This became effective in early February 2021. RMB Service Group will stock and sell the TIDD PC28 Crane, manage service and stock and supply genuine parts to existing and new customers in the State maintaining TIDD Crane’s Australia wide support network.

“TRT are pleased to officially renew our long association with owners Cheryl and Myles Woodhart and the team at RMB, with their appointment as the newest TIDD Crane Dealer in Australia.” said Bruce Carden, TRT’s director of sales and innovation. “Along with the recent appointment of Ronco in Western Australia and our long-standing TIDD and Kobelco dealer, Crane Connection, in NSW, this supports the continued growth of the TIDD Crane, especially with the high levels of product adoption in South Australia.”

Cheryl Woodhart, managing director of RMB Service Group confirms “Since the conception of the TIDD PC25, RMB Service Group have always been committed to TRT and maintaining their products throughout the entire South Australian network.

Today we embark on a new chapter in our long-standing relationship to

THE CROSBY GROUP INVESTS IN VERTON TECHNOLOGIES The Crosby Group, a global leader in lifting, rigging, and load securement hardware, today announced that it has completed a significant investment in Verton Technologies (“Verton”).

Australian-based Verton has developed and commercialized disruptive advancements in load orientation technology that remove the need for human held tag lines in lifting applications. These innovations play a critical role in improving the safety and productivity of global lifting operations.

The Crosby Group and Verton will www.cranesandlifting.com.au

TRT and RMB annouce new TIDD Crane Dealership for SA.

reignite that partnership once again, as the TIDD Crane sales and service agents for the South Australian region.

The new TIDD PC28 product is fast becoming the preferred Pick and Cary Crane in the Australian market with its advanced safety technology and features, and we look forward to supplying and servicing a quality product to our clients.”

Based in Adelaide, RMB Service Group are already sales and service agents for world leading brands such as, Bronto, Maeda, Shuttlelift and Tadano.

They employ factory trained crane technicians, heavy vehicle mechanics, fabricators, spray painters and electricians. They have a growing sales and support team providing clients, and now TIDD Crane customers with 24/7 technical support.

Carden adds, “Aligning TIDD Cranes with another well-known industry provider that has extensive experience

with Pick and Carry cranes, and even our own TIDD PC25, is important for TIDD owners and operators across the country. RMB Services Group has a strong reputation with other OEM suppliers and a proven standard of after sales support and service. We know this is the right decision for our customers and we are looking forward to working closely together.”

TRT launched the first TIDD Crane prototype in 2012, the TIDD PC25. After extensive industry and expert consultation, TRT launched the TIDD PC28 in May 2019. With the new safety innovations, the TIDD Crane is providing operators with greater opportunities on sites that had previously restricted pick and carry crane activity due to safety risk.

TRT are now one of the only crane manufacturers left in Australasia and the only road vehicle manufacturer in New Zealand.

collaborate in the market to accelerate the adoption of this game-changing load orientation technology. By leveraging The Crosby Group’s global footprint, Verton will bring an elevated level of safety to an increasing number of workers.

Robert Desel, CEO of The Crosby Group, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Verton in this rapidly growing space. This investment is a perfect strategic fit due to our common end user base and our shared values of safety, reliability and innovation.”

Verton’s solutions include Everest 6, a 20t load orienting spreader beam, Everest 30, a modular load

orienting system for a broad range of working load limits, and Windmaster, a load orientation device for wind turbine erection.

Trevor Bourne, CEO for Verton added: “With this new partnership Verton can dramatically increase the pace of innovation and the penetration of our products in the market. As a global leader with strong brand recognition, The Crosby Group creates an exciting platform for Verton’s future.”

This marks The Crosby Group’s fourth transaction in the past 24 months including the acquisitions of Straightpoint, Gunnebo Industries and Feubo.

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INDUSTRY NEWS CREDITORS APPROVE REORGANISATION PLANS FOR TADANO DEMAG AND TADANO FAUN During a recent discussion and voting meeting in Zweibrücken, Tadano Demag GmbH’s and Tadano Faun GmbH’s creditors approved the reorganisation plans for both companies. The creditors’ meeting unanimously approved the restructuring plan for Tadano Faun.

For the Tadano Demag plan, approval was almost unanimous at 99 percent.

The Zweibrücken local court opened protective shield proceedings for Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun at the beginning of January 2021 after the corresponding legal petition was filed and the plans were formally reviewed.

With the creditor’s meeting’s approval, management will now systematically continue with the company’s reorganisation and the corresponding operational restructuring measures, some of which have already been initiated. Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun will be exiting protective shield proceedings by the end of the first quarter of 2021, meaning that the proceedings went exactly as scheduled.

The reorganisation plan features a broad range of actions that extend across all areas in the company and that are carefully designed to work together to maximise results. Within this context, the processes at the Zweibrücken and Lauf locations will be coordinated even better, and the best characteristics and strengths of the two companies will be used in a targeted manner. In the future, centers of excellence for the company’s superstructures and carriers will ensure that production operations are perfectly integrated. Moreover, this is expected to significantly speed up the standardisation and optimisation processes for these production operations. At the same time, synergistic effects will be used more effectively in order to improve cost-effectiveness. This has included an unavoidable personnel reduction that affected both locations similarly but that was fine-tuned to optimise operations and minimise the impact on the team. Both facilities will 8 / CAL March 2021

Demag’s mobile cranes gives Tadano one of the most complete ranges of lifting equipment solutions available from a single manufacturer.

play a key role in achieving the Tadano Group’s long-term goal of becoming the world’s leading supplier in the lifting equipment industry.

A more efficient and strategic use of resources will make it possible to drive innovation better and more systematically in the future.

The focus will be on developing new, innovative products – not just machines, but technologies and services as well.

A key measure in the reorganisation plan is updating the company’s product portfolio.

In the future, our customers will have a significantly wider and more comprehensive portfolio of lifting equipment solutions available to them, and this will provide greater flexibility even with large package deals. In fact, a series of new products will be launched on the market in the next few months.

“With the creditors’ approval, we now have a clear mandate and the task of continuing to consistently drive forward the company’s reorganisation and implement the operational restructuring measures that have already been partially initiated.

“We have established the roadmap for the future in these protective shield proceedings, the successful conclusion of the proceedings is imminent and we will continue quickly and efficiently along the path we have chosen. Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun will continue

to be strong and reliable partners for our customers in the future and will offer even better and more innovative products and services,” said Jens Ennen, CEO of Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun.

“I am very happy with how the proceedings went. I would like to thank all the parties involved in the process for their goal-oriented and constructive collaboration.

“That was what made it possible, in these unusual times, to really make Tadano Germany’s urgently required restructuring and reorganisation possible. I am absolutely confident that Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun will take full advantage of the chance represented by today’s decision,” said Martin Mucha, chief representative of Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun.

“The fact that a company of this complexity and size has received creditors’ approval by overwhelming majority for the restructuring plan only 19 weeks after filing for insolvency is the result of the excellent cooperation of all bodies and stakeholders.

“The customers, the suppliers, the trade credit insurers and the employee representatives have supported this restructuring process in a very positive manner. I am very grateful and confident that Tadano Germany will have a successful future,” said Arndt Geiwitz, trustee of Tadano Demag and Tadano Faun. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

DELIVERING SAFETY FROM CONCEPT TO DELIVERY - LOCAL BESPOKE MANUFACTURING

UP FRONT / TUTT BRYANT

SANY APPOINTS TUTT BRYANT EQUIPMENT AS DEALER In major industry news, Tutt Bryant Equipment recently announced it will be selling a range of crane products manufactured by leading Chinese manufacturer SANY. PETER LAWGALL, TUTT BRYANT Equipment’s business development manager (Cranes) provided more detail about the relationship and what the market can expect to see in the coming months.

“Tutt Bryant Equipment has been appointed as SANY’s dealer for the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory. We will not be representing the brand in Western Australia where SANY already has a dealership in place.

“The team at Tutt Bryant Equipment

is excited by the development as it enables us to access a range of product lines which we haven’t had in the past, from truck mounted cranes, truck cranes, rough terrain cranes and all terrain cranes to telescopic boom crawler cranes and large tonnage crawler cranes up to 800t capacity,” said Lawgall.

The introduction of SANY greatly

expands Tutt Bryant Equipment’s crane portfolio, adding to products from established Japanese brands, HSC (Sumitomo) and Kato.

“SANY has a comprehensive range and we believe there are a number of key products that Australian customers will value very highly. These include telescopic crawlers ranging from 25t up to 130t, with higher capacity models expected in the coming months. In addition to conventional truck cranes, SANY will also be introducing a threeaxle 60t and four-axle 100t and 120t all terrain cranes into Australia,” he said.

The SANY SRC series rough terrains are ideal for Australian conditions.

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The main slogan for SANY is ‘Quality Changes the World’, and the President of SANY believes he will change the world’s perception of Chinese manufactured products by producing top quality equipment, said Lawgall.

“The SANY factories employ 3,500 workers. All componentry is checked prior to production. The production lines are automated with every step of the manufacturing process carefully checked. SANY uses robotic welding technology wherever possible with the intent to ensure the quality of SANY products is as good as its competitors and in many cases better,” he said.

SANY is using a ‘rolling road assembly’ method where they assemble all the major components prior to assembly and put together the finished machine on a rolling road which takes a very short period of time to assemble a machine. Welding and fabrication areas feature robotic welding systems.

As soon as the welding is finished, SANY engineers are there with appropriate measuring appliances, checking right

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

angles and checking and measuring for straightness after each weld.

“In terms of manufacture, SANY is doing it right, there are no short cuts, they are putting serious quality control into every product manufactured,” said Lawgall. “Every station in the production process is timed and large LCD screens highlight the progress of each machine down the assembly line. Each station has a team and they have goals to meet and they are meeting them,” he said.

SANY has implemented leading edge and intelligent manufacturing processes throughout its factories ensuring a high quality, finished product. Automated processes include: • SANY was the first in Asia to introduce 3000t bending machines.

• Key welding joints on the boom, slewing platform, frame and other structures are 100 per cent robotically processed.

• CNC equipment features in a multifunction machining centre.

• Welding quality is managed in a simulated control network.

• Automatic paint systems feature electrostatic coating and electrophoresis technology enhancing anti-corrosion capabilities.

• Assembly lines are digitally controlled with manufacturing process completed in a single line.

• Assembly is mechanised with high precision sensors managing processes including the automatic tightening of U-axle bolts.

Tutt Bryant is already a longstanding user of SANY cranes in Australia through Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift.

Malcom Smith, general manager of Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift explained: “Our relationship with SANY goes back a number of years when we first evaluated their products in China for use in our crane rental fleet. In 2013, we brought in four 300t capacity SANY SCC8300 crawler cranes, one with luffing fly and three with main boom. We also brought in four 400t capacity SCC4000E crawler cranes, two with super-lift and two with main boom,” he said.

“Three of the 400s were deployed

to Darwin for the construction of the new LNG plant. Two of the 300s also operated in the plant during construction, all were working on marine works and wharf construction. The other two 300t SANYs worked at Wheatstone in Western Australia on another gas project where they were also involved in marine work, constructing wharves.

The final 400t SANY with super-lift was bought in for a contractor undertaking road construction and bridge erection on part of the main freeway between Queensland and New South Wales. It was working just south of Tweed Heads and was there for approximately 18 months.

Smith shares his observations on the overall performance of the SANY cranes on the various projects and the support received from the SANY factory.

“The cranes were delivered in two different shipments. Two of the 300s and two of the 400s were delivered first and the second set of 300 and 400 capacity machines were planned to be delivered slightly later. There were some compliance issues with the first 300s and the 400s, so in between the deliveries, we travelled to China to inspect the second shipment.

“We actually sat down with the factory and gave them feedback on how we thought they could improve the product, improve the service and improve the overall ‘owner experience’; this certainly helped,” said Smith.

“I took a CraneSafe assessor with me, and he conducted a CraneSafe inspection on the machines in the factory as they were being tested. He gave the engineers his insights and provided an idea of the Australian conditions and what is required in terms of compliance. In turn the factory gave the CraneSafe assessor confidence that the machines were robust and smooth to operate, he was happy with this and he thought the quality of the machines was good,” he said.

Smith went on to explain how the SANY cranes performed onsite and discussed the support Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift received from the SANY factory.

“The 400t SCC4000E, which was working on the road project, was manned March 2021 CAL / 11

UP FRONT / TUTT BRYANT

by a third party crew. Other than the guys being a little rough with a couple of the lateral connections, when they went into super-lift and out of super-lift, the crane pretty much ran faultlessly the whole time. But the guys had a tendency to grab hold of the electrical wire and just pull at it, instead of pulling the plug itself and they damaged the wiring a couple of times. This caused us a bit of heartache, but other than that, the customer was really happy with the overall performance of the machine,” he said.

“The machines in Darwin had some

difficulties as they were unfortunately hit by lightning, twice. They were after all working in the tropics and were hit when they were left up in a severe thunderstorm. There were a multitude of components that we had to replace, and SANY were excellent with their response and sent completely new circuit boards, computers and wiring looms. We changed out the damaged components and the cranes were back to work in no time. Since then, all of the cranes have run really well. The machines in WA have always run reasonably solidly, and

The relationship between SANY and Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift goes back a number of years.

The SANY factories employ 3,500 workers. The production lines are automated with every step of the manufacturing process carefully checked.

12 / CAL March 2021

I would say they are as consistent as any other brand we have out there.

“There is no doubt SANY came to the party with spare parts support. We shipped in spare parts for both models and we had stock between Darwin, Karratha and Brisbane which provided an excellent support mechanism. We also had good technicians from China permanently based in Australia to help us. Over the years we’ve got to know the products and we are better at servicing, maintaining and repairing the machines ourselves,” said Smith.

In terms of profile and popularity, Smith can see the crane products from SANY making significant inroads in the Australian market now that Tutt Bryant Equipment is the dealer for most states.

“In my opinion, the SANY products are continually improving and the engineering support is evolving along with the amount of technology included in the products. SANY is willing to listen to the suggestions we make, they take our ideas away, put them down on paper and then come back with pros and cons. We can see they are very open to continual improvement in their products.

“From my point of view, SANY is one of the better Chinese manufacturers. Because they are so much bigger, their volume of turnover is much greater and their rate of development much quicker, SANY has managed to achieve global levels of quality in a much shorter period of time than manufacturers elsewhere normally would.

“I believe the products speak for themselves. You can’t beat technical support and back up and SANY are very good at that. Tutt Bryant Equipment is now the dealer and they know how to support the products that they represent. They are the largest multi franchise construction equipment distributor in Australia with a national network of branches. For anyone who have looked at SANY and were concerned about after-sales support, should now be reassured with Tutt Bryant Equipment’s appointment as SANY’s dealer. I don’t think they will have too many issues investing in SANY products,” said Smith. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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CICA PRESIDENT’S REPORT

ADAPTING TO CHANGING CONDITIONS Despite the obvious challenges, The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) continues to work hard on behalf its members and recently, there have been positive developments.

WELCOME TO THE SECOND ISSUE OF Cranes and Lifting for 2021, I hope you have had a strong start to the year. As I write, I can’t help but to feel a sense of de’ja vu as I work from home through a full state-wide lockdown. Various states are still experiencing rolling lockdowns due to COVID restrictions and while these are both frustrating and prohibitive - like many, I hope that the vaccine rollout will provide stability and an unfettered opening of borders in the coming months. At the very least, it gives a feeling that there is some type of end to the unpredictability we have constantly faced.

CICA is adapting meetings and industry days to accommodate for Industry needs to focus on developing strong and comprehensive internal systems to progress machinery reliability and crew competence.

restrictions and to enable people to attend remotely. We recently completed our February NRG meeting via Zoom which was originally scheduled as a forum in Adelaide.

Travel remains uncertain and people’s willingness to travel when borders can be closed at a snap, is relatively low – so the Board has decided the National Conference being held in Western Australia this year is not possible and will instead pivot to a state specific large local industry day. Ideally, some connectivity between events would be great, however we are very realistic that the most workable and viable delivery of these events will be mutually exclusive of each other,

CICA president Tom Smith.

potentially on different dates. We will update you with details as to when and how this will work, as they come to hand.

ROAD ACCESS Those of you who have been active at a CICA branch level would know that roads and road access have always been, and always will be an agenda item which is in a constant state of review and change. I am pleased to report that CICA continues to make real progress with furthering road access.

The local government industry days that we have been hosting, provide an opportunity for representatives from local government councils to gain an informed understanding of how cranes can manoeuvre through specific routes without damaging road assets.

Last month the M2 in NSW was made accessible to SPV’s, as the result of a collaboration between The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA), Transport for NSW and Transurban access arrangements for the M2 have now been updated to allow Cranes up to 26 meters in length to use the tunnel. This is a welcome development that will significantly benefit crane owners across NSW. WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS ISSUE David Solomon’s article “LTI Fallacy” challenges the notion of using ‘Lost Time Injuries’ as a measure for safety performance. David is the Executive Officer Safety & Risk at Master Builders Association NSW, a CICA Board Member

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and we are appreciative for his insight and contribution.

While we are talking about the Australian Standards, it is worth noting that last month AS1418.1 was released. CICA Members receive access to Australian Standards as a benefit of their membership and the latest version automatically updates for members. Please use your member login in to access this valuable resource and ensure you are fully conversant with all upgrades.

CREWSAFE AND CRANESAFE UPDATES These two programs continue to be the industry leaders of plant maintenance and crew competency assessment.

CraneSafe has recently had a website update with the way online reports are presented being changed during this process. CICA have launched the new CrewSafe native app. to offer the fastest, most reliable, and most responsive experience to our CrewSafe users.

CrewSafe remains the most comprehensive verification of crane competency and will develop your team’s competence, safety, and work ability more than any other program currently available. Interestingly, this program is gaining greater recognition with Tier One construction contractors and builders. If you need further information on how to launch CrewSafe in your business, please contact the CICA office.

As we start to gain vision of some new emerging challenges in our industry, one potentially being in the insurance sector, we all need to initiate the strongest and most comprehensive internal systems to develop and progress machinery reliability and crew competence. These are key to improving safety standards in our businesses which then flows on to the industry.

Both CraneSafe and CrewSafe are at the forefront of helping your business reach the highest standards in machinery reliability, along with crew competence.

I trust you will enjoy this issue of Cranes and Lifting Magazine. Be sure to keep those “Lift of the Month” photos www.cranesandlifting.com.au

coming in, they are a segment I always look out for because they highlight the amazing feats and capabilities of our industry. While we can’t get together in person, the articles and photos in this publication help us stay connected. Take

care and stay safe out there.

Tom Smith CICA president managing director – McKay United 0439 130 567

CICA BOARD Tom Smith – President Ben Pieyre – Vice President Danny Adair – Director Danny Black – Director Andrew Esquilant – Director Marcus Ferrari – Director David Solomon – Director Bart Sutherland – Director CICA OFFICE Brandon Hitch Chief Executive Officer 03 8320 0444 0428 228 048 ceo@cica.com.au Heidi Hervay CICA Administration Officer (NSW, QLD, NT, VIC & TAS Secretariat) 0403 717 626 heidi@cica.com.au Alice Edwards Project Engineer 03 8320 0440 alice@cica.com.au Patrick Cran CraneSafe and CrewSafe Technical Officer 0488 004 274 pat@cranesafe.com.au Damien Hense CICA Road Policy Advisor.

03 8320 0460 0488 007 575 damien@cica.com.au

Jed Kenwright Road Technical Officer 0439 556 867 jed@cica.com.au Julie Turner CICA Executive Assistant / Office Manager Direct: 03 8320 0411 Email: julie@cica.com.au Ashleigh Gould CICA Administration Officer – CraneSafe And CrewSafe Direct: 03 8320 0466 Email: ashleigh@cranesafe.com.au Michelle Verkerk Marketing and Media Communications Officer 0410 003 759 michelle@cica.com.au

Unit 10, 18-22 Lexia Place, Mulgrave Vic 3170 (PO Box 136 Mount Waverley Vic 3149) Phone: 03 9501 0078 Fax: 03 9501 0083 Email: admin@cica.com.au Website: www.cica.com.au

For information, please visit our website or call the CICA office.

March 2021 CAL / 15

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CICA WORK PLACE INJURY

THE LTI FALLACY David Solomon is the Head of the Australian Delegation on the International Standards Committee responsible for Occupational Health and Safety Management. David was recently nominated as the International Convenor for Working Group 4 to head up the development of a new international Standard ISO45004 OH&S Performance Evaluation. This project is scheduled to run for 36 months, commencing in October 2020.

IN AUSTRALIA THE CURRENT METHOD for reporting injuries is through the use of a mathematical calculation contained within an Australian Standard.

Commonly referred to as Lost Time Injuries (LTI’s). The Standard that most industries use is AS 1885.1:1990 and related documents (AS1885.1 SUPP 1:1991 and MP58-1991), that provide information on how to record information on injury and disease experienced in the workplace.

The Standard includes the calculation methods for a business’s incidence rate, frequency rate and average lost time rate. Historically, these methods have been used to establish a Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) which is broadly used term as a measure of OHS performance that is relatively easy to measure; it may be used to compare like businesses as a benchmark and often forms part of influencing the awarding of tenders and or contracts.

In more recent times, recognising the limitations associated with the LTIFR (including the ability to manipulate measures), some organisations have adapted the frequency rate to establish a Medical Treatment Injury Frequency Rate (MTIFR) and/or an All Injuries Frequency Rate.

Relying on outcome measures such as these has long been recognised as largely determined by luck. A major risk could be present for an extended period without causing injury, then the circumstances arise that result in a significant, and sometimes catastrophic outcome, e.g. the Longford Gas Explosion in Victoria Australia on 25 www.cranesandlifting.com.au

David Solomon, executive officer Safety & Risk, Master Builders Association NSW.

September 1998. Much has been written about the importance of process safety in response to major disasters, such as the Gulf of Mexico Blowout – e.g. see Disastrous Decisions: The Human and Organisational Causes of the Gulf of Mexico Blowout; Hopkins, Andrew, (2012), chapter 6. In these extreme scenarios it is easy to see that measuring LTIFR does not reflect a realistic measure for process safety issues in environments where imminent risk still remains, moreover elusively looming in the background. A risk of a major OHS, or environmental disaster remains present, that is often falsely misrepresented or

downplayed under the guise of a low ranking LTIFR. The same low LTIFR that is meant to reflect a rosy happy healthy safe workplace.

This concern is just as relevant to personal health and safety. A large percentage of fatalities and lost time injuries occur in situations where work is being carried out in the same manner as it has been for extended periods of time, “this is the way we’ve always done things around here” type of approach.

The fact that an organisation records a Lost Time Injury after 780 days without a lost time injury previously during that period, does not mean that their safety March 2021 CAL / 17

CICA WORK PLACE INJURY

performance has suddenly deteriorated; and yet that is the conclusion that can be reached by organisations that place too much emphasis on LTIFR as a measure. These measures also become less relevant for measuring performance in relation to gradual onset injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders and psychological harm, as they relate to when the injury is reported, or time is lost, rather than when the harm occurred or developed.

Further, incidence measures are very volatile for small to medium enterprise.

Assuming a 38 hour week, for 48 weeks per year: one injury for an employer with 50 workers would result in an LTIFR of approximately 10; for an employer with 20 workers, the same injury would result in an LTIFR of approximately 27; and for an employer with 10 workers that same single injury would result in LTIFR of approximately 54. It is unlikely that the employer with 10 workers is really 5 times worse at managing safety than the employer with 50 workers.

These measures also become less relevant for measuring performance in relation to gradual onset injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders and psychological harm, as they relate to when the injury is reported, or time is lost, rather than when the harm occurred or developed. The control of fatalities and permanent incapacity injuries needs maximum focus upstream on design, planning and re-planning.

Focus on LTIs and TRIFR distracts attention from the management of controls for fatalities and permanent incapacity critical risks. The Building and Construction Industry (BCI) need to seize the huge opportunity to reduce the number, length and complexity of Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) for High Risk Construction Work (HRCW) and increase talking about the work to be done and the work that has just been completed.

A focus on evidence of the myth of the safety pyramid advised to beware the fallacy of thinking that if we control the causes of first aid injuries we will also have controlled the causes of fatalities!

18 / CAL March 2021

In the construction sector, states with high fatal injuries had low rates of non-fatal injuries.

A study of fatality and accident rates in the Finnish construction industry over 15 years showed that, “the fatality rate in the construction industry increased when the accident frequency declined”.

This was reflected in evidence from the American journal of industrial medicine

the critical controls in place and working well? What worked well? What did not go according to plan or was difficult or frustrating? What could have gone better? What can we do to improve things around here? Other positive performance indicators that should receive more

In the construction sector, states with high fatal injuries had low rates of non-fatal injuries. The converse was also true, states with lower fatal injuries had higher rates of these non-fatal injuries. Concluding that fatality rates appear to be a more valid measure of risk.

56:509-519 (2013) showing the states with low non-fatal injury rates have high fatality rates and vice-versa, indicating an inverse relationship between injuries and fatalities.

In the construction sector, states with high fatal injuries had low rates of non-fatal injuries. The converse was also true; states with lower fatal injuries had higher rates of these non-fatal injuries; Concluding that fatality rates appear to be a more valid measure of risk.

Which poses the question many of us in the BCI ask why is there such a focus on lag indicators such as LTI’s? When leadership focus should encourage more conversations with people, such as, are

heavily weighted focus on what most BCI businesses do, day in and day out include planning, site preparation and readiness, consultation, toolbox talks, take fives, pre-starts, onsite training, High Risk Workshops, risk assessments, risk and opportunity registers, one hundred percent compliance with onsite inductions, emergency preparedness to name a few.

Safe Work Australia is unable to supply the national number of lost-time injuries involving the loss of one day/shift or more from work. Instead Safe Work Australia publishes rates based on accepted workers’ compensation claims that involved the loss of one or more working weeks (termed www.cranesandlifting.com.au

serious claims). The reason for this data scope is explained in more detail. Data used by Safe Work Australia is from the National Data Set of Compensation based Statistics (NDS). Safe Work Australia asks jurisdictions to supply data scoped broadly the same as that set out in the Australian Standard: claims that involved either a death; permanent incapacity; or a temporary incapacity for which payments have been made (including common law claims). However, there are differences between the jurisdictions in the amount of time the employee must be off work before the employer can claim against their workers’ compensation policy known as the employer excess. Employer excesses range from one day to ten days across the jurisdictions. Although an employer should inform the relevant Workcover organisation of incidents that fall within their excess period, this does not happen in all cases. This results in under-reporting of short-term work-related incidents.

To improve comparability across jurisdictions, the standard Safe Work Australia publication scope is limited to serious compensation claims: thus excluding claims of less than one working week.

There is a trend within the BCI to move away from the words “known as the Workplace injury and disease recording standard” to the “Measurement of Occupational Health and Safety Performance” or the use of positive performance indicators to measure effective OHS performance. The rationale that supports this new approach is that industry is tired of reactive retrospective reporting on trends where the horse has already bolted, so to speak. Industry has taken the initiative to support continual improvement where they can. The new focus will draw on contemporary research and international standards that may be relevant to establishing guidance on how to identify appropriate measures that consider how OHS is being managed, rather than the number of incidents (lost time or otherwise) being recorded. The new focus reflects the level of responsibility required for officers in relation to OH&S legislative www.cranesandlifting.com.au

obligations. As we all know the WHS and OHS legislation leaves no individual outside the net of the law, as everyone is a PCBU and therefore accountable and able to be prosecuted. Organisations will need to identify which of these newly focused performance measures are appropriate and relevant to the size and maturity of their organisation and their risk profile. Specific targets for improvement will need to be determined

workplace injuries, incidence of disease through establishing agreed measures that assist organisations to effectively measure their OHS performance. Sound workplace health and safety standards have a significant contribution to society and communities as people remain productive and, in the workforce, and healthier throughout their lives.

Having a clear understanding of how to measure proactive contributions to

There is a trend within the BCI to move away from the words “known as the Workplace injury and disease recording standard” to the “Measurement of Occupational Health and Safety Performance” or the use of positive performance indicators to measure effective OHS performance. by each organisation. Therefore, these performance measures are not intended to be used for the purposes of benchmarking unless organisations share a common goal, in which case they will have selected the same criteria to be measured against.

There is an appetite both Nationally and Internationally within the OHS Standards development arena to develop guidance on how to measure effective OHS performance. It is intended to provide organisations, including SME’s with guidance, on how to improve their management of health and safety which will not only reduce their operating costs but reduce their workers compensation claims of injury and ill-health which places a burden on public health costs.

Work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths impose both direct costs and indirect costs on employers, workers and the community.

Positive outcomes will provide workers (the workforce) with a common Nationally recognised document/ framework to help understand how to measure proactive OHS performance and thereby how to prevent and manage a range of hazards and risks which can negatively impact health and wellbeing in the workplace. The intention of focusing on positive performance indicators is aimed to reduce the number of

OHS improvements will help contribute in the avoidance and or reduction in frequency of having to deal with incidents, injury, ill-health or the death of a co-worker, colleague, friend, member of the community or loved one, through the increased awareness and better understanding of positive safety principals in the management of hazards and risks in the workplace.

Introducing an improved standardised performance measure methodology will contribute to organisations having a greater opportunity to demonstrate their ability to carry out work in a way that is healthy and safe, without being measured purely

by LTIFR which is volatile (especially for small businesses) and can be easily manipulated. Statistics already gathered

by ISO reflect improved workplace safety processes and safer productivity as a result of the adoption of ISO Standards when they are implemented as intended.

It goes without saying the shift in focus from industry to be more evenly weighted from recording LTIFR’s and transferred to measuring the positive performance indicators being implemented will provide a more accurate representation of a Contractors effective safety management performance on site, which can only be a good thing.

March 2021 CAL / 19

CICA VALE

JAMIE JONES VALE

A proud family man. Jamie with his wife Jenny and daughters Nikita and Natarcha

Early in the new year, The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) sadly announced the passing of Western Australian crane advocate, Jamie Jones.

JAMIE WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF CICA and very supportive of the need for education, particularly when it comes to the safe operation of cranes. With his own business, ABC Crane Hire, he ensured all employees had the right levels of training, competency and experience to ensure crane set ups were correct and the operations of all cranes were managed in the safest possible manner.

Jamie believed crane rollovers are mostly the result of lazy operations and by taking shortcuts. He worked with his operational crews to ensure all set ups were completed with no shortcuts.

Jamie was also a strong advocate for training and believed the upskilling of existing operators and crew is crucial 20 / CAL March 2021

to the wellbeing of the industry and he worked hard to introduce apprenticeship schemes believing this was the key producing quality crane operators who learn the ‘right way’ from the outset.

Jamie started his career as a boiler maker in Tasmania and eventually took an interest in cranes in the late ‘90s.

He learnt the ‘crane game’ the old way fashioned way by clocking up 250 hours in a log-book before being able to drive cranes. He then purchased a 12t capacity AWD Linmac from Civmec and he was on his way.

After purchasing the crane, Jamie started working on small jobs in Mandurah and Pinjarra areas and soon progressed into industrial, commercial

work as well as all residential works.

With his wife Jenny, Jamie established ABC Crane Hire in November 1998. The business serviced the Peel region. ABC Crane Hire started with the 12t AWD Linmac and to service the increasing demand Jamie purchased a 41t Grove all terrain.

Jamie was very skilled and understood cranes and quickly earned a reputation for managing difficult and complex lifts, many other companies would not attempt. He enjoyed a challenge as bricks and T - bars were not his thing.

The business was a success and Jamie soon sold off the older equipment to invest in a new fleet. He purchased three 55t capacity Tadano, 16t slewing crane www.cranesandlifting.com.au

and a 20t Franna which helped create a versatile fleet servicing the residential, industrial and mining sectors. Jamie went on to build a purpose built facility in Mandurah, but the business quickly outgrew this as local industry ramped up as a result of the Western Australia economic boom.

ABC Crane Hire grew rapidly in the first three year and so did the capacities of the cranes. The business moved into 110t, 220t and received the first 300t capacity from Grove to be delivered in the metro area. The business then moved from the Mandurah facility to a large yard in Port Kennedy – centrally located between Mandurah and Rockingham.

From there, ABC Crane Hire successfully supported the Naval Submarine division in WA for many years also. These days the business keeps a smaller fleet but still offers the same great service to its clients.

Jamie was very proud of his business achievements and particularly pleased

that he didn’t need financial assistance to start the company, and in his time, ABC purchased 26 cranes. The business completed some significant and high profile jobs in the Perth CDB including a dual lift of transformers from a Antonov cargo aircraft in Perth Airport. This was heavily reported on by the local media.

ABC Crane Hire was also responsible for the erection of the Perth Rings at Elizabeth Quay, one of the most photographed features of the city.

Jamie’s widow Jenny adds some insights.

“I have always been assisting in the business with all the administration, finance and all other matters, everything except for driving cranes. With Jamie pulling away from the business to focus on his battle with cancer, I have managed the running of the business myself with the assistance of my loyal team, of course.

“Jamie was a loyal man and his family was everything to him. He was all about

He was a proud crane man and proud of the industry he worked tirelessly for. I know he hoped he made a positive contribution to industry.

Jamie was very proud of his business and completed some significant and high profile jobs in the Perth CDB including a dual lift of transformers from a Antonov cargo aircraft in Perth Airport. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

mateship and everyone who dealt with him, over the 20 plus years we have been in business, became personal friends with him. Cars and bikes were his passion but was a private person. He didn’t want to trouble people with his issues and those around him were on a ‘needs to know basis’,” said Jenny.

Jamie and Jenny had been married for 23 years and together for 30. They have two daughters, Natarcha 21 and Nikita 19. Running a crane hire business can be stressful on relationships with the business being incredibly demanding on hours etc. Children of crane business owners often say, “if they hadn’t started in the business, they would never have seen their father!”

“This is true – we put a shower in the workshop because I would bring the girls in to work after school. If they had competed in sport for example, they could shower and we would then have dinner together before going home. The girls would work in the business during school holidays, basic jobs in the office and cleaning. They loved being close to their Dad,” said Jenny.

“We juggled the work life balance the best we could. We would book holidays away every December – January to ensure we got Jamie away to really enjoy a good break. With me being hands on in the business helped, to the point now that I now manage the business.

“Jamie was a good man and he will be missed by everyone who knew him, none more so than his family. He was a proud crane man and proud of the industry he worked tirelessly for. I know he hoped he made a positive contribution to industry.

He was pleased to see the significant increase in the importance of training within the industry and he was also pleased to see apprenticeship programs gathering momentum.

“He will be proud to leave the crane industry in a far better position to when he found it, and he would be super chuffed that his piers would think to prepare this Vale. I thank CICA and all the members who have been so generous with their thoughts and words about Jamie,” said Jenny.

March 2021 CAL / 21

CICA TECH CORNER

SAFE OPERATION OF MOBILE CRANES ON BARGES Operating mobile cranes on barges is increasing. With over 2000 kilometres of inland waterways and an ever-developing shoreline, mobile cranes will continue to be used on barges.

CICA IS WORKING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL Crane Stakeholder Assembly (ICSA) to develop guidance for the use of mobile cranes on floating vessels. The document aims to provide guidance on the size of the crane in relation to the size of the vessel, the sensitivity of the crane configuration to vessel movements, and the response of the crane and vessel to load displacement. The document and discussion to follow does not consider wave motions and is intended for smooth water applications.

In a 2011 Information Sheet 058 by the WA Department of Transport, it was recommended to decrease the design rated capacity of a land based mobile crane by 1.1 in smooth waters. This alone does not account for requirements to reduce the capacity of the crane based on crane configuration. The manufacturer should always be consulted to provide an inclination chart for the crane configuration. After the inclination chart is provided, the vessel and crane combination needs to be assessed.

The stability of the vessel and crane during load displacement.

Before thinking about the crane on

a vessel, think about how the crane’s crawler track pressures change, when operating on land. This change in crawler track pressures is shown in the diagram as the crane slews, after picking up a load.

On land or on a vessel, the crawler track pressures exist throughout the range of motion. Where the change in pressures on land are not seen unless the peak pressure exceeds the ground bearing pressure, causing compression or collapse - the track pressure changes on a vessel can be seen in the heel or trim of the vessel.

The magnitude of the heel or trim of the vessel can cause side loading of the boom and stress on the slew ring or increase in load radius. This contributes to overall crane and vessel stability. The size of the vessel, position of the crane and crane orientation on a vessel all contribute to the impact crane motion or the picking up of a load has on the vessel stability.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LOAD IS PICKED UP? The stability of the system is based on the distance between the Combined Centre of Gravity (indicated by the red

circle in the diagram) and the metacentre (indicated by the star in the diagram).

This distance is called the metacentric height. The greater the metacentric height, the more stable the vessel-crane combination will be. To improve the metacentric height you can raise the metacentre or lower the Centre of Gravity. If the Centre of Gravity (CoG) is ever higher than the metacentre the vessel and crane combination is unstable. Recall the crawler track pressure diagrams, the shape of the track pressure is due to changes in the location of the CoG. Look at the height of the Combined CoG between the two diagrams opposite. When the load is not suspended the height of the Combined CoG is near the deck of the barge. When a crane is on a barge without a load on the hook the Combined CoG is a combination of the individual component’s CoG at their location on the barge. These components are the Crane, Load, and Barge. When the load IS suspended, the Combined CoG jumps up the same way we saw the triangle track pressures flip from being over the counterweight to the front of the crawler tracks in the diagram below.

Crawler track pressure changes.

22 / CAL March 2021

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

WHY DID THE HEIGHT OF THE COMBINED COG CHANGE SO SIGNIFICANTLY? Whether on land or on a vessel the load acts through the boom head sheaves, with that in mind, the longer the boom, the higher the Combined CoG. As the height of the Combined CoG increases, the metacentre height decreases, and the vessel-crane combination will be less stable. This change in stability happens quickly when the load is raised off the deck and can lead to heel or trim changes. For this reason, the stability of the vessel-crane combination should be analysed and planned for before lifting begins. This diagram only shows one orientation of the crane on the barge. The same analysis needs to be completed for slewing or if the crane is located off the centreline of the barge (asymmetrical).

Over the upcoming months CICA will continue to contribute to

CICA is working with the International Crane Stakeholder Assembly (ICSA) to develop guidance for the use of mobile cranes on floating vessels.

development of the ICSA document to improve safety in the industry. Further information on Australian requirements for cranes operating on vessels can be

found in AS2550.5-2016 Section 6.12 and AS2550.1-2011 Section 6.30.

Both standards are included in your CICA membership.

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IN FOCUS / UAA

WALKING CRANES NO INSURANCE STROLL UAA is working with the industry to help mitigate risk when it comes to large cranes operating on wind farms.

THE WIND FARMING INDUSTRY IS certainly increasing demand and a number of key crane hire companies are diversifying to service the sector. George Grasso, global chief services officer for UAA explains how pressure to complete work within unreasonable time frames is leading to unacceptable and costly accidents occurring. He also explains how UAA intend to handle the issue.

“Typically, the principal contractors in this sector are putting pressure on sub-contractors, including crane hire companies. These expectations are around work being completed within certain periods of time and these periods can be unreasonably short, forcing sub-contractors to push work practices to the limit.

“These principal contractors are also expecting sub-contractors to sign unreasonable contracts whereby all liability is wavered away from the principal contractors, meaning the crane hire companies are taking on the majority of the risk.

Within the last 18 months there have been two major incidents involving large cranes on wind farms, fortunately there were no deaths and no injuries. The tolerances to operate these machines in a “walking” configuration are so fine there is almost zero room for error. Any variable, however slight, such as a change in ground conditions, an incline or decline of a road can dramatically impact on the stability of these machines quite quickly and quite dramatically.

“Generally speaking, this sector is being serviced by large cranes with plenty of boom reach and major counterweights required for wind farm 24 / CAL March 2021

construction and maintenance. These incidents involved large mobile cranes with 750t capacities. It is obvious such large machines are required to get to the heights of the turbines. The cranes were dressed and featured boom lengths well over 50m,” said Grasso.

“In essence, such cranes can often be fully dressed and are walked on surfaces that can be unstable. The principal contractors may often rely on the crane hire companies to sign off on the road conditions again deflecting the liability to crane hire companies and not taking responsibility themselves.

“In such cases, cranes are working in areas where they need to walk from one turbine to another.. We understand these cranes are designed to be walked with their outriggers fully extended with the idea that if the machine becomes unstable the outriggers are in position to help stabilise and ‘catch’ the crane,” he said.

“In some circumstances as they walk from one turbine to another, the crane will have to navigate through gates.

Invariably some of those gates are not wide enough to accommodate such a large machine especially when you consider its width with the outriggers extended. In this scenario, the crane hire company is forced to retract the outriggers to navigate through the gates and then extend them out again.

Obviously, it’s a lot quicker to ‘walk a crane’ without pulling down the machine to OEM specs and reassemble it. It’s a risk verses reward’ particularly when unreasonable time frames are already stressed upon the crane industry,” said Grasso.

There is considerable risk involved

with these sorts of actions and they can impact on a crane hire companies indemnity within their insurance policies and not to mention the potential risk around serious personal injury and possibly death if these types of practices continue, says Grasso.

“It is only a matter of time before someone could get seriously hurt or killed if such practices continue and with WorkSafe further enforcing safe practices, we would hate to see anyone in the industry face serious charges and or possible prosecution.

We’ve examined the issue quite intensely to see what we can do as an insurance market leader to drive better behaviours in the industry. At the end of the day, the industry needs to drive this improvement as experts and come up with appropriate solutions.

All we can do is prevent undue risk to ourselves by enforcing that certain conditions and processes are met in the form of a walking of cranes and having it endorsed on our policy. Nonadherence to these agreed conditions and processes that results in unsafe practice could mean an insurance policy may not respond to a claim/ incident under certain circumstances.

We are working with key industry stakeholders to help with some of these terms and conditions that are appropriate, realistic and workable for all parties involved but ultimately greatly reduce the risk of these incidents occurring” he said.

Grasso recognises the renewable energy and in particular the wind farm sector is only going to get busier and confirms UAA is excited to support and be a part of it, he explains what this is www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The wind farming industry is increasing demand and key crane companies are diversifying into the market.

going to mean to crane hire businesses servicing the sector.

“A key point to make is that UAA and any insurer specialising in the crane sector collects premiums to create a pool of money over a 12 month period to then pay claims. We measure the performance of the crane industry alone and look at measuring the performance of the crane sector specifically over a 5 year period. We continually examine and manage the premium pool. Like any business, we hope that at the end of a year, there will be some money left over for a profit.

“Over the last five years, the crane industry has been performing very poorly in terms of insurance and the number of incidents occurring across Australia. This has had a dire effect on the premium pool collected. Any incident impacts the entire industry, and certainly incidents relating to wind farming can further compound www.cranesandlifting.com.au

a diminishing pool quite dramatically.

Our only option as an insurer is to examine ways to reduce risk exposure, often in consultation with a client and industry, in addition increase premiums and excesses, after incidences occur so to sustain a premium pool that allows an insurer to continue supporting the industry,” said Grasso.

Grasso explains how much is involved in retrieving a large crane from a windfarm incident.

“The recovery process for such cranes is extremely lengthy, and in most cases, it’s very complex. The recovery of these machines can involve up to four to six weeks of detailed planning before anything starts. Similar capacity machines are also required to assist with the recovery and in many cases earth and civil works are required to make the ground safe for the recovery crane to be set up and operate.

“There is also the exposure of

expensive third-party economic liabilities due to an incident that can come in various forms such as downtime and the impact on the timing of the project itself as well as personal injury, and not always physical injury neither.

Then there’s the logistics involved in getting the damaged crane, including the transportation from the site to the repair facility. There are so many factors that come into play which are all add up to this being a very expensive exercise.

As an example such incidents can cost in the region of $3.5 million of damage to a machine plus circa $100,000 in civil works, plus anywhere between $500,000 to $750,000 for potential recovery costs for the use of other machines to recover the crane, plus the other third party liability demands that could be in the $millions. Incidents like these can easily exceed $5 million just in material damage losses if the machine is not a total loss in itself. The value of these March 2021 CAL / 25

IN FOCUS / UAA

machines can range anywhere between $6 million to $13 million, in value as an example,” he said.

Crane hire businesses can expect to see some changes to their insurance policies as UAA looks to stamp out noncompliant, poor and unsafe practice’s says Grasso.

“We realise accidents occur and that’s why insurance exists. We will continue to stand by our clients under these circumstances as we always have, but clear breach of safety process and guidelines, without adequate supervision and planning cannot allow to continue.

“We are making changes to our policies which under certain circumstances could in effect exclude incidences relating to walking of cranes at windfarms in unsafe configurations as a practice. UAA has been working with some members of the crane industry to establish an agreed, fair and workable solution for both insurance and crane industry. It’s pretty important to us that the industry has input and joint ownership of this solution.” he said.

Grasso confirms these new guidelines, will mean more time needed for lifts to be completed but can’t see any other way around the practice, things can’t continue as they have been otherwise insurance costs and indemnities will become unsustainable and more difficult to support the industry. The industry has been very good at self-regulating and taken positive steps in mitigating risk and making worksites safer for everyone. UAA will continue to support the industry and each other, working together to further improve and fine tune UAA’s niche crane insurance and services thus improving outcomes for both UAA and the crane industry.

“We understand this could mean more time will be needed to complete the tasks. It will mean cranes may need to be on site for longer, once work is completed on turbines then the crane will need to be packed up to appropriate OEM standard and or if required local road authority travel requirements and then moved. It will mean the crane hire companies will have to push back on 26 / CAL March 2021

principal contractors the fact that unsafe work practices will not be tolerated, implied nor expected.

Unreasonable time frames and costs imposed to crane hire companies should not be accepted as it forces unsafe practices.

George Grasso, UAA Global, Chief Services Officer.

“The expectation is for crane hire companies to go back to the principal contractors and explain they will be unable to complete the work within unreasonable set time frames and therefore can’t work for the prices agreed to in the past if it endorses unsafe practices. Insurance clauses will only become more tighter so not to condone such unsafe practices and particularly if there is no guarantee that the roads provided are suitable enough let alone exposing a crane hire company to work outside the very fine tolerances needing to work within.

Such projects are going to require more time, care, planning, real experience, competency based training and most importantly diligent and ‘experienced’ supervision.

This maybe more time and cost to the principal contractors, but it’s a combined team effort to ensure everyone

takes responsibility, everyone to be fully informed before any action and no-one should feel pressured to take unsafe risks ” and that’s the bottom line to ensure “safety” said Grasso.

It will come back to crane hire companies checking very closely the terms of any contract and standing their ground and the principal contractors understanding that nobody is going to be prepared to take the risks they might have considered before. The principle contractors need to take this seriously and take ownership of this also, says Grasso.

“It is important to note, although the wind farm sector is set to boom there is a minimal and niche level of experience for this type of work in the crane sector, particularly when it comes to the levels of expertise with operators and crane crews. We see industry training as a huge factor around the subject of operating cranes in the wind farm sector and particularly the subject of walking cranes. We believe the focus on this needs to be significantly ramped up.

“This needs to be a focus for the industry as a whole, including the crane OEMs as well as the principal contractors making sure the appropriate and specific competency training is put in place. It is a major issue which is now impacting the whole crane sector and it needs to be looked at in a coordinated and combined manner.

Interestingly, the study conducted by RMIT on Crane Safety and the increase of incidents over the past several years also relates to many of these points and it must be addressed and taken seriously, says Grasso “In summary, the losses have been far greater than the premium pool for over 5 years which is clearly unsustainable, however we continue to engage with the industry as we have in the past to find mutually beneficial solutions that ultimately provide a safer and more sustainable workplace for all.

Our commitment to this industry is unwavering and we will continue to support it like they have supported us for over 48 years,” “ said Grasso. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

TRT 80 BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

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IN FOCUS / TRT AND KOBELCO

KOBELCO AND TRT GAINING TRACTION ACROSS AUSTRALASIA. TRT’s Australian and New Zealand operations have announced several recent orders for Kobelco crane, in particular telescopic crawlers.

The Kobelco TK750GFS has a lifting capacity of 75t at 3m with a main boom of 30.1m making it ideal for piling and foundation work.

28 / CAL March 2021

12 MONTHS AGO, TRT ANNOUNCED IT had been appointed as the new Kobelco distributor for Australia and New Zealand. Despite obvious hurdles, including COVID 19 and high Yen, the markets have responded positively.

Troy Hand from TRT Australia and Dean McIlroy from the New Zealand sales team explain how they have gone about reinvigorating the Kobelco brand and confirmed recent successes.

Troy Hand is well known to the crane industry particularly the Queensland market. He’s been with TRT Australia for almost five years. Having started managing the service and parts he moved to a sales management role 12 months ago. Hand is now involved in the sales of Manitowoc, Grove, Kobelco and the TRT designed engineered and manufactured TIDD articulated pick and carry range. It’s a national sales role for Hand and he works closely with the various distributors of these products, around the country and his colleagues in New Zealand.

Hand explains he is something of a specialist when it comes to Kobelco and has an extensive history with the product.

“I really started to take notice of Kobelco back in 2005 and I completed a lot of Kobelco training at the factory. In total, I’ve probably completed five or six high level and advanced training courses as a technician and plenty of product knowledge courses as well.

“These courses were conducted over several years between 2008 and 2015, but at the end of that year I parted ways with the previous Kobelco dealer. As I had been managing the repairs of Kobelco in Queensland, my understanding of www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Troy Hand, Crane Sales Manager, TRT Australia.

Kobelco capability is detailed and I have a fairly deep understanding of the product,” said Hand.

Twelve months ago, TRT took on the national distributorship for Kobelco and Hand goes on to explain how the markets have responded to the development. He also discusses how TRT approached existing customers and how they have reacted to the new models.

“Twelve months ago, we were faced with two major challenges, the strength of the Yen and uncertainty around COVID 19. No one really knew the impact COVID-19 was going to have.

We were speaking to customers who weren’t certain if they were going to be able to get onto various sites due to the restrictions, projects were delayed because of the lock downs. All of this generated a general lack of confidence.

“Of course, in this sort of environment new assets, like cranes, are not high on the agenda. But we’ve seen the Federal and various State governments work through the restrictions and implement plans on how to continue to grow the economy without putting people at risk of COVID-19. So, 12 months on, there is significantly more confidence and we can see we are on the right track.

With moving to his new sales role, particularly with Kobelco, Hand already knew a lot existing Kobelco customers from servicing through to the fixing of the equipment.

“I was able to reconnect with customers I’ve known for years, mainly to see how the machines were going. This www.cranesandlifting.com.au

was mainly through phone calls as travel was almost impossible. But the feedback I received on the Kobelco machines is the same as it has always been, customers always talk about the value for money, the quality of machine and the reliability.

These are the important factors relating to this class of crane.

“From when I first started working with Kobelco cranes, you’d hear salespeople say ‘all you need to do is deliver them and sell the customer filters’ because that was about all you had to do.

It was very rare that we ever encountered a warranty issue for example,” said Hand.

Customers like the ‘feel’ of Kobelco cranes, they are not overly complicated, and they are extremely user friendly.

This is due to the traditional Japanese values in the design, engineering, manufacture. Kobelco product represents value for money, quality, reliability and longevity in terms of the

very happy with the way the sales process worked. The main purpose for the TK750GFS telescopic crawler is as a foundation work crane. It is designed to support the larger piling equipment working in the early stages of these large construction and infrastructure projects” he said.

The TK750GFS has a lifting capacity of 75t at 3m with a main boom of 30.1m making it ideal for this type of work says Hand.

“I’m learning a lot about this industry and working with the piling companies I know what they require in terms of service and support for the equipment.

Wagstaff bought a Kobelco TK750 approximately three years ago and the crane hasn’t stopped working. It’s been an excellent machine for them, super reliable and that’s why they’ve gone for the newer model in the TK750GFS,” he said.

There are a number of large projects

“As soon as you open the doors to the cab you can see everything is in its place and set out correctly. From the small crawler to the large models, the cabins are set out in the same format which makes it easy for an operator to jump from an 80t capacity crane to a 250t capacity crane because the cabin and the controls are the same. products’ life cycle, says Hand.

“As soon as you open the doors to the cab you can see everything in its place and set out correctly. From the small crawler to the large models, the cabins are set out in the same format which makes it easy for an operator to jump from an 80t capacity crane to a 250t capacity crane because the cabin and the controls are the same. Customers like this consistency in terms of the design across the crawler range,” he said.

Hand goes on to confirm Wagstaff Piling recently ordered a telescopic crawler. Hand explains a major factor in the decision to buy Kobelco was the performance of an existing model they have had in the fleet.

“We’ve sold a TK750GFS to Wagstaff Piling. The Wagstaff Piling team were

happening with more in the pipeline, up and down the East Coast and there is a tremendous amount of interest in telescopic crawler as ‘assist’ machines in piling applications says Hand.

“When you look at the TK750 that comes standard with the third winch on the front of the machine which is ideal for clam shell and auger work. That’s the type of work this machine is built for, it’s hard work for the cranes and that’s what Kobelco’s thrive on,” he said.

After such a challenging start for TRT, with a number of hurdles to negotiate, Hand is positive about the future for the Kobelco range.

“I’m super confident at the moment.

The various industry sectors we service are buoyant and we’re seeing a high level of enquiries, especially in construction.

March 2021 CAL / 29

IN FOCUS / TRT AND KOBELCO

Throughout last year we were receiving the same enquiries, but they were more tentative, now there is definitely more purpose with the conversations and there are a lot more enquiries in terms of volume,” said Hand.

One of the challenges is understanding what machines and what models to bring as stock machines says Hand.

“Enquiries are coming for all models and we are looking to make decisions on which models to bring in as stock machines. I’ve quoted on a range of models and various capacities, but there is definitely a good level of interest in the TK750GFS. Lead times ex-factory are three to four months for most standard models and for the telescopic boom it’s around six months.

“With many large infrastructure projects back online and some being fast tracked and crane order lead times back to standard levels, its important that companies push the button as soon as they confirm requirements,” he said.

After sales and product support are key commitments TRT Australia has made to market on all the products it represents and that includes Kobelco, says Hand.

“Josh Hutton manages our parts department. Josh was a technician for over 10 years and he has been the parts manager for four. With his experience, he has an excellent understanding of issues and problem solving with customers.

He knows the mechanical aspects of a crane and helps customers diagnostically work through the issue to ensure they are buying the right parts to fix it.

“Tony Hillier is our new crane service manager, and he works closely with the five to six technicians who have all undergone formal training with Kobelco. We have a high level of experience in this area with Cameron Harris, Jason Smith and Matthew Jude, who each have years of experience with Kobelco and have the benefit of inhouse training at the factory,” he said.

“Over the last eight months, Kobelco and TRT have continued product training. Obviously, travel has 30 / CAL March 2021

been impossible, but we’ve continued important training via Zoom. We remain committed to upskilling our team, from our apprentices to our most experienced technicians,” said Hand.

Dean McIlroy has been with the TRT’s New Zealand operation for three years and is managing crane sales. He confirms the Kobelco brand is well regarded by the New Zealand industry as well.

“My time with TRT is my first in the crane sector. It was a fairly steep learning curve because of the diverse nature of the crane industry, the types of cranes and their capabilities. There are also a lot of experienced owners and operators in the industry who really know their business, so I’ve worked on broadening my understanding of projects and obviously my knowledge of the product alongside them.

“I’ve been working with the Kobelco and the crane products for a year now and it’s been interesting to monitor the market’s response to both the brand and the product. It is quite clear customers have a high regard for the Kobelco brand, it has a good reputation. When I ask customers about their experience with Kobelco cranes, they always talk about the reliability of the product and how well it has performed over an extended period of time. Kobelco fits well into the New Zealand market and I know it’s the same for my colleagues in Australia,” said McIlroy.

It has been 12 months since TRT was announced as the national distributor for Kobelco and McIlroy explains how the market has responded in New Zealand since.

“With the advent of COVID-19 the timing of the announcement and the dealership was not ideal. As with most companies, there was a lot of concern about how to navigate the pandemic and the impact it could have on the economy.

But New Zealand, much like Australia seems to have managed better than most. We have been kept busy across all divisions of TRT, from manufacturing to sales and we’ve received a steady flow of enquiries and orders for Kobelco product.

Dean McIlroy, crane sales TRT New Zealand.

“TRT has continued to service the equipment of existing Kobelco customers, where needed, which has assisted with the transition. This has helped facilitate conversations about new equipment.

Overall, I would say the last 12 months the response to the Kobelco products have been very positive,” he said.

McIlroy explains the interest in Kobelco has led to new equipment orders in New Zealand as well.

“As with my colleague Troy Hand and his Australian team we have also sold two units of the same telescopic crawler models.

“Our customer, Dave Carr Plant Hire Limited, has just ordered their 11th Kobelco, a telescopic crawler TF750GFS. As with the sentiments reiterated by other Kobelco customers, they tell me that they have been impressed with the reliability of the cranes and the performance they provide over a long period of time.

“The second order for a TF750G-FS has been placed by Fulton Hogan, both of these cranes are going to be involved in the Turitea windfarm project based in the lower North Island too,” said McIlroy.

Hand concludes, “With the right people here at TRT, a dealer network that now includes Crane Connection in NSW and aftermarket support across the country, Kobelco is gaining traction and given its reputation, Japanese engineering, quality and technology, the industry should expect to see a lot more.” www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR ALL TERRAINS Liebherr’s LTM 1060-3.1 all terrain is a 60t capacity machine with a 48m telescopic boom, the largest in the three axle range from Liebherr.

GROWING A BUSINESS WITH LIEBHERR Melbourne crane hire business Komp Cranes recently took delivery of a new Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1. Komp Cranes owner and director, Danny Toohey bought the 60t capacity all terrain to complement other Liebherrs which have been the backbone of his business for a decade.

“IN 2011, I BOUGHT KOMP CRANES from my friend Paul Keinhuis. He was looking for a career change and put the business up for sale as a going concern.

At that stage the business included a 40t Liebherr and a truck crane. I’d been working as a crane operator in various yards for years and wanted to do something for myself and saw this as a good opportunity. I’d seen Paul succeed in the business, along with others that I’d worked for, so I thought I’d have a go,” said Toohey.

“I could see there was a fair element of risk with the move but I was confident in my own abilities. I sort a fair amount of advice from my accountant and others who have helped me along the way. I had a look at the figures and I thought I could make it work. The Liebherr 32 / CAL March 2021

operating in the business was a 2006 LTM 1040 2.1, 40t capacity all terrain.

At the time it was four years old, it had been looked after and it as in very good condition. The crane truck, which had a UNIC on it, wasn’t really used as a truck crane but more as a counterweight truck to service the 40t Liebherr when it required full counterweight,” he said.

Toohey and his team at Komp Cranes doesn’t chase the major infrastructure work in Melbourne, he leaves that to crane companies with different structures and crane fleets.

“Realistically, the major infrastructure work is not something that I specialise in. I don’t have an engineer working with me on lift studies, for example, I manage these myself. I look to work in the construction and domestic market. We

can be lifting a swimming pool or a spa one day and working on steel erection jobs the next. We work in the smaller commercial and industrial shut down work. That’s what we are good at and this type of work is our sweet spot.

Toohey explains his approach to the business in the early days and why he added to the fleet.

“When you are working for yourself the reality is you are willing to do as many jobs as you can in one day, whatever it takes. Quite quickly customers were asking for a larger capacity crane. I’d driven larger cranes for the businesses and yards I’d worked for, and I understood what was needed to run larger capacity cranes. I was looking at the 55t capacity market because the road access side of this www.cranesandlifting.com.au

capacity has always been pretty good. I had conversations with Liebherr and a few of the other brands before I decided to put everything on the line and order a brand new crane. It was a fairly big decision for me, given I’d been operating for less than 12months,” he said.

Toohey ordered a 2012 model LTM 1055-3.2 and took delivery of the crane in October 2012. Toohey still operates the two Liebherrs, but he has added other cranes to the fleet. After ordering the 55t Liebherr, he realised he was going to need something a bit smaller and ordered a brand new 13t capacity MR130R Kato from Tutt Bryant Equipment, that was in 2014. At the time Toohey decided to invest in a Franna to service his clients and there were a few good buys around.

“One of Walter Wrights major projects shut down and I managed to buy a 2008 Terex Franna AT20-3 at a good price, and added this to the fleet.

A couple of years later I thought I’d test out the waters in the crawler market and purchased a brand new MC285-3 Maeda mini crawler crane and shortly after this we bought a 2002 model Tadano TR-160 just to fill a bit of a gap between the 13 and the 40 tonner. It was another case of testing the waters to see what the demand would be like. I couldn’t justify buying a new one, but it’s been a very handy crane to have,” he said.

Toohey discusses his approach to buying cranes, how he moves with the market and how he responds to the changing demands from his regular customers.

“In terms of business, I get by with the work that we have. I don’t have contracts which say I have regular work for these machines and that’s fine with me. We’ve been working with most of our customers for a long time now and there’s a degree of loyalty has been built up over the years. We do the right thing by our customers and they are happy to give us the repeat business.

“With the new Liebherr LTM 10603.1, I could probably do most of the work I’m planning for this machine with my 55. Bu the 40 is getting a little long www.cranesandlifting.com.au

in the tooth and has just had a 10 year inspection but it’s been looked after. It is still a good crane but I’ve been thinking about slowing it down a little bit and running the three axled cranes being the 55 and the new 60. I’m thinking of keeping the 40 as a back-up crane for when I need something for the smaller capacity work,” said Toohey.

Liebherr’s LTM 1060-3.1 all terrain is a 60t capacity machine with a 48m telescopic boom, the largest in the three axle range from Liebherr.

minimal creep speed in manoeuvring mode. The machine has an anti-lock braking system.

LONG TELESCOPIC BOOM The six part 48m telescopic boom is telescoped in and out via the rapid action Telematic telescoping system.

With the 9.45m to 15.85m long swing away jib, the machine achieves hoisting heights of 63m. The swing-away jib can be attached at an inclination of 0°, 20° or 40°. For work in two hook operation,

A support width of 6.4m is achieved with single telescoping sliding beams. Where space is tight, a reduced support width of 4.57m or 2.28m can also be used. The crane is levelled automatically during the support process.

TRAVEL GEAR The 9.5m chassis is just 2.56 m wide, and the turning radius measured over the drivers cab is just 7.62m and the ballast radius remains within 3.53m. A support width of 6.4m is achieved with single telescoping sliding beams. Where space is tight, a reduced support width of 4.57m or 2.28m can also be used. The crane is levelled automatically during the support process.

The machine has an air activated disk brake that offers greater force that remains consistent even at high brake temperatures, compared to conventional drum brakes. The longer service life durations also contribute to contribute to efficiency. The disc brakes are equipped with wear indicators.

The active-speed dependent rear axle steering system is in the LTM 1060-3.1. This reduces tyre wear considerably. The driver has five different steering programmes available that can be selected for a variety of driving situations.

The six-cylinder, Liebherr in-line engine achieves 270 kW/367 HP and reaches a maximum torque of 1700 Nm. The force is transferred to the crane axles via the 12 speed ZF-AS-Tronic gear box.

A two-stage distributor gear permits

a second hoist gear, 2.43m assembly jib and a rooster sheave is available.

LOAD SENSING AND LICCON2 In the hydraulic system, the electric loadsensing control ensures accurate work operations. Up to four movements can be actuated simultaneously. Depending on the requirement for the lifting task of the operator, the slewing gear can be easily switched from “open” to “hydraulic locked”.

The Liebherr LICCON2 crane control is used in the LTM 1060-3.1. A mobile, multifunctional control and display unit – BTT Bluetooth terminal – is provided for upgrade functions. The operator has the option of attaching and removing the hook block on the crane bumper with visual contact via remote control of the hoist winch and the luffing cylinder of the telescopic boom.

The Liebherr LICCON2 mobile crane control offers the option of conversion into a complete remote control system for the crane. Other than the relevant software on the crane, all this is required is a console with two master switches, with existing BTT plugs. The console can also be used for other cranes with LICCON2 controls programmed for remote control operation.

March 2021 CAL / 33

IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR ALL TERRAINS

John Stach, Liebherr – Australia, sales manager VIC/TAS congratulates Danny Toohey, Komp Cranes, on the delivery of the new Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1.

Toohey goes on to talk about his experience with Liebherr’s Victorian operation and what he and his crew like about Liebherrs, how they perform and the reasons behind the purchase of the new Liebherr.

“It all goes back to when I was an operator, I’ve always preferred Liebherrs.

I’ve worked on yards which have operated different brands and different types of

parts and they are only getting better.

With the success I had with the 40 tonner the 55 was a no brainer. I decided to stick with the brand in case anything went wrong and we have had a couple of little issues. I had a warranty issue with the 55 when the computer failed but Liebherr were able to fly down a replacement and I was up and running again within the same day. It showed that if anything

“You are paying a premium price for a premium product with Liebherr, but it is in the knowledge you are going to receive premium level of back up and after sales support, and if there is an issue it’s resolved quickly.” cranes, but for me, Liebherr was always one of the easiest cranes to drive. Once you have learnt what all the functions on the keypad mean, it is all very similar no matter what size of crane you are operating. In my opinion, Liebherrs have always been more operator friendly.

“Liebherr has excellent representation in Victoria in terms of service and spare 34 / CAL March 2021

happens Liebherr has the backup support and service available to get your crane back and operating quickly,” said Toohey.

“You are paying a premium price for a premium product with Liebherr, but it is in the knowledge you are going to receive premium level of back up and after sales support, and if there is an issue it’s resolved quickly. We had

a computer related issue with the 40 quite recently. The part was in stock in Melbourne, the technician was out within a couple of hours and we were back up and operating. John Stach is the Sales Manager for Liebherr Australia for Victoria and Tasmania and he is my day to day contact and I’ve got a great relationship with him. The local Liebherr service technician, Ben, is an absolute legend, he couldn’t be more helpful. In fact, all of the guys in their workshop and spare parts department are always really helpful and super responsive,” he said.

Jeff Wilson and his team from Finlease has played an integral role in the growth of Komp Cranes by securing the finance for the various cranes he has purchased explains Toohey.

“The relationship with Finlease dates back to about 2006 when I attended one of the crane conferences in Freemantle as delegate. The company I was working for took me to the conference and I met Jeff. I had a bit of a chat to him and took his card and I thought ‘you never know, one day down the track I might need someone like Jeff’ and I didn’t give it a further thought.

“When I started with Komp Cranes, I wasn’t having much luck getting the banks to back me with the new business. I tried Westpac and NAB and I tried a couple of finance companies in Melbourne but without any joy. I kept coming to dead ends and I thought of Jeff and Finlease and gave him a call.

The rest as they say, is history. He made it happen and there have been no issues and that’s why I’m working with Jeff and his team today.

“If I want to buy something, I just call him, he’s got relationships with all the financial institutions, he’s well respected by the OEMs and he has contacts with other crane yards for used equipment.

He understands my business and works closely with my insurer, my accountant so much so that I really don’t have to do anything after the phone call to him. He obtains the accounts from the accountant, the certificates of currency from the insurer and makes the whole process seamless and painless. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

IN FOCUS / GROVE THREE AXLE ALL TERRAINS

GREAT THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES Compact size, powerful lifting ability and a long 48m main boom are the DNA of the Grove GMK 3060L-1, the stand-out model in the new Grove three axle range.

NEIL HOLLINGSHEAD, SALES DIRECTOR Mobile Cranes for Manitowoc explains why the three axle model has been so popular and what makes the GMK 3060L-1 a game changer.

“To sum up the Grove three axle series is fairly straight forward, it is really compact, very powerful with plenty of reach. The GMK 3060L-1 has been the stand-out in the series because it ticks so many boxes for our market. The compactness of the crane coupled with the 48m of main boom hits the ‘sweet spot’ for many crane hire businesses particularly those operating in and around major cities,” said Hollingshead.

The series includes two 60 tonners, the GMK 3060L-1 and GMK 3060-2 and the GMK 3050-3 which has a 50t capacity. The GMK 3060L-1 has 48m of main boom and 15m of hydraulic luffing fly jib while the other two models have 40m of main boom.

“We can see the configuration of the GMK 3060L-1 working well locally. The 36 / CAL March 2021

Davo’s Crane Hire have been impressed with the crane’s power from the new Cummins motor and the MAXbase which features in the GMK 3060-L

GMK 3060L has been on the market for approximately 12 months and has been extremely popular as the Australian market really goes for the longer boom, there is a high demand for the longer boom on these smaller cranes. Australia loves the long boom,” said Hollingshead.

“The main feature with the machine is the extreme compactness, it is only slightly longer than a two axle crane in the carrier. If you have a two axle 40

tonner, the Grove three axle cranes are only 40cm longer in the carrier. This makes it extremely compact and it can get in anywhere. It also has an extremely small tail swing for tight work sites.

“The GMK 3060L-1 is also an excellent taxi crane. You can carry 6.5t of counterweight plus the swing away, which means you can send the crane out without an additional counterweight truck. You can also send it out for www.cranesandlifting.com.au

40t to 50t work without the extra counterweight. It really covers the work that the old truck cranes were designed to do.

“The Grove three axle family has always been known for its compactness and by adding the longer boom to this it completes the process and has produced a game changer as far as we are concerned. It was already the most compact crane available in this class but having the longer boom makes a massive difference. And because the boom contains an extra section it isn’t any longer in terms of road configuration, it’s actually shorter because the base boom length is less even though the total boom length is longer. The longer boom has only enhanced and improved the compactness of the crane,” said Hollingshead.

Hollingshead explains why 48m of boom is so popular with the Australian market.

“You can complete a lot of work with the longer boom without having to use the fly. Basically, if you are not buying a pick and carry this is the first class of crane you are buying, it is one of the most popular classes for all terrains.

Every fleet features a 50t or 60t capacity three axle crane. Grove has always done well in this class but having the longer boom has really catapulted us into the market and we believe our product is really competitive to anything in the same class,” he said.

Gold Coast based Davo’s Crane Hire took delivery of Grove GMK 3060L-1 in October of last year.

Matt Davis, the general manager at Davo’s Cranes explains a bit about his business, the reasons behind the purchase of the crane and how pleased they have been with it’s performance.

“My father Paul started the business 20 years ago and we are a proud family owned and operated business today.

We operate 14 cranes and four trucks with the fleet capacities ranging from 12t to 100t. We employ approximately 30 staff and we service the Gold Coast with clients in commercial, civil and residential construction,” said Davis. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The majority of the Davo’s Crane Hire fleet are Demags, but they have been operating an 80t Grove for some time says Davis.

“The 80t Grove has been a great machine for us and it’s performance was one of the main reasons we looked at the 60t Grove, the GMK 3060-L. When we first heard about the crane, we were really interested in the sheer size of it and the versatility it was going to give us.

“The compact nature of the crane with the long 48m boom made it really interesting to us. We took delivery of the crane in October last year and its performance has been fantastic. The crane’s power with the new Cummins

motor is seriously impressive and the MAXbase feature is fantastic. We upgraded to the luffing fly which will make the machine more versatile for our type of work,” said Davis.

“The big selling point for us is it’s a good meter shorter than any other 60 tonner on the market at the moment. It’s about a metre shorter in carrier length and that makes a big difference when you are operating on tight sites where space is a premium, as we are doing day in and day out. The pre-delivery from Manitowoc was also second to none,” he said.

The new GMK3060L features significantly stronger load charts. It is available in both Euromot III/Tier

“The Grove three axle family has always been known for its compactness and by adding the longer boom to this it completes the process and has produced a game changer as far as we are concerned.

Neil Hollingshead, Manitowoc’s Sales Director - Mobile Cranes.

March 2021 CAL / 37

IN FOCUS / GROVE THREE AXLE ALL TERRAINS

3 and Euromot V/Tier 4 Final engine emission standards.

The new GMK3060L offers the strongest taxi load charts in its class and features the most compact dimensions in the three-axle segment, enabling it to

access tight job sites, manoeuvre easily around city centres, and even work indoors.

The chassis is almost as compact as a two-axle model and up to 1 m shorter than competitive three-axle cranes, with

The new GMK3060L offers the strongest taxi load charts in its class and features the most compact dimensions in the three-axle segment, enabling it to access tight job sites, manoeuvre easily around city centres, and even work indoors.

The compact nature of the GMK 3060-L. with the long 48m boom made it really interesting to Davo Cranes.

38 / CAL March 2021

a carrier length of only 8.68 m and a minimum overall height of 3.48 m with the suspension fully lowered.

The new model features a longer, 48 m seven-section TWIN-LOCK hydraulic pinned main boom and boasts significantly stronger load charts.

It features Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS), as well as a boom configurator feature. This enables operators to input basic lift parameters, such as load, radius and load height, and the system automatically provides optimal boom options for performing the lift. This saves time at the job site and makes the setup process much easier. Like all GMK cranes with CCS, the GMK3060L also features the MAXbase option for variable outrigger settings and increase load charts in certain working ranges.

The GMK3060L is powered by a Cummins QSL9, a 254 kW (340 hp) sixcylinder in-line diesel engine for reduced fuel consumption. The QSL9 combines high strength with a compact footprint for one of the best power-to-weight ratios in its class. The crane includes a ZF TraXon automatic transmission, giving it 12 forward-speed options and two reverse.

With the new Grove cab2020 project, getting to a jobsite is now even more comfortable with the GMK3050-3, GMK3060-2 and GMK3060L-1. Further GMK models will receive the cab2020 and a fresh new look over the coming months.

The new models featuring the redesigned cabs will be arriving during the second quarter of this year.

Designed with customer needs in mind and a focus on the latest crash-test requirements in Europe, Grove three-axle all-terrain cranes now feature a spacious new carrier cab, known as cab2020.

With cab2020, Manitwoc and Grove sets new standards in comfort and ergonomics for crane operators. In addition, the new cabis not only the benchmark in design but also meets the latest crash-test requirements in Europe and is ECE R29-3 approved.

The new cab2020 is now available on all Grove three-axle all-terrain cranes, the GMK3050-3, GMK3060-2 and GMK3060L-1. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

IN FOCUS / TADANO GROUP

SARENS EXPANDS WITH NEW DEMAG HEAVY LIFTERS Sarens in Australia recently announced the addition of three new cranes to support its heavy lifting and heavy transport operations.

SARENS IN AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS THE construction, mining, oil and gas, and heavy lifting and heavy haulage industries on both the West and East coasts of Australia. These three new crane models will play a key role in supporting clients in these markets.

According to Matthew Arkinstall, East Coast manager for Sarens in Australia, he and his team worked closely with the Tadano to secure the right cranes for the right applications.

“For Sarens in Australia, there were a number of reasons for selecting these three cranes. We are re-entering the general hire market on the East Coast with a particular focus on the Central Queensland mining sector. These cranes will add further diversification to the current fleet of cranes and the specialist lift and shift solutions Sarens currently offers this market.

“Sarens worldwide works closely with the Tadano Group and has a number of models from Tadano and Demag in the various fleets around the globe.

Our team in Australia place a major emphasis on relationships both with our customers and also our service providers.

The decision to buy the Demags was based on the confidence around the levels of backup and support we will receive and the personal interaction we can have with any of the team within the Tadano Group. We know we have full support from the whole organisation when we need it,” said Arkinstall.

Safety Health Environment and Quality (SHEQ) are key values for Sarens and the new cranes had to meet these requirements. Arkinstall explained more about these standards and how the 40 / CAL March 2021

Tadano Group worked to meet them.

“The team at Tadano knew what we required to enter the markets that we are diversifying into with these cranes.

They have extensive knowledge of these markets and have full understanding of the site requirements for the machines in terms of compliance and meeting regulations. This industry knowledge was invaluable and confirms we have chosen the right partner,” he said.

The cranes are already operating in Sarens operations on the East Coast.

Arkinstall explains more about these operations and what his expectations are for the cranes.

“These particular cranes are East Coast based with a focus on Central Queensland. They are designed to assist with our recently opened branch, which is located in Dysart Central, in the Isaac Region of Queensland. Dysart is a service centre for the booming coal sector throughout this region. Sarens is looking forward to being a part of the support network to the many local industries and businesses servicing the coal mining sector.”

Product support and backup plays a critical role in Sarens’ ability to fully utilise assets within its fleets. Arkinstall explains how important this was when deciding to purchase the Demags.

“Given our assets are working in remote locations, the support and backup service we receive is very important for us when making the decision to purchase new equipment. At any time, we can be running these machines on day/night rotations for long periods of time and we need to have assurance that support is available at all times. We

know the Tadano Group can provide this level of support and we look forward to progressing the relationship with the Tadano team in the near future,” said Arkinstall.

The new Demag cranes were selected after careful consideration and include: • The AC 130-5, which has a 130-tonne capacity and 60-metre main boom.

This is a compact and strong five-axle

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

crane measuring 14.45 metres long with a 2.75 metre carrier width. It has an SWL of 39.2 tonnes at a 10-metre radius, and SWL of 1.7 tonnes at a 54-metre radius. The AC 130-5 can achieve a max height of 80.8 metres and max radius of 62.0 metres. Its outrigger footprint is 7.0m x 7.71m.

• The AC 250-5, which has a 250-tonne capacity and 70-metre main boom.

The most compact crane in its class, it measures 14.49 metres long with 5-axle steering, independent rear axle steering, and excellent manoeuvrability for tight work sites. It has an SWL of 66.0 tonnes at 10-metre radius, and SWL of 1.9 tonnes at a 66-metre radius. The AC 250-5 can achieve a max height of 101.8 meters, inclusive of the 33 meter offsetable hydraulic jib, and max radius of 78.0 metres. Its outrigger

The team at Tadano has a full understanding of the site requirements for the machines in terms of compliance and meeting regulations.

James Greenwood (national sales manager, Tadano Oceania), Matthew Arkinstall (East Coast manager, Sarens Australia), Dave Smith (group operations support director, Sarens Australia), Jason Perry (sales manager, QLD/NT/PNG, Tadano Oceania). www.cranesandlifting.com.au

March 2021 CAL / 41

IN FOCUS / TADANO GROUP

Safety Health Environment and Quality (SHEQ) are key values for Sarens and the new cranes had to meet these requirements

footprint is 8.4m x 8.86m.

• The AC 300-6, which has a 300-tonne capacity and 80-metre main boom that can perform jobs at heights up to 78 metres and can lift 15 tonnes to a hook height of 78 meters or 74-metre radius without rigging a jib. This six-axle crane is strong, versatile, and the smallest Demag AC crane with a luffing jib. It has an SWL of 86.9 tonnes at a 10-metre radius, and SWL of 2.2 tonnes at a 74-metre radius. The AC 300-6 can achieve a max height of 119.9 metres and max radius of 86.0 metres with luffing fly installed. Its outrigger footprint is 8.48m x 8.68m.

Jason Perry, Tadano sales manager QLD/NT/PNG provides some background to the Sarens purchase of the Demags.

“From our perspective, we are obviously aware that Sarens has a lot of different brands in fleets operating all over the world. Sarens has been operating in Australia for a number of years but haven’t really been viewed as a wet hire business, their operations have been focused on major projects and dry hire work.

“When I first got involved on this project, I was told they were looking to set up new depots on the East Coast and planned to explore different markets and 42 / CAL March 2021

opportunities. They obviously examined all brands but our team at Tadano has always had good relationships with the Sarens team and these relationships were important in their decision to purchase Demags,” said Perry.

Perry explains that larger contracts like this can require specialist input from the various elements of the Tadano organisation.

“Initially, our national sales manager James Greenwood spoke to his contacts at Sarens and as these conversations developed it became more of a team effort. Input was required from Howard Dean, our heavy lift sales manager who has a good relationship with the Sarens team, and I also lent a hand. Between us, we were able to work with the Sarens team to get the deal over the line.

Product support and after sales service were important factors within the decision making process.

“The new facility in Brisbane including our spare parts department were important factors for the Sarens team. They were able to see our renewed commitment to product support and after sales back up. These cranes are going to be operating in some very remote areas and they are going to be worked hard, so we understand that Sarens want to feel comfortable that

Tadano is going to be there if anything goes wrong,” said Perry.

Sarens has a global specification for its cranes and this order came straight from the factory. Training was also an important element of the contract says Perry.

“Sarens buy a lot of Demags worldwide so these were ‘specc’d up’ at the factory, painted in Sarens’ colours and sent out to Australia exactly the way they wanted them. When the cranes arrived, Sarens sent some of their team to our Brisbane facility for training, just before Christmas and early in the New Year. We obviously showed them around all the products especially the AC 300 which is the best in its class for a 300 tonner.

“The relationship with Sarens is typical of how the Tadano Group does business. Firstly, we work hard to understand the customers’ business.

Secondly, we listen to their aims and expectations for the equipment, which industries they plan to service and ensure it is ‘specc’d’ to meet or exceed levels of compliance. And finally, we make sure we have the right levels of service and product support in place, ensuring the customer fully utilises the newly acquired asset and begins to see an immediate return on investment,” said Perry. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

NEW

WHEN SUCCESS IS YOUR ONLY CHOICE.

Game-changing. Cost-effective. Dependable. The new GTC-1800EX. An all-rounder with one-of-a-kind qualities. The 60-m main boom can be extended to a system length of up to 83 meters.

In “pick and carry” mode, the crane can travel with an impressive 52 tonnes with a sideways inclination of 4°.

The IC-1 Plus crane control system makes it possible to carry out lifts with asymmetrical track widths. A tractive force of almost 150 tonnes allows for comfortable maneuvering in demanding work site conditions. The crane is self-erecting and does not require an assist crane. When success is your only choice. The GTC-1800EX. Maximum lifting capacity

Main boom

Boom extension

Maximum sheave height

Maximum radius

Track width continuously variable

156 t

12.9 - 60 m

5 m / 11 m / 17 m / 23 m

85 m

62 m

3.5 - 6 m

www.tadano.com.au

IN FOCUS / INSIDE SPANSET AUSTRALIA

SpanSet flat webbing products include flat slings, endless flat slings and fingered boat lifting slings.

FROM CONCEPT TO DELIVERY Spanset has been manfacturing high-quality synthetic products for the crane industry for over 50 years. As a local manufacturer, SpanSet will take enquiries, conceptualise them, create a design, manufacture and test them, to world-class standards – all under the one roof.

SPANSET AUSTRALIA MANUFACTURES high quality, standard, and bespoke webbing round slings and flat slings at its Emu Plains facility, west of Sydney.

For over 50 years, the brand SpanSet has been recognised as a global leader in the manufacture of high-quality synthetic products for the crane and related industries.

Ben Fitzgerald of Queensland Rigging Hire is a big fan of SpanSet products, and he recently took delivery of two 20t 44 / CAL March 2021

capacity, 10m long flat web slings.

“The new flat web slings we recently acquired are ideal for many applications, including lifting boats. Yachts come out of the water infrequently for maintenance and they can be in different locations, and the rigging arrangements for each yacht is always different. These SpanSet slings are ideal for this type of application and significantly add to our ability to service our customers,” he said.

“We like to offer our customers

premium products and, in our opinion, SpanSet has the undisputed best product on the market, and it’s good to be able to provide our customers the best available in Australia and probably the best in the world.”

Fitzgerald elaborates on why he holds the SpanSet brand and their products in such high regard.

“In this industry, you get what you pay for, and when you buy SpanSet you know it’s a premium product, and www.cranesandlifting.com.au

SpanSet take enquiries, conceptualises them, creates a design, manufactures and tests them all under one roof.

“SpanSet has the undisputed best product on the market, and it’s good to be able to offer our customers the best available in Australia and probably the best in the world.” ultimately premium products perform better and last longer.

“Customers want to see top quality, Australian made gear. It makes them more confident about completing the lift safely and effectively. At the end of the day, you can have the very best cranes on the lift, but if the slings fail, everything does. Customers are increasingly demanding the best quality slings, and with SpanSet as our supplier, we can provide that,” he said.

Jeff Pogson is the national technical and product development manager for SpanSet Australia. He explains how the business can “personalise” its service for customers in the crane industry.

“We can take enquiries, conceptualise them, create a design, manufacture them and then test them www.cranesandlifting.com.au

all under one roof,” he said.

Being an Australian manufacturer, SpanSet supports Australian manufacturing, and the bulk of their webbing is manufactured in Australia, with the remainder being sourced from SpanSet in Europe.

SpanSet’s polyester webbing starts at 25mm wide and goes all the way up to 600mm, meaning SpanSet has no limitations to their abilities.

“SpanSet flat webbing products include endless single and two ply flat slings, single, two and four ply flat slings as well as fingered boat lifting slings,” says Pogson.

“We also manufacture webbing lifting nets using pocket webbing and conventional flat webbing, and we produce bespoke lifting mats.”

SpanSet polyester webbing starts at 25mm wide and goes all the way up to 600mm.

March 2021 CAL / 45

IN FOCUS / INSIDE SPANSET AUSTRALIA

SpanSet manufacturing is carried out by fully trained machinists on machines designed for tough work, following SpanSet quality assurance procedures.

In addition to their leading range of flat slings, SpanSet also has a vast range of round slings, including the E Series, Supra Plus, Magnum Plus, Magnum Force and Magnum Dyneema slings.

“Our standard locally manufactured round slings represent excellent value for money. Where weight and elongation are a concern, we offer slings manufactured with modified high performance polyester in the form of our Magnum Force premium round sling range.

“Our round sling machines are from Germany and incorporate several manufacturing features to minimize creep and elongation. We can make round slings from 400mm up to 60 metres in length, depending on the capacity,” said Pogson.

Being an Australian manufacturer is pivotal for SpanSet. They strive to have the highest manufacturing capabilities in Australia and take their role as industry leaders very seriously. Their fully trained machinists carry out all SpanSet Australia’s manufacturing on machinery designed for tough work.

The SpanSet logo stands for quality says Fitzgerald. “All thoughts of increased risk are alleviated because you know the product you are using is the 46 / CAL March 2021

“Our standard locally manufactured round slings represent excellent value for money. When weight and elongation are a concern, we offer slings manufactured with modified high performance polyester in the form of our Magnum Force premium round sling range.” best. Many companies can build slings, but SpanSet is world-renowned for the Research & Development it conducts, the quality of the product they produce,

and the testing processes they put their products through. The same cannot be said for many of the imported products on the market,” said Fitzgerald.

For over 50 years, SpanSet has been recognised as a global leader in the manufacture of high-quality synthetic products for the crane and related industries. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / MAEDA MINI CRAWLER CRANES

NEW MODEL MAEDA HEADED FOR TUNNEL PROJECT A brand new Maeda telescopic crawler arrived in December 2020 and went straight to work on Melbourne’s major tunnelling project.

Michael Cawston, national sales manager Pace Cranes welcomes Troy Edwards, Rick Imrie and Josh Barter from TWE Cranes Services.

THE FIRST UNIT OF THE NEWLY RELEASED 8.2t capacity Maeda CC1908S-1 telescopic crawler crane, arrived in Australia in December 2020. Troy Edwards from TWE Crane Service, the owner of the new model, immediately shipped it to Melbourne to commence work on a major rail tunnelling project.

Edwards started in the crane industry working for Liebherr Mobile Cranes.

He worked with Liebherr for 10 years in both Western Australia and Melbourne.

Edwards was a field service engineer working on Liebherr’s range of machines.

In February 2021 TWE Crane Services will have been operating for six years.

According to Edwards, the purchase of the new Maeda is his first venture into crane ownership and hire. TWE Crane Services is better recognised as one of 48 / CAL March 2021

Melbourne’s leading crane maintenance and service providers.

“TWE Crane Services completes service maintenance and repairs on all brands and all types mobile and crawler cranes. We work on all brands including Liebherr, Grove’s, Tadano’s, Demag’s and Maeda’s etc. We have our own facility in Ringwood and we are currently trying to find a larger facility. We offer a full spectrum of service right through from regular services up to 10 year inspections and we also have a mobile service where we visit customers and service their cranes on site,” he said.

“A lot of our work is conducted on site and we work around our clients schedules. It’s not always feasible for customers to get a crane to us so we travel to them and get the job down.

Given the amount of work that is going on in the Melbourne right now, all of our customers are flat out and for many, it’s too disruptive to take a crane off site for a day or so, there’s too much productivity lost which nobody wants.

“With our service and support business, we work for everyone and anyone throughout the greater Melbourne area. We have a large number of precast panel customers, businesses that make the panels and run one crane to install them. This means the cranes are working six days a week and clocking up the hours really quickly and so we work with the customers to service the cranes and make there the cranes downtime is kept to a minimum,” said Edwards.

Edwards goes on to explain the background behind the purchase of the new Maeda CC1908S-1.

“This is our first venture into owning and hiring cranes, and the Maeda was perfect for the job. Sometime ago, we received an approach from our customer Major Cranes, who said they were interested in a dry hiring a crawler crane for a project they were working on. We did our research and when Michael Cawston, National Sales Manager at Pace Cranes, told me they were bringing out the new model, it all went from there.

“We are delighted to take delivery of the first unit of this particular model in the country. We’re obviously keen to grow this side of the business and when we get the machine in and operating, we can show customers what we are doing and hopefully grow the hire side from there,” he said.

The Maeda CC1908S-1 telescopic crawler crane has a lifting capacity of www.cranesandlifting.com.au

8.2t at 2.8m with a maximum lifting height of 20.1m and 26.0m with fly jib. It features a maximum working radius of 19.23m and 20.9m with fly jib and has a pick and carry capacity of 3.5t.

The CC1980S-1 is fitted with isolators and UHF and an external emergency stop, the standard spec machines have these days.

The hydraulic fly jib features on the Maeda Spider Cranes but it’s the first time its featured on a pick and carry, so it will be interesting to see how this performs. The CC1980S-1 also features an aerial view camera system so the operator is able to see exactly what is happening around him which increases the safety of the cranes’ operation. There are four cameras around the base of the boom, just like the cameras in today’s cars and these provide a surround view of the machine. If you are moving the machine around it’s easy to see if someone moves into close proximity.

Options on the machine include remote control operation and the search hook which is a new option for the CC model.

It features a static hook and also a sheave.

The Maeda CC1908S-1 will be working on the Metro Tunnel project.

The $11 billion Metro Tunnel is a metropolitan rail infrastructure project currently under construction in Melbourne, Australia. It includes the construction of twin 9-kilometre rail tunnels between South Kensington station and South Yarra with five new underground stations.

“We purchased the new Maeda for the Metro Tunnel project because it meets all the specific requirements for the job. It is obviously under the 20t range so we can get it into the tunnel, it can operate on suspended floors and it has the capability as a 3.5t pick and carry as well. We’re not exactly sure where it will be working, it could be at Parkville or the Domain station, but it’s going into the tunnel on a dry hire contract and we hope it will remain there until the project is completed,” said Edwards.

Edwards flew to Sydney with his employees Rick Imrie and Josh Barter, to see the new Maeda arrive. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The Maeda CC1908S-1 telescopic crawler crane has a lifting capacity of 8.2t at 2.8m with a maximum lifting height of 20.1m and 26.0m with fly jib.

Rick Imrie has been in cranes for approximately 13 years. In Western Australia he worked for Hercules Crane Hire and moved to Mammoet Australia where he had the opportunity to experience training at the Liebherr factory in 2008.

“I’ve been working on earthmoving equipment since 2015 and I decided I wanted to get back in to cranes. I’d met Troy previously in WA, when I was working at Hercules and he was at Liebherr. I put my resume into TWE Crane Services not knowing it was his company. Troy called me back and left a message and I recognised the name

straight away. He didn’t know I was in Melbourne, so we met and as they say, the rest is history,” said Imrie.

Josh Barter is new to cranes. Until recently joining TWE Crane Services, he had worked for Shorlands, a crane hire business in Darwin.

“I was the only mechanic managing their fleet and I was pretty much selftaught on how to fix cranes and how they work. My background is in rail with locomotives, power generation, earthmoving and mining equipment. I’m new to the business but enjoying the work with Troy and Rick. It’s a great business to be involved with,” said Barter.

March 2021 CAL / 49

IN FOCUS / HUMMA PICK AND CARRY

HUMMA THE QUIET PERFORMER Dave Lewis, from Lewis Engineering really understands the Humma articulated pick and carry crane. Ten years ago, he helped with the development of his own Humma 35 Mk1 and as a result of its performance he has just taken delivery of a Humma 25 Mk2.

IN 2010 DRA GROUP RELEASED THE Humma 35 Mk1, the highest capacity pick & carry crane at the time. Humma 35 was breaking new ground in terms of design, performance and reliability, it had not been done previously and was the foundation model for the range of heavy lift pick and carry Hummas programmed to follow and reach the highest capacity whilst being road registrable. This was achieved in 2018 with the release of Humma 55 but there is still room to go further say DRA Group, by reducing the weight using composites instead of steel.

Lewis started work as an apprentice in a small arms factory in Lithgow and

graduated as fitter, machinist and tool maker. He completed his special welding tickets for working in and around power stations before moving into the mining industry where he worked underground in NSW for five or six years. When he lost a couple of mates underground, he decided to start his own business.

“I started Lewis Engineering Services back in 1985 and began working for a mining company helping with some open cut mining. I then met a guy who was on his way to Queensland to put major mining equipment together in the Bowen Basin and I decided this sounded

Lewis Engineering is taking delivery of a new Humma 25 Mk2 for servicing lighter projects.

50 / CAL March 2021

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The Humma 35 Mk1 services engineering, fabrication, site erection and crane hire business mainly within coal mines.

like a good opportunity.

“I arrived in Queensland in 1996 and the business got busy quickly. I found myself in a small town called Capella in the Central Highlands region and I was working for the likes of Rio Tinto and BMA. We were only a two or three man operation, working on a range of projects.

“The work we were doing constantly needed cranes and I got sick and tired of being let down by crane hire companies.

We were working on specialist rebuilds of gear boxes on major earthmoving equipment, coal handling equipment, coal wash plants and applications like that. With this realisation, I purchased an XCMG 50t slew crane in 2004. With cranage now available the business expanded further and I had a team of six working with me,” said Lewis.

Lewis goes on to explain the reasons behind the purchase of his first Humma and how his relationship with the Dalla Rivas has developed.

“I had watched with interest as the Frannas were introduced to the market but I wasn’t completely happy with them. I could see there were a few flaws with their operation. In the mining sector we are almost always operating on rough and uneven ground and I could see the Frannas would break traction which results in wheel spin.

“I knew that the DRA Group had recruited Linmac Engineers with years www.cranesandlifting.com.au

of experience and I had always felt this type of crane needed an oscillating or swivel bearing in the articulation. When I saw the Humma included a swivel bearing that got me really interested. It reminded me of the CAT loader which is designed to operate on the most uneven of surface,” said Lewis.

Lewis rang the Dalla Rivas in WA and explained his interest in the Humma. He explained he thought they looked like a ‘tidy crane’ and wanted to know more about the articulation.

“The Dalla Rivas explained that the crane suspension worked between 12° and 15° between the front and the back axle. This is extremely important on rough surfaces, simply to maintain traction. You can do a lot of damage to your drive line if you break traction, spin your wheels and then re-engage.

“Anyway, the Dalla Rivas invited me to have a look at their operation in Western Australia and flew me over. They showed me around their factory where I test drove the cranes, I completed lifts with their cranes to 145 per cent of their capability.

I was sold, we did a deal there and then and I had Humma 35-25 Mk1 delivered in Queensland and I’ve had it ever since. It’s a very tough and versatile machine.

“Everything they say the Humma can do, it can do. We had to toughen things up a little bit. I put a heavy duty bull bar on the front of the crane. Because we do

smaller, heavier loads with these mining applications the crane is absolutely perfect for us. It’s a beautiful crane. The Humma 35-25 which is a 35t capacity crane does the lifts with ease without revving the engine,” said Lewis.

Lewis goes on to explain his involvement in the development of the crane. To say he encountered a number of teething problems is an understatement, he really put the Mk1 through the hoops and the DRA Engineering team found out from him that the safety factor in the booms and chassis were starting points to exceed the design limit. There were some design weaknesses in the chassis which were designed out on the Mk 2 but Lewis was able to establish the robustness of Humma 35 which has stood the test of time. The Humma 35 Mk1 was the first production model and remains today a reliable workhorse for Lewis Engineering.

“We were using the machine to make money and as we were working with the crane we were giving DRA continual feedback on areas that we felt needed attention. There were a few little things in and around the suspension. With the crane being on full air bags it drives like a motor vehicle on the road at speeds in excess of 95km but we made some suggestions around the air bag suspension, we thought they needed a little more protection. We thought the March 2021 CAL / 51

IN FOCUS / HUMMA PICK AND CARRY Lewis Engineering has been operating the Humma 35t Mk2 for nine years, working in the toughest of conditions, and it’s performance has been spectacular.

‘lock out’ system needed to be a little more user friendly to be able to change out wear pads, it was all common-sense feedback from the workplace back into the factory. These changes are the Mk2.

“In the early days, we would be in touch with either of the Dalla Rivas on a week to week basis. They were always asking little things about the crane and I was bringing them up to speed on how it was operating. This still happens to this day.

“I’ve also been able to provide a lot of feedback to potential customers and I’ve shared my experiences with them.

I’ve provided feedback regarding the capabilities of the crane, what it can and can’t do,” he said.

Lewis explains he’s been so impressed with the performance of the Humma 35 Mk1 he’s ordered a Humma 25 Mk2 which was delivered in late February.

“We requested the Mk2 have all of the electronic features DRA Engineering developed and installed on Humma 35 Mk3, digital rope compensation, dynamic load chart, height limiter and side slope derate and they said, “no problem”. The 25t Humma has a similar footprint to the 20t Franna. It is only 450m longer, weighs 23T and does not require a moveable counterweight which means it 52 / CAL March 2021

can carry 1,000kg of rigging gear.

“It has a much tighter articulation and you have basically another seven metres of boom, yes, seven metres. For us it was a no brainer. Humma is a very tidy and incredibly tough crane, it’s a crane that does exactly what DRA say it can do and more, over and over and over again.

“We’ve had the Humma 35t Mk1 for 9 years and it’s performance has been spectacular and we work in the toughest of conditions. We have clocked up 7,500 hours on it now, and this has been 7,500 hours of continuous work. There’s been a little bit of highway work but I’d say 90 per cent of those hours have been in a full on mining working environment which is notoriously tough for cranes. It’s been magnificent, we’ve got no issues anywhere, we keep to a strict regime of service and maintenance on the crane, because we have to as we are working in a coal mining environment all the time,” said Lewis.

There is continual scrutiny by mine inspectors but the crane has never let Lewis down in that regard, it’s always maintained the highest standard which is compliant and acceptable to the mines he says.

“Being nine years old, I spoke to the Dalla Rivas about the 10 year major service and was told it was not necessary

as there are 20t Hummas with up to 20,000 hours and nineteen years old with negligible wear at the articulation and pivot points with no reboring necessary and bearings in good condition. Based on these results Humma now comes with 15 year or 15,000 hours OEM recommendation for the first major inspection so the Mk1 has six years before the inspection and it appears the costs will be minor,” he said.

The mines have a strong focus on safety and there are significant compliance issues with equipment operating on various sites says Lewis.

“Recently, we’ve putting in a lot of time with wheel unit change outs and the Humma has been flat out managing 16t wheel units. In our experience the 35t Humma manages this without a quiver.

The geometry of the Humma helps it to be an incredibly good lifter. With the 16t wheel unit, we come in over the top of it with very low headroom with our 20t Rhino hook and special rigging we walk the crane straight in and out. In the same application the 40t Franna ‘bells’ itself out, in other words it takes itself out of the picture because it’s computer system won’t allow it to do the job,” he said.

The 25t capacity machine is going to be servicing a dragline which is currently being serviced by a 20t Franna, says Lewis.

“There have been numerous occasions when we’ve had to take our 35 tonner off its job and drive it to the dragline to perform work the 20 tonner can’t manage. We know and understand that the Humma 25 will manage this work, because it has the extra length of stick, also there is a tighter articulation.

“The Humma 25 Mk2 has a better ‘stick’ length, it’s got a greater slew range, it may only be 3° or 4°, but when you are fully extended with the boom, that 3° or 4° becomes a 1m or 1.5m. Anybody in the crane industry understands the benefit of this. The footprint of the 25t machine is the same as the competitors 20t machine, it’s only 450 mm longer and you have an extra 20 per cent capability and another 7m of stick. Why wouldn’t you buy a Humma?,” said Lewis. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / SUPERSERVICE

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION KEY TO SUPERSERVICE GROWTH SuperService has a culture of going the extra mile for customers when it comes to the servicing of cranes and other types of mobile industrial equipment. General manager, Jason Powter has been with the business from day one and he sheds some light on recent developments.

SuperService maintains strong relationships with existing customers and is being contacted by numerous new equipment owners.

54 / CAL March 2021

“DESPITE THE OBVIOUS CHALLENGES presented by COVID, the past six months have been extremely dynamic for SuperService. We have maintained strong relationships with existing customers and have been contacted by numerous new equipment owners. We place a lot of importance on looking after our existing customers whilst also taking on new clients. The balance is very important to us to ensure loyalty and growth go hand in hand.”

“Most of our growth has come from new customers. To allow us to learn how we are attracting new business our team regularly asks “How did you hear about SuperService?” The top three responses are word of mouth, noticing our vehicles on the road or at a site or customers are looking for change. It is very encouraging that our brand is being recognised and our service is being recommended. Positive word of mouth is the best type of advertising a business can ask for,” said Powter.

A key part of the servicing strategy for SuperService was a commitment to a mobile service, where highly qualified technicians travel to a customer’s facility or construction site to conduct the required maintenance. Powter explains how this strategy is working.

“The mobile service strategy is working extremely well. Our largest vehicle is the ISUZU Workmate that has been a great contribution to the fleet. The Workmate has allowed us to complete larger jobs offsite meaning we can service customers faster in those urgent situations. Combined with our growing workshop facilities, we are well equipped www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Kevin Russell, SuperService, branch manager QLD.

“We have a traditional approach to growing the business and this is relationship based – if a customer gives us a chance, we won’t miss in terms of delivering an outstanding service.” to get the job done. Importantly our mobile technicians love the Workmate, it can handle the city traffic and is equally as good on the highway as it is off the beaten track.”

The SuperService business has expanded rapidly, so much so that a new Branch Manager has been recruited to manage the Queensland operations enabling Powter to spend more time developing the business.

Kevin Russell has spent his career servicing the transport, earthmoving equipment and cranes sectors. Late last year he joined SuperService as the Branch Manager for Queensland.

“I spent the 90’s in the transport sector before moving to the earthmoving equipment and crane industries during the 2000s. Working as a field service mechanic, servicing customers all over Queensland and the Northern Territory, I also established relationships with customers in New South Wales and South Australia on a FIFO and DIDO basis. I built a field service section for MACK Trucks during that period and was the workshop manager for a number of businesses. I understand www.cranesandlifting.com.au

the importance of being available to customers and skilled in your field to gain trust, respect and loyalty.”

“I was very interested with the opportunities presented by SuperService.

It is a young business and there is a real opportunity for me to come in and help it grow. I like the challenge of a business that has the ability to rapidly mature and to help it achieve its full potential,” said Russell.

Russell explains how he intends to help the business do this.

“The plan is to increase the volume of work we are putting through our facilities up and down the East Coast as well as increasing the presence of our mobile technicians. We see customers on a daily basis and increasingly, we are receiving extremely positive feedback for the work we are doing. Much of what we are trying to achieve is relationship driven. The customers can see we are prepared to go the extra mile for them and they keep coming back because of the way our team goes about its business.”

“Of course, we chase work, we have to realise the potential within the business, but we are also finding customers

referring SuperService to other customers, operators and owners of machines and this is the strongest form of advertising.

A word of mouth recommendation is priceless in my opinion.”

“Our general manager, Jason Powter, explained from the outset this was how he wanted the busines to grow., He knew satisfied customers would get behind the SuperService brand and recommend us to others. He told me to treat this as my business and he’d give me all the backing needed to make it grow, which he has,” said Russell.

Russell goes on to explain where the business is today and where he expects the growth to come from.

“Currently we are operating with seven mechanics in Brisbane, three in Sydney and three in Melbourne. We also have four apprentices across the business. I’d say over the next 12 to 24 months I can see us having 24 mechanics in Brisbane and 6 to 10 in Sydney.”

“Melbourne is a bit difficult to predict due to the impacts COVID has had on some sectors, however if we can increase our personnel numbers there, we will be doing well.”

“There is plenty of potential for this level of growth. We are growing at a safe speed and we haven’t stepped away from the principles of putting the customer first and going the extra mile for them.

We have good quality staff and their work is first class which brings the customers back time and again.”

“The difference with SuperService compared to other service businesses, is we are not limited to one industry. We have been talking to various operators in transport and earthmoving equipment and if we see a crane driving down the street and we don’t know the company, we’ll give them a call and see if we can help. We have a traditional approach to growing the business and this is relationship based – if a customer gives us a chance, we won’t miss in terms of delivering an outstanding service.

Russell confirms that a number of the larger crane hire businesses have recently come forward and given the SuperService team the opportunity to March 2021 CAL / 55

IN FOCUS / SUPERSERVICE

SuperService is completing larger jobs offsite, servicing customers faster in urgent situations.

service their fleets.

“A number of the larger crane operators approached us and we have been working with them. Initially, it’s all about finding the right people within the organisation, explaining our points of difference compared to other service providers. When we have the opportunity to show them what we can do we deliver beyond their expectations.

“My approach is about partnering customers and ensuring we work to a mutually beneficial outcome. A consultative approach is required, we listen to their requirements and ensure our service meets these requirements.

Larger customers, with many pieces of equipment don’t want to be dealing with multiple people, they want one point of contact. That point of contact is my role.

I understand the customer’s needs and they are satisfied that I have their best interests at heart and I’m going to help ensure they get the best possible outcome from the SuperService team,” he said.

Powter explained more about how the various operations have been operating.

56 / CAL March 2021

“The new facility in Sydney is working very well and allowing the NSW team to be a far more organised and wellequipped operation. The facility has designated work bays, over-head crane and good road access – all of which help to improve our offering for customers.

“We are continuing to meet with new equipment owners from various locations across the state. We also continue to expand our service offerings and technician skillset allowing us to cater to more customer needs,” said Powter.

“We are continually looking to take people on board to maintain the growth of our team. In order to keep up with demand we are looking to welcome new teammates to the SuperService family. We are committed to ensuring our employees get the best training and development on offer,” he said.

Powter confirms the Melbourne market has experienced difficulties during the pandemic and this has impacted on the growth plans for Victoria.

“We have maintained our team numbers during the past 6 month despite

the Victorian lock downs and reduced construction activities, and we are proud of this. It was important to us to look after our team down there and as demand increases, we hope to grow the team over the next six months as demand increases.

“We have a very good workshop in Melbourne which includes an overhead crane and lay down area, so we will not need to move for some time. We have taken advantage of this slower period to rearrange the facility to better accommodate our work activities and set us up to power forward as our work levels increase again.”

Bringing the right level of youth into the SuperService business has been a key objective confirms Powter.

“It is always our intention to give young people the opportunity to become highly skilled trades people. We have had a number of apprentices start in the last six months. It is very rewarding to see those new to the trade learning from some of the best in the industry. We now have four apprentices and will be looking to expand on this. Apprentices are our future.

New markets have opened up for the SuperService team and the Yello Equipment development is especially exciting says Powter.

“We have many new opportunities in construction, civil, rail, aviation and dredging mechanical support. The relationship with YELLO Equipment will enable us to service an OEM distributor.

“YELLO has been busy since the launch in 2020 and our partnership to provide pre-delivery and post-delivery support to its customers is really important to us. We are searching for earthmoving mechanics and specialists to join our team knowing the growth that will come from this relationship,” said Powter.

“There is a significant shortage of trades people to meet market demands.

If good people become available, we look to appoint to ensure we don’t miss out. Additionally, this links to our apprenticeship program where we can help train budding technicians of the future,” he said. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / THE CRANE CONNECTION

REACHING OUT FOR USED CRANES The Baden Davis Crane Connection recently delivered a used Liebherr LTC 1050-3.1 to Western Sydney based Longreach Cranes – the third time Damian Panetta, owner and director of Longreach Cranes has utilised the services of Anthony Davis and his team.

DAMIAN PANETTA HAS BEEN IN CRANES for 13 years. He moved from the transport and trucking sector having decided the industry didn’t have much of a future for him. Panetta explains he was working hard with his own truck but couldn’t see himself making enough money to justify the hours he was working.

“I couldn’t see much of a future in transport. I liked the look of industry and decided to get into cranes. My brother in law was in the industry and he provided some advice and direction and I also had a mate in the carpentry game.

He gave me work and an entry into the building industry. So, I hadn’t worked for anyone, I did some research, bought a crane and pretty much taught myself about the business. My first crane was a 20t Tadano truck crane which I bought from Botany Cranes,” said Panetta.

Longreach Cranes is based in

Bringelly, Western Sydney and the company’s fleet had featured smaller cranes and up until Panetta ordered the 50t capacity Liebherr from Anthony Davis. Until its delivery, the largest capacity crane in the fleet was a 40t capacity machine.

“We mainly focus on the housing market. We help the construction of new houses where we move quickly from job to job. 90 per cent of our work is new houses where we lift the frames, the trusses the steel beams and the wall frames. We are working for builders and we are working for carpenters and we need cranes that can complete the jobs quickly and move from site to site without any drama,” said Panetta.

Panetta goes on to discuss his relationship with Anthony Davis and The Baden Davis Crane Connection.

“This is the third crane I have bought from Baden Davis Crane Connection. I

The Longreach Cranes fleet features small cranes to service the residential building industry in Western Sydney.

58 / CAL March 2021

purchased two 40t capacity Demags from them previously and now the Liebherr LTM 1050-3.1. Anthony and his team are just great to deal with they call it as it is.

They are honest, reliable, easy to contact and easy to talk to. Anthony is a legend and he’s helped me out every time and if and when I’m in the market for another crane I will be definitely going through The Crane Connection. I recommend them to anyone looking for a used crane,” he said.

Running a busy crane hire business in a ‘hands on’ manner means Panetta doesn’t have time to research the market when he’s looking for a used crane. He explains how the service from Anthony Davis and his Crane Connection team works.

“I knew I needed this style and this capacity of crane as it will suit my style of business and the work we do. I called Anthony and explained what I wanted with the crane, the capacity, the hours and kilometres I’d be happy with, and he had located the crane within two days of the initial phone call.

“He sent me the information on the crane, the specs, the hours and the kilometres and it was exactly what we were looking for. Within a month of me calling Anthony, the crane was on the boat. From our perspective, that’s how well the service from The Crane Connection works. Anthony and his team manage everything, he finds the crane, manages the shipping, manages the quarantine, paints it, has it Cranesafed and manages the on road registration. The only pain we experience is paying for the crane,” said Panetta.

According to Anthony Davis the service he provided to Longreach Cranes is typical of how he goes about his business.

“Customers like Damian are flat out www.cranesandlifting.com.au

“We pride ourselves on a complete turnkey service for customers where we source the crane, fund it and manage the importation. We quarantine and wash it, service and repair it, if repairs are required, and we have the crane CraneSafe approved.”

running their business and they don’t always have the time to research the used crane market, especially when it comes to understanding what’s available from overseas. It makes sense for him to come to us, tell us what he’s looking for and let us do the heavy lifting. We then access an international network of respected crane dealers capable of finding a crane that meets the customer’s criteria. In this instance it happened really quickly and we’d located the crane within a couple of days.

“Another advantage with dealing with The Crane Connection is we are not locked into importing one brand. We will find and bring in whatever brand the customer wants. Another benefit is our ability to buy and keep cranes in stock without needing a sale for them. We try

Anthony Davis, Baden Davis Crane Connection with the newly arrived Liebherr for Longreach.

and carry a couple of cranes at all times because some customers want the crane instantly, they don’t want to wait four months until it arrives. For this type of demand, you need to have stock on the ground,” said Davis.

“We pride ourselves on a complete turnkey service for customers where we source the crane, fund it and manage the importation. We quarantine and wash it, service and repair it, if repairs are required, and we have the crane CraneSafe approved. We also register it for the customer and paint it inhouse.

The major OEM’s might have a paint

Longreach Cranes mainly focuses on the housing market and needs cranes that can quickly from job to job. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

shop, but they rely on contract painters, we are the only ones who have everything in-house, all of the time,” said Davis.

Panetta operates a tight crew and confirms he is prepared to give youngsters a go in the business.

“There are 10 of us in the business including crane drivers and dogmen and we’re not frightened to give youngsters a start. We recently employed an 18 year old who has just received his dogman and crane ticket. We’ve got a range of people from 18 through to a very experienced operator who is 53. He’s been in the game a long time. The older more experienced team members are happy to pass on their knowledge to the youngsters which is always good to see.

“I’d say half the team have joined the business from outside the crane sector and we’ve been happy to bring them in, teach them and train them up. We’ve given a lot of the youngsters a chance to get a start in the industry and we are very proud of that, that’s how I got my start.

My wife manages the paperwork and the books with the help of book-keeper who comes in one or two days a week. We run a tight ship and we are responsive to the demands of our customers, many of whom are small family businesses like ourselves and we don’t let them down,” said Panetta.

March 2021 CAL / 59

IN FOCUS / ALTRA MOTION

NO STOPPING PROGRESS The Industrial Internet-of-things technology helps turn crane braking systems into smart devices.

Altra Motion’s Christian Klein and Rex Sinclair explain how the performance of Ship to Shore (STS) and container handling Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes can benefit from the cloud.

THE PORT OF DUISBURG, LOCATED ON the Rhine River in Germany, is one of the largest inland ports in the world, accommodating 20,000 ships and 25,000 trains each year.

With the high volume of daily arrivals, a single delay can cause a knockon effect across the entire supply chain, forcing the port operators to play an expensive game of catch up.

As a result, port operators began looking into ways to reduce any unscheduled downtime.

Christian Klein, the global product manager for Altra Motion, says that Ship To Shore and port gantry cranes in particular have a need for the highest availability possible.

is affected,” said Klein.

The port operators selected Stromag, one of Altra Motion’s brands and global supplier of braking systems, to install a new, internet-of-things (IoT) enabled braking system that could allow a predictive maintenance solution to be established on an older container crane.

The company had already been developing new ways to combine its products with IoT technology to produce ‘smart’ machinery.

Working closely with the Port of Duisburg, the company installed specialised sensors on a TDXB thruster service disc brake and a SHC18 spring-applied, hydraulically released emergency disc brake. The service brake

“The problem with traditional monitoring is that it only gives data on downtime, which for a port, is far too late. Once we have a sizable sample of data uploaded to the cloud, we can start rationalising it intelligently to proactively influence maintenance. We will utilise a modular-based modelling program to achieve this.”

“If you imagine that a vessel needs to be unloaded with a crane, downtime can cause huge chaos and extremely high monetary losses,” he says.

“Braking systems on port cranes have a high duty cycle as they are always opening and closing when a container is getting lifted and positioned.

“As the brakes are safety components, they are the last device in the safety chain and protecting the load from falling down, even if the drive train is collapsing. Any downtime or malfunctions on the brake leads to a complete shutdown, as the safety system 60 / CAL March 2021

acts on a disc installed on the highspeed shaft of the crane’s winch drive.

The emergency brake acts on a disc mounted to the gearbox low speed shaft.

An SHPU hydraulic power unit and disc/hub assemblies were also supplied.

A Series 51 geared cam limit switch, with a multi-turn absolute encoder, was also included. It provides feedback about the hook’s actual positioning, speed and turning direction of the elevated movement. These brake sensors and a limit switch encoder exchange data through a programmable logic controller (PLC), via a cloud connection.

Klein says the system goes beyond simply monitoring for faults.

“The problem with traditional monitoring is that it only gives data on downtime, which for a port, is far too late. Once we have a sizable sample of data uploaded to the cloud, we can start rationalising it intelligently to proactively influence maintenance. We will utilise a modular-based modelling program to achieve this,” he said.

“When complete, we can rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to identify parameters that affect the performance of key systems on the crane, which allows for highly targeted predictive maintenance scheduling. This will eventually promote uptime and logistical efficiency for Duisport,” said Klein.

One of the main priorities for Stromag when developing this system was security. All of the data is protected and encrypted before being analysed by the company’s own data specialists to analyse critical events and to be able to use the artificial intelligence for selflearning and analysing the incoming information.

The collected data can also be used to create augmented reality (AR) models of the crane and its systems. Stromag aims to provide remote maintenance support to Duisport further down the line using the data models in combination with an e-commerce platform to streamline the procurement of replacement parts. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

“Over the years, Stromag has extended its product portfolio to include all kinds of brakes and is able to offer each customer a special customised solution, if needed.”

With the new Stromag SioT system solution, Stromag is able to bring the braking system to the next level of digitisation.

BRINGING CRANE BRAKING SYSTEMS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY IoT-enabled technology, similar to the systems installed at the Port of Duisburg, is being introduced to Australian STS cranes and container handling systems.

Ports around Australia face similar issues to the German port. The ability to detect small problems before they escalate can save a business from eyewatering downtime costs.

Svendborg, another of Altra Motion’s brands, has developed a preventative maintenance system that allows management of Mining port conveyors and shiploaders to access real-time data about their operations.

Rex Sinclair, National Sales Manager at Altra Motion Australia, says this advanced warning system is much more cost effective than the traditional method.

“With Svendborg’s IoT-enabled www.cranesandlifting.com.au

brakes, you can see exactly what parts may need replacing and when.

Traditionally, to obtain that information would require shutdowns for manual inspections, which takes time and can miss hard-to-see problems.

“Data not only helps operators improve their process but can also improve the products available through enhanced research and development,” he said.

Cloud-based systems also allows users to access information remotely. In a large country like Australia, this can mean significant reductions in travel times.

Altra Industrial Motion, the parent company of both Svendborg and Stromag, owns a wide range of brands across the motion control and power transmission sectors. It employs more than 10,000 people at sites around the world, with an extensive authorised reseller and service

centre network in Australia.

The company’s brands focus heavily on research and development, sharing their advancements with Altra to be distributed to the market. This, along with factory trained technicians and engineers, allow Altra to provide the latest technology to STS crane and container handling operations.

Sinclair says predictive maintenance technology is only going to keep growing, as customers realise the productivity gains it provides.

“Stromag is one of the leading brake manufacturers in the world with a huge installed base. Over the years, Stromag has extended its product portfolio to include all kinds of brakes and is able to offer each customer a special customised solution, if needed.

“With the new Stromag SioT system solution, Stromag is able to bring the braking system to the next level of digitisation. With the various components Stromag provides customers with solutions from locally based monitoring system up to a fully integrated predictive maintenance solution with interfaces to the customer’s crane management system.

“By predicting downtime, the customer has the ability to plan for maintenance and ensure spare parts are ordered and in place to save on downtime. The additional Augmented Reality support from Stromag provides direct support from technicians around the world.

“Some companies can be a bit frightened of change – preferring to trust what already works than take a chance with something new. However, with automation on the horizon, the ability to remotely monitor equipment will become more vital,” said Sinclair.

March 2021 CAL / 61

IN FOCUS / SANY CRANES

SANY DELIVERS FIRST IN AUSTRALIA

The SANY SCC800TB is the first of its kind in the country and the largest capacity crane in the Preston Hire fleet.

Preston Group recently took delivery of an 80t capacity SANY telescopic crawler, the first of its kind in Australia. The SANY SCC800TB dramatically increasing the capabilities of its SuperCrane fleet. The crane went straight to work on Melbourne’s Level Crossing Removal projects.

UNTIL NOW, THE SUPERCRANE FLEET HAS been recognised for its diversity in the smaller end of the crawler range but Andrew Lambert, Preston Hire’s general manager, is thrilled with the addition of their SANY SCC800TB to their evolving crane fleet.

“This crane is an incredible asset for us. We are always listening to what our client’s need and the type of equipment that will help them to solve site challenges and requirements,” said Lambert. “The opportunity presented itself to us to add this machine to the fleet and we jumped at it. It is a very welcomed addition to our SuperCrane family,” “Having a crane of this calibre in our fleet is incredibly advantageous and a massive achievement for Preston Hire as we grow into new territory. This impressive SANY machine has already shown how in-demand it is having left our branch immediately for a nine 62 / CAL March 2021

“Having a crane of this calibre in our fleet is incredibly advantageous and a massive achievement for Preston Hire as we grow into new territory. This impressive SANY machine has already shown how in-demand it is having left our branch immediately for a nine-month-plus hire.” month plus hire. We don’t think it will be spending much time in our yard which is exactly how we like it,” he said.

The SANY SCC800TB is now the largest crane in its fleet giving it the capability to cater to a broad range of

applications across various industries. As the first machine of its kind in Australia, the machine also demonstrates its continued commitment to innovation and provides its customers with the latest technology and state of the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

art products available in the market, according to Lambert.

The SANY SCC800TB went straight out on hire with Geotech Victoria working on various Level Crossing Removal projects happening across the Melbourne over the next six months.

The Victorian Government is removing 18 dangerous level crossings and building 12 new stations as part of a $3 billion upgrade on the Frankston line that will improve safety, reduce congestion and run more trains, more often.

The 80t crawler is currently working on a project located at Bonbeach in Melbourne. It is being utilised to unload sheets piles and to feed them to the piling rig. Each pack of sheets weighs approximately 20t and the sheet piling works is in preparation for the removal of the level crossing at Bondi Road, Bonbeach. Steel sheets are being driven into the ground along the rail corridor, forming retaining walls for the new rail trench.

The SANY SCC800TB is the first of its kind in the country and is designed, engineered and manufactured for the rigorous conditions seen in Australian.

The telescopic crawler has a lifting capacity of 80t and features a highstrength steel boom with U-shape section area. The boom includes five sections, of which the basic boom is 12.2m and the total length is 47m. Two lengths of fixed jib, 10.2m and 17.5m, can be installed in angles of 0°, 15° and 30°.

The power for the crawler is generates by an ISUZU 6HK1XKSC-01 diesel engine type: 4 cycle, water-cooled, vertical in-line 6, direct injection, turbo-charger, intercooler, compliant with European Off-way Tier III Emission standard.

The electrical control system has been developed by SANY. The SYICII integrated control system manages integration and precise operation of the cranes’ power system, engine, main control system, LMI system, auxiliary system and safety monitoring system. CAN BUS is used for data communication between controller, monitor and the engine. The working parameters and status are shown on www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The SANY SCC800TB is designed to be manoeuvrable around construction sites with independent travel driving units are adopted for each side of the crawler. the monitor, such as the engine speed, fuel volume, engine oil pressure, servo pressure, wind speed, engine working hours, lifting conditions and boom angle.

The integrated LMI control system is standard and it is calibration-free.

It ensures the operation safety and improves efficiency of the crane. the LMI system can automatically detect the load weight, working radius and boom angle and compare this with the rated load weight and actual load, work radius and boom angle. In normal operation, it can make judgments and cut off the operation if the crane is operating outside set parameters.

The SANY SCC800TB is designed to be manoeuvrable around construction sites with independent travel driving units are adopted for each side of the crawler. These enable straight walking and turning driven by the travel motor through gearbox and drive wheel. There are high-speed and low-speed options for travel as fast as 2.5km/h.

The crawlers can extend and retract under high pressure provided by auxiliary system and electricallycontrolled cylinder. During normal operation (SCC800TB has extended and

retracted working mode) and can be retracted during transport to stay on the machine. The machine is capable of pivot turning and single track turning.

The cab has been designed with the operator in mind. The cab is bright with ample space providing a wide view of the surrounding work area. It can also tilt to 20° for a better view of the load. It features low and high-beam lights, backview mirror, heater and A/C, and other functions. The layout of seat, handles, control buttons are designed with ergonomic principles to make operation more comfortable.

The can includes an integrated 26cm touch screen, programmable smart switches and vibration handles. The left and right armrest box feature control handles, electrical switches, emergency stop and ignition switches. The armrest box can be adjusted along with the multi-way and multi-level floating adjustable seat.

Multiple cameras can be presented on the monitor at the same time to enable real-time monitoring of wire rope on each winch, conditions behind the counterweight and work site activities surrounding the machine.

The cab provides a wide view of the surrounding work area and it can tilt to 20° for a better view of the load.

March 2021 CAL / 63

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PACE CRANES | 5-7 Lorraine Street, Peakhurst, NSW, 2210

www.pacecranes.com.au

Tel. 61 2 9533 5411 | Fax 61 2 9533 5585 | sales@pacecranes.com.au

IN FOCUS / GLEASON CRANE SALES Based on the Mornington Peninsula, Patterson Crane Hire services a number high profile clients.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE SQUARE Patterson Crane Hire recently took delivery of another crane from Gleason Crane Sales and Rentals. Laurie Patterson has been buying cranes from Chris Logan for years and credits him as being an industry innovator.

PATTERSON’S INTEREST IN CRANES BEGAN when he was working in his family agricultural business and the neighbour had a crane business.

“I was working in my family farming business and I enjoyed helping the neighbour with his cranes to a point where I bought an old crane, fixed it up and sub-contracted to him part time. The crane was a Coles 1012, a 12t capacity crane. I worked with him off and on for about two years and then in 1991 a local crane company come up for sale and I bought it. I couldn’t afford to buy the cranes but I bought the phone number and the company name which was Coastal Crane Hire.

“To this day, the business has the same phone number and we were able to capitalise on the fact that the previous owner had a good business and sound reputation. We upgraded the crane with a 20t capacity model a year later and we gradually introduced Patterson www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Crane Hire as the company name whilst keeping the same phone number and as I’ve said, which we’ve had for the past 32 years,” said Patterson.

Patterson has always thought a little differently about the crane industry and this has been reflected in the way he has evolved Patterson Crane Hire.

“Because we are based on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne, one of Victoria’s playground we have a number of high profile clients including Daryl Somers, Steve Vizard, the Fox family and football coaches including like Alistair Clarkson,” he said.

“The work is mainly focused on the development of their properties. We’ve put in concrete tanks for Steve Vizard, we’ve done everything from lifting sculptures, irrigation tanks and sheds for Daryl Somers. We’ve completed lifts on the boat sheds for the Fox Family and helped build their new house. Alistair Clarkson is building at the moment and

we’re shifting shipping containers for him. We’ve also worked on TV shows including House Rules and Get Away.

“I have never aimed for Patterson Crane Hire to be a big crane hire company but it was always meant to be one of the best crane companies. We haven’t been chasing volume work we’ve been after quality, that’s what we’ve always chased and that’s what we have.

“We’re not scared to spend money on the right gear for the job. In some instances, we’ll buy gear for ‘one off’ jobs and put it into storage, but we know we have it. We also understand that we might not make any money the first time we use that piece of equipment but once we have it, we will make it up on the second and third time we use it. An example is spreader bars which we’ll buy for a ‘one off job’ we’ll use it and then store it carefully and then we’ve always got it. I don’t like to hire equipment, I like to own it. We have had a working relationship March 2021 CAL / 65

IN FOCUS / GLEASON CRANE SALES

with Buchanan Crane Hire for over 20 years as they have different cranes to us helping fill the gaps with the work on the Mornington Peninsula,” said Patterson.

Patterson explains a bit about the fleet he operates and provides an insight into the way he views the mix of cranes.

“In my fleet I have a 40t capacity Liebherr, a 15t Franna, a 13t ‘bubble’ and I’ve just purchased a 30t capacity Demag AC 30 which has been sourced by Chris Logan at Gleason Cranes. This will be the second of these cranes we’ve owned.

We had the first of these in Australia, but we sold it and we’ve kicked ourselves for selling it. Now we’ve re-purchased another, newer model.

“We’ve also got a Jekko mini crawler crane, which was the first into the country four and a half years ago. We also introduced the first track carrier into Australia and we are the first to bring in the Jekko glass manipulators. We’re always been thinking a little outside the square. We had the first remote controlled crane in Australia, we’ve won a couple of awards with CICA’s Lift of the Year for jobs we’ve completed. We’ve been successful because we’ve been innovative,” he said.

Logan and Patterson have been doing business with each other for many years. Patterson credits Logan for his initiative when it comes to sourcing

innovative cranes.

“Because I’ve always thought and operated outside the square, on occasions I’ve seen the mainstream crane dealers and OEMs have been reluctant to do what we want. I’ve worked with Chris to bring in product that doesn’t meet the usual criteria. He’ll do the homework for me and advise if we can get it on the road here, confirm that it’s going to be compliant and work, or not to worry about it all.

“I go back to Gleason Cranes as a bit of a sounding board because he will tell me if a purchase is a viable proposition and confirm if we can or can’t get one into the country. I’ve dealt with Chris for 25 years, and over that time I’ve bought four cranes through him and some of these have been outside the square.

That’s why I have used his services, mainly because the main-stream dealers and OEMs won’t do it. As an example, he sourced a 40t capacity Liebherr with remote control, ” said Patterson.

Patterson explains more about the service from the team at Gleason Cranes and how Logan and his team, work through their international network of used equipment dealers to find the right crane.

“Chris will work with his network to firstly find the crane. He then manages its importation and the shipping. He retrieves the crane from quarantine, takes

it to his yard and ensures it is Australian compliant. He has it CraneSafe approved, has the crane painted and registered for use on Victorian roads.

“In my opinion, Gleason Cranes have been an innovator for the crane industry.

There are people that knock him but he was the first guy to bring the ‘Bubble’ cranes into Australia and if it wasn’t for him, we probably wouldn’t have them here today,” said Patterson.

“Chris saw the opportunity and the potential for them years ago and we’ve all bought them. Then the mainstream OEMs and manufacturers saw that they were working and jumped on board but Chris had done the groundwork. He’s fairly unique in that sense, he not scared to have a crack at bringing something in.

This is the second city crane I’ve bought from Chris.

“Chris has his critics, I’ve heard them, but there are a lot of cranes running around here which the OEMs wouldn’t have bothered bringing in unless they knew there was a market. Those markets have been created because Chris took the gamble to bring the cranes in and sell them to create the market,” he said.

Logan has been responsible for creating demand for various types of cranes over the years.

“The mainstream dealers and OEMs have seen Chris bring in various types

Patterson Crane HIre also manages a high degree of marine related lift.

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www.cranesandlifting.com.au

of different cranes and then see there is demand and a market for them and then decided to bring them in. I view Chris as a genuine pace setter, he’s been innovative with his approach to the market and the others are only just catching up with him.

“He’s not scared to bring something new into the market, knowing it’s a gamble and it might work or it might not. We bought an original RK 70 from Chris, and we could see Kobleco was never going to bring one into the country. I reckon there are probably 500 of those machines running around Australia now.

“We had the first remote controlled crane in Australia, we’ve won a couple of awards with the CICA Lift of the Year for jobs we’ve completed. We’ve been successful because we’ve been innovative,” said Patterson.

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Patterson brought the first Jekko mini crawler crane into the country four and a half years ago.

IN FOCUS / NEW DEMAG ALL TERRAIN The Demag AC 450-7 sets new standards on seven axles.

BENCHMARK ON SEVEN AXLES: THE NEW DEMAG AC 450-7 ALL TERRAIN CRANE The new Demag AC 450-7 is as compact as a six-axle crane but with significantly better performance. Setting new standards on seven axles – certainly not a humble goal for the engineers at Tadano Demag but the crane manufacturer from Zweibrücken now offers a new seven-axle machine that makes a compelling case with a series of forward-looking solutions and impressive technical specifications.

THE BASIC IDEA WHEN DEVELOPING THE new AC 450-7 was both simple and demanding: Tadano Demag wanted to “give wheels” to a more powerful alternative to its existing six-axle cranes, with the objective to keep it as compact as its counterparts despite the additional axle, all while combining that with significantly better performance. In terms of its dimensions, the AC 450-7 meets this criterion, having a carrier length of only 15.99m, an 8.45m outrigger base, and a total length of 17.62m.

“In other words, it doesn’t need more 68 / CAL March 2021

space than a six-axle crane at a work site, and yet it offers significantly better lifting capacities,” says Product Marketing Manager Michael Klein, confirming that one of the company’s crucial goals was perfectly achieved. But why seven axles to begin with?

“Simple: The only way for the machine to be street-legal and meet our goals of having a longer boom and larger lifting capacities was for it to run on seven axles,” said Klein.

Despite mostly identical dimensions, the new AC 450-7 features considerably

better performance characteristics when compared to cranes with six axles. In fact, the “new kid on the block” features an 80m main boom with a maximum lifting capacity of up to 195.5t. If the main boom’s length is not sufficient, it can, for example, be extended with a luffing jib with a maximum length of 81m. The crane’s maximum system length is 132m.

The luffing jib can be “divided up” in three-meter segments from 24m to 81m.

In order to make it easier to transport the luffing jib, two system dimensions are used making it possible to slide the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

extension’s individual parts into each other. Moreover, the patented luffing jib rigging system makes setup especially fast, simple, and safe – a design that the new AC 450-7 shares with the Demag AC 300-6, AC 350-6, and AC 1000-9 models.

Furthermore, the AC 450-7 is extremely versatile when it comes to extension matters: In addition to the luffing jib, Tadano Demag also offers fixed jib configuration, even with an offset section, and also a runner.

NEW SSL SUPERLIFT DESIGN The SSL Sideways Superlift system not only makes the new AC 450-7 part of the large crane category at Tadano Demag, but also means that the latter will represent more than one debut: Tadano Demag is using its new engineering design for the Sideways Superlift system for the first time ever on the AC 450-7.

This new design is a critical enhancement to the well-known Demag SSL solution, with the Superlift arms now being mounted all the way in the front, on the head of the base section, meaning that they are ultimately longer and accordingly well-suited to larger lifting capacities. And while on the subject of lifting capacities, this means that the AC 450-7 is considerably superior to other seven-axle cranes or even some eight-axle units in a number of boom

positions. More specifically, the AC 450-7 can lift 73.5t at a radius of 9m when equipped with a 60m main boom with an SSL configuration. 37.9t at a 13m radius when the boom is telescoped out completely to a length of 80-meter, and an outstanding 12.8t at a radius of 50m with this configuration.

However, the new Superlift design not only offers more powerful performance, but also better functionality and handling. In fact, the new design only requires one single wire rope line for the connection between the main boom head and the SSL arm. In addition, the SSL arms are pinned hydraulically on the main boom, which reduces manual work for securing the arms and the associated work at height.

IMPROVED COUNTERWEIGHT DESIGN The maximum counterweight for the AC 450-7 is 150t. It consists of a 20t base plate and redesigned counterweight plates that have been optimized in terms of swing radius, which is now only 5.60m. The counterweight plates are available as 10t plates, 5t plates, or a combination of the two, with the goal being to enable customers to optimize their transportation logistics.

Also practical: The base plate can be set up from the front – an advantage that is particularly beneficial at work

The patented luffing jib rigging system featured in the Demag AC 450-7, makes setup especially fast, simple, and safe. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

sites where space is tight and the corresponding transportation truck can only be positioned in front of the crane. “This solution too was the result of us listening to our customers’ explicit requests,” Michael Klein reports.

In addition, there is an optional counterweight frame available for the AC 450-7 that can be used to increase the swing radius in order to further increase the lifting capacity – especially when using a SSL configuration. And last, but not least, Tadano Demag offers various adapters that make it possible for customers to keep using existing counterweight slabs from other larger AC or CC models with their new AC 450-7.

DEMAG SURROUND VIEW At 8.45m, the outrigger base is also at the level of a 6-axle crane. It should be emphasized that the AC 450-7 has five different outrigger widths. This means that the new Demag crane can be used flexibly, particularly in confined construction site conditions.

The new optional “Demag Surround View” makes it easier for the crane operator to position the AC 450-7 at the job site. This patented system uses the six crane cameras to display the possible outreach of the outriggers as well as the tail swing radius at the current position of the crane in a computer-aided display.

“Demag Surround View displays in the carrier cabin the different outrigger widths so the crane operator can position the crane on the construction site in order to extend all outriggers sufficiently far and ensure the required slewing radius. This reduces time-consuming measuring and trial and error when looking for a location, so that the crane can be ready for operation more quickly,” explains Michael Klein.

Demag Surround View also supports the driver on the way to the construction site. The cameras can deliver images of the crane side areas when turning, facilitating the crane driver to detect cyclists, pedestrians, or any obstacles.

This function is activated automatically when the indicator is operated. “This new feature is a real highlight”, states Klein.

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IN FOCUS / NEW DEMAG ALL TERRAIN “We discussed it with several customers and received enthusiastic feedback for it.”

Once the best location has been found, the well-established IC-1 Plus control system provides maximum available lifting capacity, as it determines the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position as a function of the superstructure’s slewing angle in real time. This means that the maximum available lifting capacity can be used with any outrigger configuration, including asymmetrical ones. In addition to the IC-1 Plus control system, the crane is available with the IC-1 Remote straight from the factory, making it possible to remotely read and diagnose all important crane data.

be configured to travel under a 12t or 16.5t axle load limit, in both cases with the main boom in place. Moreover, if the main boom is removed, the maximum axle load is reduced to just a bit over nine tonnes with a gross vehicle weight below 48 tonnes.

Tadano Demag again listened well to its customers and now offers a special carrier version with removable rear outrigger box.

“With this solution we provide our customers another possibility to reduce gross vehicle weight. The quick connections allow our customers to remove the outrigger box very quickly”, said Klein.

FLEXIBLE TRAVELING CAPABILITIES AS A RESULT OF VARIABLE AXLE LOADS The AC 450-7 is available with two different carrier variants to meet axle load requirements all over the world. In the standard version the AC 450-7 can

WEAR-LESS AND POWERFUL START-UP AND SAFE BRAKING The AC 450-7 convinces in driving mode on the road as well as on the construction site. It is equipped with a Mercedes-Benz transmission with turbo retarder clutch

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for wear-less and powerful start-up paired with an integrated high-performance primary retarder. Drivers benefit from sensitive starting and shunting and don’t have to worry about temperature problems. Looking deeper into the drivetrain design, Demag leaves nothing to be desired: All seven axles on the AC 450-7 are steered, while four of them are driven. This makes the AC 450-7 so maneuverable that it can navigate tight work sites at least as well as a six-axle unit. This was, after all, one of the key goals behind the crane’s development.

The AC 450-7 is driven by a MercedesBenz engine with an output of 480 kW (625 HP). The diesel engine conforms to EU Stage V and Tier 4 Final emissions requirements, but is also compatible to Tier 3.

Powerful like 8-axle cranes, compact like 6-axle cranes, all incorporating the latest Demag technology. The new benchmark on 7 axles.

IN FOCUS / 3D LIFT PLANNING

CHICAGO RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE SEES 3D LIFT PLANNING BOOST The city of Chicago is currently undergoing a major rail infrastructure upgrade. Leading crane hire company La Grange Crane Service is utilising A1A’s 3D lift planning system to mobilise its crane fleet to help keep the project on track without interrupting day to day services.

OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, LA GRANGE Crane mixes and matches its full fleet of cranes for Walsh-Fluor Design during the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Project and the monumental project is part of a multi-phase modernisation program to bring the Chicago Transit

Authority’s Red, Purple, and Brown lines up to speed. A century’s worth of rail infrastructure is being replaced without impacting millions of daily commuters.

There is a full-scale infrastructure project sweeping through Chicago’s northern neighborhoods to the tune of US$2.1 billion dollars.

Following an 18-month qualifications review, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) awarded Walsh-Fluor Design Build a contract for the RPM Phase One project in late 2018. The multi-phase Red Purple Modernization Program aims to increase efficiency, economics, and rider experience of Chicago’s

La Grange Crane Service’s ability to consistently deliver crane safety documentation is fundamental in allowing subcontractors to work according to sites distinct plan, every time.. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / 3D LIFT PLANNING

La Grange Crane Service has been a participating member of the RPM team under Walsh-Fluor from day one.

most traveled track – The Red Line. A decade long study and outreach showed train capacity reaching a metaphorical tipping-point – an inability to add more trains to peak periods.

Public transportation is simple to the average commuter. Get them where they to go, as quickly as they can get there.

Delivering, for the CTA and Walsh-Fluor, is a bit more complicated.

The RPM corridor is a 15.45KM The RPM corridor is a 9.6 mile stretch of track originally built in 1924.

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stretch of track originally built in 1924.

It is flanked on both sides by a century of urban development. Private citizens and local business rely on the commuter lines to make a living. Turning over four active tracks does not happen overnight, in fact, it happens over the course of many nights.

The project’s success, and the public’s opinion, rests on Walsh-Fluor’s ability to make incremental progress while

maintaining a safe and comfortable morning commute for the nine-tofivers. La Grange Crane Service has been a participating member of the RPM team under Walsh-Fluor from day one.

The last year has resulted in dozens of crane mobilizations to a handful of constrictive locations.

La Grange Crane is a complementary component to the teams of Walsh, Railworks Track Services, and Meade Electric who are responsible for the removal of existing track, implementation of new electrical components, and installation of new tracks.

Safety is the key component for the CTA. Many different aspects of the modernisation project take place concurrently. Walsh- Fluor has assembled a troop of young talented engineers to oversee various scopes of work under the direction of Project Manager Rob Cheeseman. I La Grange Crane Service’s ability to consistently deliver crane safety documentation to all-hands on deck is fundamental in allowing subcontractors to work according to the sites distinct plan, everytime. is fundamental in allowing subcontractors to work according to the site’s distinct plan, www.cranesandlifting.com.au

every owever, it cannot happen without the trust and communication of exceptional partners.

The CTA RPM project is not slated for completion until 2025. Most of the work for Walsh-Fluor lies ahead. La Grange Crane will get them where they need to go, as quickly and safely as we can get there.

According to Joe Mollo, sales operations manager, La Grange Crane is the world’s leading A1A 3D Lift Plan user.

“We were awarded the 3D Lift Plan of the year award in 2019 and we plan to repeat this year. Our entire team is trained on the software which has multifacet benefits.

“There are key features with the A1A 3D Lift Plan system which are assisting with the demanding role we have with the CTA TPM project including Equipment Utilisation which ensures La Grange is utilising the safest and most efficient crane and configuration in our expansive fleet.

“Operator Awareness enables the entire La Grange Crane field team has accessibility to 3D Lift Plan’s on mobile devices - ensuring a fully informed team on site the day of the lift. This also helps build trust between our project management team, with a message that they are being put in the best position to succeed,” said Mollo.

“Pre-planning is a key feature which ensures 3D Lift Plans are shared with subcontractors and general contractors ahead of projects to eliminate unforeseen obstacles and any miscommunication.

Safety Documentation Delivery is important because 3D Lift Plans are meaningless unless they get in the hands of every person that counts.

This is achieved in conjunction with two software tools proprietary to La Grange Crane which are titled The Crane Confirmation and Certs and Alerts,” said Mollo.

First-class used cranes.

LTM 1030-2.1 (2012)

LTM 1400-7.1 (2010)

LTF 1060-4.1 (2014)

LTM 1250-5.1 (2017)

LTM 1070-4.2 (2010)

LTC 1045-3.1 (2012)

LTM 1095-5.1 (2008)

GMK 5130-1 (2005)

Tried and trusted quality for maximum reliability Mobile cranes of all sizes and makes Thorough inspection and repair/maintenance Can also be provided with guarantee on request International delivery service Wide selection of used equipment to choose from at www.liebherr.com Liebherr-Australia Pty. Ltd. Mobile Crane Division 1-15 James Erskine Drive Erskine Park, NSW 2759

Phone: (02) 9852 1800 E-mail: sales.las@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.com.au

IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR

THREE NEW MACHINES AND ONE NEW DESIGN Innovations have been the driving force at Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH from the very beginning, and 2020 was no exception.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS WERE IN FULL swing throughout the year for LiebherrWerk Nenzing GmbH and three new machines from the deep foundation, material handling and lifting business were unveiled. The most striking feature of these newly released products is the new design for all models.

All colour compositions in the latest generation combine the classic Liebherr yellow with new black, grey and white accents. The design reflects how longstanding tradition and Liebherr values unite with advanced technologies.

The elegant colour scheme prevails through all product groups and lends

The LR 1200.1 and LR 1250.1 are the world’s first batterypowered crawler crane. Both are driven by electric engines with a system performance of 255 kW. There are no compromises regarding performance or availability when compared with the conventional versions.

The brand new Liebherr HS 8070.1 is the newest generation of duty cycle crawler cranes and features a lifting capacity of 70t.

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the machines a distinctive look and immediate recognition.

The new design focuses on an even higher level of safety emphasised, above all, by improved platforms and railings on the upper carriage. Thanks to the additional add-on wing for mounting lights or cameras, the design is more flexible on the whole.

Inside the new cabin the operator experiences immediately how the overall concept fits harmoniously together: reduced noise, panoramic view and pure operator comfort. This is achieved through a modern airconditioning system with improved airflow, an optimised field of vision and an orthopaedic operator’s seat with integrated heating and cooling.

Additional safety is provided by the stone protection, even in the toughest of applications.

The LR 1200.1 and LR 1250.1 are the world’s first battery-powered crawler crane. Both are driven by electric engines with a system performance of 255 kW. There are no compromises regarding performance or availability when compared with the conventional versions. The LR 1200.1 unplugged has a maximum lifting capacity of 200 tonnes and the LR 1250.1 lifts 250 tonnes.

The blue accent in the colour composition, which lends the distinctive look to the unplugged series, symbolises the electric solution representing an advanced technology. The unplugged cranes achieve the best possible combination of operator benefit, efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Thanks to Zero Emission, the new machines are emission free and have www.cranesandlifting.com.au

a very low noise level. That is a huge advantage in areas sensitive to noise and also for the people working on the jobsite.

The cranes can be recharged on a conventional jobsite electric supply (32 A, 63 A) in 4.5 hours and optionally with 125 A in 2.25 hours. The capacity of the battery is designed for 4 hours lifting operation. In accordance with their name, the cranes can be operated without a cable, thus “unplugged” thanks to the battery-electric drive design.

“With our unplugged cranes, we offer our customers an alternative drive design. As we have already seen with the LB 16 unplugged, the first batterypowered drilling rig, the strategy is a complete success. Strict requirements regarding environmental sustainability in tenders for construction projects increase the demand for advanced technologies. For us, it was clear that we extend and successfully establish the design in further product groups,” said Gerhard Frainer, managing director for sales at Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH. The deep foundation – LRB 23 is the continuation of a success story and the compact piling drilling rig closes the gap between the LRB 16 and the long-proven LRB 355.

The new all-rounder for deep foundation work offers an impressive engine output of 600 kW and so delivers the necessary capacity for all common deep foundation work, such as drilling with a Kelly drill, double rotary drill, full displacement equipment and continuous flight auger, as well as soil mixing and applications with a vibrator or hydraulic hammer.

Its compact design allows for transportation of the LRB 23 in one piece, so simplifying mobilisation between jobsites. The remote control simplifies the loading process for transportation as well as the assembly of the machine.

The advantages of the rigid leader are proven in operation. As it can withstand high torques even Kelly drilling is possible, which is unique for a machine of this size! The rotary drive BAT 300 delivers a maximum torque of 300 kNm. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Liebherr’s LR 1250.1 has a maximum lifting capacity of 250 tonnes.

“With our unplugged cranes, we offer our customers an alternative drive design. As we have already seen with the LB 16 unplugged, the first battery-powered drilling rig, the strategy is a complete success.”

Locking of the Kelly bar’s telescopic sections is made significantly easier with the aid of the Kelly visualisation system in the LRB 23. Thanks to the real-time display of the Kelly bar’s locking recesses on the cabin monitor, the operator is permanently informed about the actual distance to the next locking recess. Colour indications inform when the bar can be locked. Furthermore, false positioning of the Kelly bar during the shake-off process is indicated through a warning signal.

During continuous flight auger drilling the concreting process is automated thanks to the drilling assistant. All assistance systems contribute to time savings, higher availability of the machine and a significant increase in safety during operation. The newly designed piling and drilling rig convinces through precision, high performance and a long service life.

The brand-new HS 8070.1 is the materials handling all-rounder with features designed to make it even more versatile and flexible.

With the brand-new HS 8070.1, Liebherr unveils the newest generation of duty cycle crawler cranes. The machine has a lifting capacity of 70t

and is the first choice for a multitude of applications: material handling, deep foundation work or lifting work.

Using the new self-loading system (Jack-Up System) the crawlers can be easily disassembled for transportation, so reducing the transport weight to less than 35t. The platforms and railings must no longer be removed before transporting.

Instead of a single counterweight, the machine now has a modular system.

The duty cycle crawler crane can be individually equipped depending on the application. Further, the boom of the HS 8070.1 is compatible with the HS 8100.1. Therefore, customers can use attachments such as the slurry wall grab HSG 5-18 on both machines and install thicker slurry walls with a more compact machine.

As opposed to the fixed system, the new floating A-frame system ensures higher performance in dynamic applications. It also simplifies and speeds up the assembly and transportation of the machine. The user-friendly design extends to the tank neck, which is easily accessible via a platform on the uppercarriage – a perfect example of the modern design strategy.

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IN FOCUS / FRANNA PICK AND CARRY

Two Way Cranes has found the capacity on the rhino hook, with low profile work, to be invaluable with tunnelling projects.

FRANNA AT40S PROVE GOOD ALL ROUNDERS Two Way Cranes has been running two Franna AT40s for some time and they are proving to be excellent all-rounders and popular with the project management team and also the operators.

JOHN MENENDEZ IS ONE OF TWO WAY Cranes’ project managers, and with close to 40 years of experience in the crane sector, he is well qualified to appraise the performance and assess the value of the cranes operating in the company’s fleet. Two Way Cranes has been operating two Franna AT 40s for some time. They were recently deployed for a dual lift on Glebe Island, in Sydney’s inner west says Menendez.

“The project was for an electrical company that works on and manages various electrical jobs and projects in and around Sydney Harbour. Recently, they were involved in some re-development in an area of Glebe Island. The project involved the dismantling of a number of lighting towers which were going to interfere with the development.

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“We had a 90t capacity crane lift the towers down and we rigged each of the towers at either end. We then had the two Franna AT 40s safely ‘walk’ the towers away to another part of the wharf where they would be out of the way. We had the two cranes because the towers were an awkward size and we wanted to ensure the job was completed quickly and safely. We had plenty of extra capacity been built in the lift and we could have probably completed the lift with one of the Frannas,” said Menendez.

The AT40 is the largest Franna ever built by TEREX and it’s a bold engineering project. The AT40 is the first three-axle crane with a pick-andcarry capacity of 40t on boom lug and 35t at 2.0m radius on 8 part hook block.

Powered by the same Mercedes OM 906

205kW diesel and Allison automatic transmission used on the popular 25t Mac 25, the new crane has a four-section 19.8m full-power boom offering 19m maximum hook height. On site, the rear (third) axle is raised on its hydro-pneumatic suspension to provide 4 x 4 wheel drive and a similar wheelbase as the Mac 25. On the highway the 32t GVW crane travels at up to 80km/h with axle loads of up to 11.5t fully counterweighted.

Additional features include a full width isolated cabin, articulating counterweight and increased cabin storage.

DYNAMIC LMI (PATENT PROTECTED) First released in 2013, Franna’s patented Dynamic LMI remains as a pillar of safety, underpinning the electronic control and user experience offered www.cranesandlifting.com.au

today. The system is designed to offer “real-time” calculation of rated capacity taking into account boom configuration, as well as chassis articulation, pitch and roll, enabling continual assessment of structural limitations, forward stability and side stability.

Increased resolution of rated capacity is made possible by finer measurement of articulation pitch and roll angles, allowing for improved machine capability compared to previous generation LMI systems. When operated on a jobsite over undulating terrain, the rated capacity will be updated continually, providing instantaneous information on the percentage utilisation of the machine (0-100 per cent of available capacity). When operating on a side slope or undulating terrain, operators are no longer required to manually calculate a reduction of rated capacity; the Franna Dynamic LMI does that.

Other operational aids include: • operator settable maximum working height; • maximum working radius; and • percentage of rated capacity.

These features further enhance the safe operation of the machine when site conditions get tough and are available in retrofit form for all Mercedes powered

“The AT4Os have made a huge difference to how we plan lifts at Two Way Cranes. In the past we were planning lifts where you would need a 25t Franna with super-lift, now we can complete these jobs with the AT40s.”

Franna cranes.

Menendez goes on to discuss the difference the Franna AT40s have made to Two Way Cranes, explaining how they offer more options to the company’s lifting capabilities.

“The AT4Os have made a huge difference to how we plan lifts at Two Way Cranes. In the past we were planning lifts where you would need a 25t Franna with super-lift, now we can complete these jobs with the AT40s.

They provide the option of not having to send a second truck to site with the counterweights which provides obvious efficiency gains and savings. Some of the sites we work on, especially around factory applications and industrial sites, access is limited and there isn’t always room for the second vehicle, so the AT40s provide genuine options for us,” he said.

“We’ve also found the capacity on the rhino hook with low profile work to be fantastic and this had proved

invaluable with the tunnelling work we are involved with. We used to walk the panels in these projects with a 25t Franna with super-lift but we’re now completing this work with the AT40s.

The panels are heavier and we’ve had to do some engineering to get the panels to do what they need to do underground. The 25t machine can’t manage the increased weights and the AT40 is the best crane for this work.

With two AT40s in the fleet, we’ve significantly increased the volume of tunnel work we are able to complete,” said Menendez.

Menendez goes on to confirm how the operators and crews enjoy working with the AT40s.

“The operators say the cranes are a much better road ride. It’s like anything, when the technology is better there’s more room, more cameras, more capacity and much safer. In my opinion, the AT40 has all the plusses and it’s a great crane for the crews,” he said.

The Franna AT4Os have made a huge difference to how Two Way Cranes plan lifts.

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

March 2021 CAL / 77

IN FOCUS / DANA SAC

DANA SAC BACKS AUSTRALIAN MADE Brevini products have a proud 50-year history in the Australian construction industry with most articulated pick and carry cranes featuring this brand of winch.

THE ROBUST AND COMPACT DESIGN OF Brevini’s range is perfectly suited to construction and particularly, the crane industry, says Brevini managing director Greg Bunn.

“One of our longest standing applications is in the tower crane market where we supply winch and slew drives.

We also provide mobile wheel and track drives, winches and winch gearboxes and tunnel boring machine gearboxes. The construction industry is a focus for Dana Off Highway products,” he said.

The Brevini story dates back to 1960 when the Brevini family commenced the design and manufacture of planetary gearboxes and small agricultural machinery. The company expanded to create a global sales network with manufacturing in Europe, US and China.

In 2017, the organisation became a part of Dana Incorporated, a global manufacturing company with its own rich history in axles, driveshafts and transmissions for light and commercial vehicles, as well as off highway vehicles for the mining, construction and

agricultural sectors.

Dana SAC Australia operates from four locations in Australia in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane and Dana SAC New Zealand has locations in Auckland and Christchurch to support the New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

“We have supplied winches for cranes to the local market for more than 25 years. Most articulated pick and carry cranes in Australia would feature Brevini winches and these have been operating successfully for many years.

“We manufacture custom winches for various applications including borer erector cranes and our new BWE winch range is designed to meet all the requirements of global crane manufactures,” said Bunn.

“We have been selling Brevini branded winches for cranes along with locally manufactured winches for more than 25 years and we have been supplying tower crane winch drives for the same period.

Dana SAC Australia, recently announced the release of the BWE series of high performance Brevini

winches. The BWE Series is ideal for use in mining, construction and materialhandling applications, as well as other mobile machinery and stationary industrial applications.

The BWE Series covers 13 sizes, ranging from 900 kilograms to 27t capacity. The winches are manufactured in Brevini’s manufacturing plant in Reggio Emilia in Italy and are designed to meet DNVGL and ABS Type approval, API-2C Compliant and DNVGLOS-E101 Drilling Facilities, edition January 2018.

“With this series, our primary market with the new product will be OEMs. I would suggest the replacement market would be a secondary target. We have over 1000 winches on cranes locally.

10-year inspections and servicing requirements provide a regular flow of winches arriving in our facilities for servicing. Due to the quality of the design and manufacturing of Brevini products, we find most of these inspections result in products simply requiring new bearings and seals,” said Bunn.

Dana SAC Australia has supplied winches to the local market for more than 25 years.

78 / CAL March 2021

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

SAC5000S

All Terrain Crane

60T - 1600T

SCC1300TB Telescopic Boom Crawler Crane 130 Tonnes Lifting Capacity

130 t Boom length: 60 m Jib length: 18.1 m Engine: ISUZU

Rough Terrain Crane

30T-120T

Capacity:

Telescopic Boom Crawler

25T-130T NO STANDING UNDER

THE BOOM

SCC4500A

Crawler Crane

Key features ■ Powerful Capacity: Maximum lifting moment of 480t·m.

■ Boom length: Longest boom in its class at 60m.

■ Load Chart: Various ground levels up to 4° and different

counterweight combination.

■ Working mode: Extended and retracted track working mode.

■ Travel: Pick and carry with up to 100% of load.

■ Transport and Assembly: Full self-assembly design,

high efficiency and easy to transport.

■ High standard component brands like Rexroth pump.

WA

QLD, NT, VIC, SA, TAS, NSW, ACT

Roger Cross 0436 307 679 E: sany@ronco.com.au

Peter Lawgall 0411 256 388 E: Peter.lawgall@tuttbryant.com.au

55T-4000T

IN FOCUS / RED RADIO SOLUTIONS

COMMUNICATIONS FOR AN EXCELLENT CAUSE Krazy Kosci Klimb is an empowering challenge event with a difference. Red Radio Solutions is a big supporter and provides all the required communication equipment.

THE ANNUAL KRAZY KOSCI KLIMB WAS back again this year. On Saturday 13 February, the annual Krazy Kosci Klimb brought together 15 remarkable young people with a disability to achieve a seemingly unachievable challenge.

Participants wheeled or walked along the summit track to the top of Mt Kosciusko.

This event sees a team of family, friends, corporate sponsors and Cerebral Palsy Alliance staff walk as one to

complete the 18km hike to the top of Mt Kosciusko.

This year more than 200 people gathered to walk, challenge themselves and reflect on what they are achieving on this life changing day. It is an empowering event not just for the lead participant with a disability but for the team and all the support staff on the day. Everybody comes together for a united goal.

“This year was another inspirational

year we had 15 teams of which 6 participants were in wheelchairs and they all crossed the finished line exhilarated and with a great sense of achievement,” said Jane Morgan, event manager, Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Conquering this challenge sees each team cover 18.4km, starting from Charlotte Pass, and walking or wheeling their way along the summit track to the top of Mount Kosciuszko and then

The Krazy Kosci Klimb is all about teamwork.

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www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Red Radio Solutions has provided the communication systems for the Krazy Kosci Klimb for the past five years.

returning back to Charlotte Pass.

Taking on Mount Kosciuszko is part of the journey. Each team worked together to fundraise in the lead up to the event, encouraging family, friends, work colleagues and the local community to donate in support.

Each team is sponsored by a corporate partner, who not only provide the funding for the team but also staff as part of the climb team.

“Each year we have some amazing corporate partners from Multiplex, Aristocrat Technologies, Clayton Utz, KPMG, Commonwealth bank and many other well-known companies that come back year on year to sponsor teams,” said Morgan.

Also, the event would not be possible without our supportive suppliers. One in particular is Red Radio Solutions, they have volunteered their services to the Krazy Kosci Klimb since the beginning.

“Casey-Lee Powell and her team ensure that all teams are safe and in communication throughout the day.

This is no easy job, the day prior to the event they trek up the Summit Path and install a receiver to support over 40 www.cranesandlifting.com.au

handheld radios. On the day they manage three channels for logistics, chit chat and of course the emergency channels.

Without this vital communication and professionalism, the event would not be possible. The team from Red Radio Solutions are part of the Krazy Kosci Klimb family and have committed to return every year to support a worthwhile cause,” said Morgan.

Red Radio Solutions are well known within the crane sector for managing the communications requirements for mobile and tower crane operations, Casey-Lee and her team have been providing state of the art solutions for years. Casey-Lee’s charitable work is less known.

“Like most organisations, particularly those in construction and especially in the crane sector, Red Radio Solutions likes to give something back to the community. We work with a number of charities and we’ve been involved in the Krazy Kosci Klimb and this was our 5th year of being involved,” said Powell.

“The Krazy Kosci Klimb is particularly special because you see these beautiful individuals achieve a goal they probably

never dreamed they could manage. The look on their young faces, throughout the day, and the positive ‘can do’ attitude of supporting teams, is something to behold. I have tremendous respect for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, and for everything they have set out to achieve,” she said.

Krazy Kosci Klimb is also about the fundraising for essential funding for the Accessible Gym and Sports Program at Cerebral Palsy Alliance. “This year through corporate sponsorship and fundraising we have raised almost $400,000, said Morgan.

Over the past six years, more than 110 young people living with a disability have walked the up to Mt Kosciusko and together with their teams have raised more than $1.3 million for Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

If your organisation would like to sponsor a team next year for this amazing event contact the event manager, Jane Morgan janemorgan@ cerebralpalsy.org.au To make a donation or learn more about the Krazy Kosci Klimb visit the website www.krazykosciklimb.com.au March 2021 CAL / 81

WORKING AT HEIGHT ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

WORKING AT HEIGHTS THE NEED TO BE TRAINED Poorly trained employees working at height are a danger to themselves and those they are working with.

In this first instalment of a twopart article, Working at Heights Association CEO, Rick Millar explores the importance of training for personnel working at heights.

WHEN WORKING IN THE CRANE INDUSTRY, training needs to cover a wide spectrum of activities requiring the personnel to use their skill and knowledge to carefully plan the installation of the machines, equipment and the actual lifting operation.

Some of these key elements listed here would be recorded in the risk assessment and or method statement.

• Planning – including site preparation, crane erection and dismantling.

• Selection, provision and use of a suitable crane and work equipment.

• Including safe slinging and signalling arrangement.

• Maintenance and examination of the crane and equipment.

• Provision of properly trained and competent personnel.

• Supervision of operations by personnel having the necessary authority.

• Thorough examinations, reports and other documents.

• Preventing unauthorised movement or use of the crane.

• Measures to secure the safety of persons not involved in the lifting.

• Understand the Safe Work Regulation and Work Practice requirements.

Regulation and Work practice requires all lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a safe manner. Cranes and lifting accessories www.cranesandlifting.com.au

such as slings must be of adequate strength, tested and subject to the required examinations and inspections.

All crane operators, and people involved in slinging loads and directing lifting operations, must be trained and competent.

This same level of competence is required when you work at heights, your safety focus during those times is of utmost importance. It takes one mistake to turn a routine task into a serious injury or fatality. You must be prepared

to protect yourself each and every time as you could be exposed to a fall-hazard, remember we all want to ensure that we protect ourselves and those that work with us from injury or death.

The Australian work force has many trades and occupations that require workers to utilise their skills in the occupation of their choosing, it is expected that persons working in these trades have been trained in the skills needed to carry out the work required in some cases there are penalties where March 2021 CAL / 83

WORKING AT HEIGHT ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

work is carried out by persons not trade qualified yet we do not have a requirement to be trained for working at height even though it is considered to be high risk.

Often these workers find themselves in positions where they are expected to work at height either above or below ground often with little or no knowledge of the risks they face as there is no legislated requirement other than a recommendation for Height Safety training in work practice documents for these people to have had at least minimal training in the recognition of risk and the means to minimise those risks and dangers they face when working at height.

to have the recourse to ensure that those working at height are provided with enough information and skill to try and maintain a measure of safety, we really need to decide if this is working or do we need a more enlightened way to produce a safer outcome.

CAN THE LACK OF HEIGHT SAFETY TRAINING INCREASE THE RISK OF WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS? Poorly trained employees working at height are a danger to themselves and those who they are working with often placing those tasked with the job of rescuing them at risk, this is not because

Regulation and Work practice requires all lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a safe manner.

WHAT IS WORKING AT HEIGHT? There are many definitions of Working at height one of these refers to any work where a person may have a requirement to have two feet off the ground after which a person could potentially fall from any height and injure themselves.

It could be from a ladder, a roof’s edge, through an opening, even a loading dock or truck all of which can be considered as working at height.

Safe Work Australia in their document “Construction Industry Profile” has shown that the number of workers in the construction industry has grown by 33 per cent over the past 11 years.

Within the construction industry 76 per cent of workers were classed as employees and were covered by workers’ compensation schemes and there have been significant reductions in the numbers and rates of injuries and fatalities in this industry over the last ten years or more though the numbers are unacceptably still high.

Even with the knowledge that personal working at height is at risk, the regulators do not enforce training even to a minimum standard but only recommend that the those working at height are trained relying on the PCBU 84 / CAL March 2021

they choose to be or act in a wilfully negligent manner.

There are many ways in which training can improve performance and reduce the risk of injury and just as many ways that a lack of proper training can spell disaster. Following are some of the ways the adequacy of training can be tied to the risk of injury.

• Employees are unqualified for their positions. While on the job training is an invaluable educational tool, employers are often in a hurry to leave new employees to their own devices.

This sink or swim approach can be dangerous because if the employee hasn’t shown or does not understand the requirements of working at height unable to fully demonstrate that he or she can work safely, the risk of a workplace accident increases.

• Employees are not provided adequate safety procedures or protocols to follow. Everyone knows that using machinery is dangerous if there is a lack of knowledge in regard to the way machine is used this is no different from worker tasked to work at height and can present a risk to those persons and others in their immediate surroundings. Informing a work force

on the proper ways to limit these risks and to respond in an emergency will greatly reduce the chances that workers will put themselves and others at risk. Safety checklists and protocols shouldn’t just be established for workers – they should receive training that educates them on safety procedures and how to abide by them.

• New employees are not properly supervised. When a worker is receiving training on the job, it is important for his or her supervisors to remain with the employee and put an immediate stop to any action that risks the worker’s well-being or that of other workers in the area.

• Employees are not provided detailed information concerning the risks that are specific to their occupations when working at height. An example of this would-be apprentices on construction sites not being provided information on how to avoid electrocution, how to prevent falls from scaffolding, ladders and structures of various types and what forms of personal protective gear Harnesses, Lanyards and the like are needed on the worksite.

CAN TRAINING TO WORK AT HEIGHT DECREASE THE RISK OF WORKPLACE INCIDENT’S? It is reasonable to assume you are working at a height if you: • work above ground level; • could fall off an edge, or through an opening; and • could fall from ground level into an opening or crack on the ground.

There are various sectors of work this applies and not inclusive to the following, window cleaners, firefighters, pilots, rockclimbing instructors and construction workers and those that operate cranes.

This type of work is naturally dangerous, so you should take every precaution if you plan on working at heights. One of these precautions should always be training.

Training is very important for working at heights, because falls can result in fatalities and injuries resulting in loss of work and lifestyle. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Australia’s Most Respected & Reliable Crane Dealer The Gleason name has been operating in Australia for over 40 years.

Our experience and knowledge ensures that you receive quality new and used cranes for sale at an affordable price.

New and Used Cranes Gleason is a new crane dealer that has been steadily building its range of new cranes and equipment for the Australian marketplace. We are proud to sell the following global brands here in Australia: Zoomlion, XCMG, Ormig, Galizia and Beta.

Gleason is also a used crane dealer that holds the title of being the largest specialised marketplace for used cranes in Australia. Let us help you through this important decision.

We understand how difficult it can be to sell your equipment, especially when there are other tasks that need your attention.

List your crane with us and we will find you a buyer.

Imported Cranes Gleason has a solid and well-earned reputation for sourcing high quality, late model used cranes worldwide, then importing them, repairing, servicing and bringing them to Australian Standards and site requirements. We pride ourselves on our commitment to quality, which is why every imported crane is backed by a full parts and labour warranty to ensure your peace of mind.

Service, Repair and Major Inspections Gleason is capable of managing all of your service, repair and major inspection work with our dedicated workshop and trained technicians.

The major inspection process can be complicated and expensive, however with our experience and expertise we are able to get your cranes certified for continued safe operation in the most cost effective and efficient way.

New Zoomlion QY30V532.6Y 30 tonnes Mobile Hydraulic Truck Crane

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LIFT OF THE MONTH PLEASE SEND YOUR LIFT OF THE MONTH ENTRIES TO SIMON.GOULD@PRIMECREATIVE.COM.AU

WHO: A.M.Cranes WHERE: Darwin LIFT: Air conditioning units weighing 1.2t.

CRANE: Liebherr LTM 1200-5.1 working at 66m.

WHO: Borger Cranes WHERE: -Briner Bridge over Upper Coldstream River in Tucabia Northern NSW. CRANE: Liebherr 500t all terrain with 165t of counterweight and 28 metres luffing fly.

LIFT DESCRIPTION: Installation of a 34 tonne bridge constructed in steel and timber replacing a dare type truss bridge.

WHO: Johnson Young Cranes WHERE Melbourne. Westgate Tunnel Project CRANE: Liebherr LTM 1750-9.1 CRANE CONFIGURATION: TY 49.1 meters of boom 204t of counterweight. Crane radius 26.5 meters.

LIFT: Bridge beam weight 52t.

WHO Mid Coast Cranes WHERE: Darawank Substation CRANE: Grove GMK4100L-1 100t capacity 27.84m Boom Length LIFT: 33t Transformer.

CHALLENGES: Due to site restrictions, the crane needed to be jacked high enough to reverse the float under the crane to reduce the working radius.

WHO: Top Gun Cranes WHERE: Sydney LIFT: 41t luxury cruiser CRANE: Liebherr LTM 1130-5.1 LIFT CHALLENGES: SpanSet had to specially manufacture the lifting slings, over a weekend, so the lift could proceed on time.

WHO: Two Way Cranes WHERE: Sydney Harbour Bridge LIFT: 266 three tonne concrete panels CRANES: 2 x Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 Cranes operated from the north and south end of the bridge, lifting every 15 minutes for 3 days and nights.

86 / CAL March 2021

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Let us handle it, with SuperGlassHandling™ Discover our SuperGlassHandling™ range of glass handling rigs, accessories and mini cranes available to service and support the commercial glazing industry.

To find the best solution for your site, please contact Preston Hire today on 1800 440 550 or visit www.prestonhire.com.au

CITYRANGE CRANES COMPACT AND VERSATILE HIGH PERFORMANCE CITYRANGE CRANES

CR-250RV L : 9,195mm W : 2,395mm H : 3,495mm

5.3m, 8.2m (2 sections) 7˚ ≈ 60˚ 6.0m (5 sections)

23,795kg

54km/h 25t x 2.8m (6.7m Boom)

MS-2300

6.7 ≈ 29.0m (6 sections)

1.0m 2 positions (high/low)

CR-200Rf L : 8,710mm W : 2,290mm H : 3,245mm 19,755kg

4.0m, 5.8m (2 sections) 7˚ ≈ 60˚ 5.4m (5 sections) 55km/h

20t x 2.5m (6.5m Boom) 6.5 ≈ 28.0m (6 sections)

MS-250 1.0m 2 positions (high/low)

CR-130Rf L : 7,465mm W : 1,995mm H : 2,870mm 13,815kg 13t x 1.7m (5.3m Boom) 5.3 ≈ 24.0m (6 sections)

3.6m, 5.5m (2 sections) 5˚ ≈ 60˚ 4.75m (5 sections) 55km/h MS-250A 0.8m 2 positions (high/low)

*Subject to modifications to meet local regulations

brisbane | sydney | melbourne adelaide | perth For all sales enquiries:

Peter Lawgall

Peter.Lawgall@tuttbryant.com.au

0411 256 388

tuttbryant.com.au

1300 658 888