Cranes and Lifting - July/August 2020

THE DEDICATED RESOURCE FOR THE CRANE INDUSTRY / JULY/AUGUST 2020

LEADING FROM THE FRONT TIDD CRANE SMART INNOVATION INSPIRED BY PEOPLE

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FEATURES Sensitive lift of Second World War hero

Mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention

Building the Jarlway brand

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IN THIS ISSUE 8 New appointment to the CICA board With a strong background in construction and a focus on safety, David Solomon was recently appointed to the CICA board.

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10 TRT and TIDD pick and carry cranes TRT provides an insight into the development processes behind the success of the TIDD pick and carry range.

14 CICA President report As we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, how confident is the industry about the economic recovery.

17 CICA Member Profile

Komp Cranes think small is beautiful.

20 CICA Vale

We sadly farewell Bob Parker.

23 CICA Tech Corner The CICA technical committee highlights changes to wind load calculations.

24 CICA Chair report

Nick Morris, CICA Victorian Chair discusses the challenges facing members in the state.

26 Safety in construction book review

We review the newly released book

on how to integrate work health

and safety into construction project management.

28 Workplace schemes

Holding Redlich examines workplace schemes introduced by the federal government to assist businesses deal with the impact of the pandemic.

30 A new name in tower cranes

Jarlway brand has been steadily building its reputation with help from national distributor Hardiquip.

35 Celebrating 40 years

Gladstone crane business celebrates 40 years with new 120t Liebherr.

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

38 First Liebherr Fibre crane arrives

New Zealand construction company is the first to take delivery of the new Liebherr Fibre tower crane.

55 Accidents are costing everyone

UAA explains how simple accidents will end up costing everyone in the crane sector.

42 Baden Components Exchange Program The market responds positively to the Baden Components Exchange Program.

58 Streamlining heavy lifting and haulage How to streamline a heavy lifting and haulage business through digitisation.

44 New head office for Tadano Oceania Tadano Oceania opens new $10 million purpose-built head office.

60 Link-Belt releases new crawler crane model Link-Belt recently announced the addition of a smaller crawler crane to its range.

46 New three axle Grove suits Canberra crane business Concept Cranes recently took delivery of the first Grove GMK3060L in the country.

62 McKay United’s Groves to the rescue Two Groves were required for major dual lift at automated container handling facility.

48 Sensitive lift at the Australian War Memorial Capital Cranes deploys two Meada mini crawlers to lift a Second World War hero.

64 A1A 3D lift plan saves money

Utilising the 3D Lift Plan saves cost, time and money by using two cranes instead of one larger one.

50 Frannas to Mongolia

Mine specced Frannas head underground in Mongolian gold and copper mine.

52 Dynamic approach to rigging Dynamic Rigging celebrates 10 years of renting rigging equipment.

66 Material-handling dealership streamlines collections process Implementation of Esker’s cloudbased Collection Management software makes a huge difference.

67 M ental health and wellbeing in the construction and crane sectors Mental health and mental wellbeing is of major concern for our industry.

July 2020 CAL / 3

FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM Published by:

WELCOME TO THE JULY/AUGUST ISSUE OF CRANES AND LIFTING WITH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT planning to invest $100 billion over 10 years through its rolling infrastructure program, there is plenty of discussion around the program leading us out of the COVID-19-induced economic coma.

Organisations, particularly in the crane sector, must think through the moves they can make today to come out ahead tomorrow. A fast return to business as usual seems unlikely for the industry: We must first define and prepare for what the construction industry will look like after the crisis. This issue contains a number of articles that reflect this uncertainty, but hopefully you will find some guidance regarding the economic recovery.

This issue brings a strong focus on crane businesses operating in and around our nation’s capital. One was recently involved in the sensitive lift of a Second World War hero at the Australian War Memorial, while the other demonstrates how innovation is the way forward by taking delivery of a new model Grove, the first in the country.

A Gladstone-based crane company celebrates 40 years in business by ordering a new Liebherr 120t capacity all terrain.

The new model is due to be delivered in

early 2021. A new brand of tower crane has been building its credibility up and down the east coast, and the first of the new Liebherr Fibre tower cranes has landed in New Zealand. Confidence in the Australian crane sector continues with leading brand, Tadano Oceania, opening its new $10 million head office.

We would like to draw particular attention to the article covering a sensitive topic we all need to discuss more openly. Mental wellbeing, mental health and suicide prevention is an industry-wide issue and too many lives are being lost to suicide.

Casey-Lee Powell recently lost her husband to suicide and she has bravely stepped forward to tell her story in the hope his death will help prevent others.

We, at Cranes and Lifting magazine, hope you take away something of interest from the issue.

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, Jo De Bono 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.

4 / CAL July 2020

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WHEN SUCCESS IS YOUR ONLY CHOICE. Powerful. Versatile. Modular.

The new ATF-120-5.1 has arrived.

Owing to a new 60m main boom, the ATF‑120‑5.1 is consistently the most powerful crane of its class for radiuses between 16m and 56m. It’s also allowed to carry a lot on the way: with a 12t axle load and 9.2t counterweight plus slings, in addition to the 17.7m jib with integrated heavy‑duty jib.

The generous ATF‑120‑5.1 is the only five‑axle crane of its class allowed to travel on public roads with an axle load below 10t or a total weight of 48t . With 24t counterweight it remains lean at 2.75m; and with 35.4t ballast, the ATF‑120‑5.1 still has a slewing radius of only 4m. If you’re looking for a crane that offers maximum capacity, easy to use technology and extensive roadability, then look no further than the ATF‑120‑5.1.

tadano.com.au I 1300 823 266

INDUSTRY NEWS The governments are backing infrastructure-led economic recovery.

GOVERNMENTS BACK INFRASTRUCTURE-LED ECONOMIC RECOVERY Following a meeting of Transport and Infrastructure Ministers in early June, Ministers at Federal and State/Territory levels confirmed their support for an infrastructure led economic recovery.

Ministers discussed their commitment to deliver existing infrastructure pipelines including stimulus activities and ensuring sufficient resources are deployed to move projects through assessment processes and into construction faster by targeting administrative bottlenecks. Ministers further agreed to work together to harmonise and streamline processes to clear the way for an infrastructure-led recovery to Australia’s current economic condition including consideration

UNION PENALISED BY FEDERAL COURT The Federal Court recently penalised the CFMMEU and two of its officials $123,500 as a result of unlawfully coercing workers to join and pay membership fees to the union and coercing subcontractors to pay “union rates” during construction work on 6 / CAL July 2020

of infrastructure bodies (iBodies) processes and environmental approvals.

In recent weeks the Federal Government has announced commitments of more than $2 billion for local community infrastructure funding.

This includes $1.8bn under the Local Government Infrastructure Stimulus, including a new $500 million Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI Program) and $207m under Round 4 of the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF).

Under the LCRI Program, all councils will be able to access funding to support delivery of priority local road and community infrastructure projects. Funding allocations for the LRCI Program have been calculated in a similar way to how the Roads to Recovery Program and the

road component of the Financial Assistance Grants works. This formula takes into consideration road length and population and is based on recommendations of Local Government Grants Commissions.

Under the BBRF, 163 infrastructure and community projects are being funded that support local communities affected by drought.

Leading industry body, Civil Contractors Federation welcomed the funding announcements, but said they fall short of what is required.

CCF confirmed it will continue to urge the Government to inject more money into these and other civil infrastructure programs across urban, rural, regional and remote Australia, particularity following the agreement

by Ministers to push an infrastructure led economic recovery.

Melbourne University’s college site in Parkville in 2016.

The Court found in March 2016, CFMMEU site delegate Mario Raspudic prevented two subcontractor employees from working on the site unless they were paid up members of the union.

Mr Raspudic told a worker engaged

to perform rigging work that he couldn’t work at the site until he renewed his CFMMEU membership, which had lapsed. He also told a second employee of the rigging company that he would have to join the union to work on the site.

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CICA BOARD APPOINTMENT

WORKING TOWARDS A SAFER INDUSTRY David Solomon was recently appointed as a director to the board of The Crane Industry Council of Australia.

David Solomon was recently appointed to the board of The Crane Industry Council of Australia.

WITH A CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CAREER spanning 30 plus years, including numerous mid to senior management roles, safety in construction remains a major focus for Solomon.

Solomon is the executive officer, Safety and Risk at the Master Builders Association (MBA) in New South Wales and his appointment to the CICA board provides numerous synergies between the two organisations.

“I’ve always been aligned with safety 8 / CAL July 2020

and I have managed to steer my career towards ‘pure safety’ in construction. I’m now with the MBA NSW where I head up the safety department,” said Solomon.

“With this broad experience in the construction industry, I sit as an industry representative on numerous industry forums. Last year, I was approached by CICA to become a director. My appointment will give the board a broader outlook in terms of safety, and I will be

able to provide insights and advice regarding the broader topic of safety in construction,” he said.

Solomon’s experience in safety is extensive. He is an International Safety Quality Environment Management Association Safety Award winner in 2015 and 2106 for his commitment and involvement in developing a positive safety culture in the Building and Construction Industry. He is the Head of the Standards Australia International Delegation for the development of ISO45001, the first international standard for safety management systems. In his role at the MBA, Solomon has also designed, developed and published a suite of safety, quality, environmental and integrated management systems to comply with ISO, Australian Standards, NSW Government Guideline requirements and the WHS 2017 Act and Regulation.

“Safety has been the focus throughout my career, and I’ve been working to prevent workers from injuring themselves on construction sites the whole time. I’m pleased to say, I’ve had a clean slate to date.

“If I got hit by a bus tomorrow and the question was asked, “did David Solomon make a difference to the world of safety?”, I think the answer would be “yes he did”. I have helped produce an international standard to safety, in a plain English manner which can be applied to the Australian landscape.

I am forever reviewing government documents to bring them back to grass roots and in my opinion, there is no point in having this safety information if it’s not able to be practically applied, let alone understood,” said Solomon.

In an industry where timelines are critical with unrealistic construction programs, construction workers will cut www.cranesandlifting.com.au

corners to save time and this frequently includes compromising site safety, says Solomon.

“If you are going to have an unrealistic time frame which forces everyone to work out of sequence, the only way you can do work safely is to plan. While the construction program might be short, you need to be more organised at the front end of the project and the planning needs to be in place.

“The more you plan the less likelihood there is of an incident occurring, because you have sat and discussed it. If you have someone within a construction company agreeing to unrealistic time frames to appease a client, that’s the point where you have to sit down with key staff members and start planning. If you are not resourced adequately you won’t have time to plan, planning is the key,” said Solomon.

Solomon sees some definite synergies with his roles across the general construction sector and now in the crane industry.

“Wearing a number of hats is not new to me. The role with CICA is about increasing awareness and opening the lines of communication and the MBA sees my appointment to the board as a positive initiative. ‘‘It is broadening the reach of both industry groups and it also draws the two entities closer together. Being on the inside of both the MBA and CICA will make the lines of communication more open and it will bring the two organisations closer together. It also builds a level of trust between the CEO and the Executive Director of the two entities I represent. I’m pleased to report that the dialogue has been positive to date,” he said.

According to Solomon, there are a number of issues common to both MBA and CICA members. The most prevalent would be the unrealistic time frames expected for crane companies to transport, mobilise and to set up cranes on site.

“The movement of cranes restricted by government agencies is a big issue and streamlining the permit application www.cranesandlifting.com.au

‘‘It is broadening the reach of both industry groups and it also draws the two entities closer together. Being on the inside of both the MBA and CICA will make the lines of communication more open and it will bring the two organisations closer together.”

process is very important. Site access is another issue and crane companies need to fully assess sites before they determine which type of crane is applicable. More broadly, the dialogue between constructors, owners of cranes and government agencies needs to be more organised, more open and more frequent,” said Solomon.

“There is a push to do this and Safe Work New South Wales is setting up a separate committee to assess the challenges involved in working in Sydney’s CBD. I think this is a marvellous initiative because it gets all interested stakeholders in the one room to share information.

“We are already seeing this happening with three major builders catching up once or twice a week. In years gone past, constructors kept information to themselves providing a leading edge over other builders. Now, the guard is coming down and builders are talking to each other more openly and they are even sharing road closure permits, which is unprecedented,” he said.

Solomon believes the Australian construction sector is a long way behind the northern hemisphere when it comes to offsite manufacturing of prefabricated sections for a project.

“If they can build two hospitals in Wuhan in ten days, we need to get serious about the efficiencies in terms of construction methodology in Australia.

Currently we are miles behind other sectors around the world.

“Today, we are still lifting skip bins full of rubbish, reo or form work, when we need to be lifting completed sections of services like pods of bathrooms, sections of central flooring, walls and components which can be joined up,

which limits our crane efficiency greatly.

“It is inherently safer to build components off site and in a controlled environment and when these components get to site, it makes a crane much more efficient. As soon as this practice becomes more prevalent in the construction sector the pressure on constructors and crane companies will be eased,” said Solomon.

Post COVID-19, Solomon believes the construction sector is well positioned to cope with the shovel ready projects and the fast tracking of infrastructure projects.

“I think the construction sector has been very fortunate to be categorised as an essential Industry. On the larger scale projects, we haven’t really seen a lot of disruption apart from the application of the COVID-19 controls like the foursquare meter rule, the limits on travel and 1.5 meter social distancing.

“The construction industry has been very quick to adapt, and the right measures have been put in place to comply with the regulations. The single dwellings residential area of the sector has taken a hit with the level of orders reduced and this will have a knock on effect throughout the industry.

“But, once the restrictions are lifted, we could well find a bottle neck develops and there will be a substantial amount of work that needs finishing. There are other issues including a shortage of materials procured from overseas, but we are a resilient industry and we’re finding ways to keep going. In 12 months, I forecast we will be back to where we were before COVID-19. It will take that time to recover but I think the industry will come out of this better, stronger and wiser for it,” said Solomon.

July 2020 CAL / 9

UP FRONT / TIDD PICK AND CARRY CRANES

LEADING FROM THE FRONT TRT’s focus on people is leading industry wide innovation and standards for the Pick and Carry crane in Australia. Cranes and Lifting reports.

ARTICULATING CRANES HAVE BEEN documented as causing serious harm to people. The construction and mining sectors are constantly evaluating their safety on sites, more recently restricting contracts.

Safety of these cranes is also a focus for CICA, with the release of a new operator information video in June this year. As the manufacturer of the TIDD Crane, this has also been the focus of TRT, from the first prototype on the PC25 in March 2014 to the new PC28.

We take a closer look at the history of the innovation from TRT in Pick 10 / CAL July 2020

and Carry crane operation and why challenging standard expectations in a market can improve outcomes for an entire industry. TRT believes there is always a better way.

TRT is open about the journey of the development of the TIDD crane from the first PC25 prototype in 2014, that launched to a mixed reception, the learnings and the successes from this journey, to the new TIDD PC28, which celebrated its first birthday in May 2020.

TRT directors, Bruce and Robert Carden tell us more about the journey.

“The opportunity for the

development of the PC25 stemmed from our existing customers and networks sharing their frustration around lack of product options, manufacturing timing constraints, lack of competitive pricing, limited innovation and lower than expected levels of service. These frustrations were seen by them to be the result of a lack of competition” says Robert, TRT’s technical director He continues, “From the start, the TIDD development was intended to set new standards in articulated crane performance, but more importantly the way in which safety, risk and the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Operator Safety and People is a real focus for the development of the TIDD Crane.

TIDD - Slew Safe and Traction Air leading innovation.

operators are protected to satisfy duty of care and mitigate risk to all stakeholders.

We truly believe that this journey has created the product the industry has been demanding” “From the initial ‘R and D’ to the TIDD PC25 prototype took about three years. Like any new product development journey, it took time, effort and investment in research, design and engineering to create a product that met customer expectation.”

“While the PC25 delivered a lot of great features, like a fully certified ROPS two door cab, the first for an articulating crane, including ABS brakes, hydropneumatic front suspension and a dynamic load indicator with side slope www.cranesandlifting.com.au

deration , we soon discovered we had overlooked key operational features like a full power boom.”

TRT were determined to provide a better performing crane and an even more people centric crane, that the industry was asking for.

Bruce, TRT’s director of innovation and Sales continues, “from its introduction to the Australian market in 1980 with a subsequent offshore acquisition in 1999, we knew that there was an entrenched crane brand in the market [Franna] that set the standard for operators, but we also knew nothing will ever improve in an industry that will settle for less than they should.

Especially when we compare this with other industries and even other crane classes, that are experiencing technology advancements at a much faster rate.”

“Our team have a real passion for innovation and the desire to solve problems, so it was a natural and perfect fit for us to get to work and solve some of the frustrations customers and stakeholders in the industry were having” “This is not about innovation for the sake of innovation. This is innovation where it matters, operator and site safety.

We see the PC28 as the new standard for Pick and Carry cranes. It delivers the operational features customers wanted with new significant safety innovations, but we believe it has also put pressure back on other Pick and Carry manufacturers.”.

“After extensive industry and expert consultation that started in 2017, we launched our new generation TIDD PC28 in May 2019. We believe that since

its launch the TIDD PC28 is creating a new benchmark in performance expectation within the market.”

It’s not just manufacturer’s claims.

Based on what customers are saying, TRT is creating a new benchmark in performance and service expectation within the pick and carry market.

Michael Yates from NSW based CREW confirms, “Working with Tier One clients, we are obviously aware of the focus on Pick and Carries in general and the concerns around their safety specifically. One of the biggest drivers around the TIDD purchase is the fact that you can take the machine to Tier One customers and demonstrate the risk mitigation features of the PC28”.

Ryan Melrose, from Melrose Cranes agrees, “We recognised that areas of the construction and infrastructure sector have degrees of negativity towards articulated Pick and Carry cranes.

Obviously, there have been a number of incidents over the years involving this type of crane, including roll overs.

Todays’ Pick and Carries are built with a number of safety features that aim to limit or even prevent the operator from putting the machine into a position that may result in an incident or accident. We feel one of the leading safety-systems is Slew Safe, developed by TRT,” Adam Murrihy from AM Cranes explains the motivation in their TIDD PC28 purchase; “As far as the safety aspects of the TIDD are concerned, in our opinion they are ahead of the opposition.” He continues “We’ve seen them come along in leaps and bounds and the features in these particular units July 2020 CAL / 11

UP FRONT / TIDD PICK AND CARRY CRANES

give us a significant point of difference when we are talking to our customers,” So, what are these TIDD PC28 innovations leading the industry in a safer direction?

Slew Safe, is the most significant innovation in articulating crane safety in recent years. Slew Safe restricts the crane from operating off the chart using audible and visual alarms, steering restrictions, it cannot be overridden. It reduces speed to 15 per cent in the unsafe direction, and full speed in the safe direction of steering.

The PC28 was the first crane in its class to deliver Dynamic LMI to the industry with an external override key, taking the temptation to operate in override away from the operator, and putting safety back in the hands of those that should decide, creating a positive change in lift planning and decision making.

Traction Air, TRT’s own Central Tyre Inflation system, used in the logging and haulage industries across Australia and New Zealand for almost 25 years, has been reconfigured for the PC28 to maintain a consistent 130 PSI tyre pressure, optimising crane stability. It is monitored within the ROPS cab and automatically adjusts, no matter the load or the terrain or the temperature. The added benefit – it enables instant tyre pressure checks, saving as much as thirty minutes each day on manual checks and adjustments.

The PC28 is designed with greater visibility than any other pick and carry crane, which greatly removes blind spots and improves visibility of the load and people in the operating zone, from all angles and retains the forward mounted cabin design so popular with the PC25.

TIDD remains the only articulating crane to deliver a certified cab roll over protection system (ROPS).

Bruce explains why this is so important to TRT, “Innovation is often a term over used or used loosely by companies, but it IS part of the TRT ethos. When we saw an opportunity to improve outcomes for people, we choose to invest and lead from the front.”

This is not restricted to TIDD Cranes.

In 2019 TRT patented a new electronic steering system (ESS) for low loaders, 12 / CAL July 2020

“The PC28 is designed with greater visibility than any other pick and carry crane.” platforms and house trailers in 2019, a world first. They launched Versa Lock at CICA in 2019 for more flexible axle weight management on crane support trailers.

They also work with Australian and New Zealand Defence to create unique operational equipment solutions too.

“As we have endeavoured to for over 53 years in NZ and over 20 years in Australia, we continually ask, ‘what can we do to our products to not only ensure superior functionality, but also superior safety?’ We wanted to create a new standard for Pick and Carry cranes and based on the feedback from the market, we are achieving this,” Roberd added.

“We are a bespoke manufacturer by many standards, but we are only one of a handful of vehicle manufacturers remaining in Australasia. We strongly believe in local manufacture and it is at the core of our operation. It allows greater quality control and greater

agility. It is a platform that enables innovation and best of all it supports 100 per cent local. While sourcing fabricated weldments offshore for assembly is more cost effective, it does not promote innovation and is not an option for TRT,” Bruce said.

“I challenge articulating crane operators and owners to ask yourselves if you can trust the status quo, given that change only comes when you challenge the default standard, which comes through innovation and changing expectations.

Of course, we would like to see more TIDD cranes on construction sites across Australia, but we would also like to see an industry challenging expectation, keeping people safer and reducing risk.”

The TIDD development was intended to set new standards in articulated crane performance, but more importantly the way in which safety, risk and the operators are protected to satisfy duty of care and mitigate risk to all stakeholders. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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CICA PRESIDENT’S REPORT INDUSTRY NEWS / PRESIDENT’S REPORT

EMERGING FROM COVID-19 WITH CONFIDENCE Business confidence is a key driver as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 storm. But it seems federal and state governments are very concerned about our ability to return to pre-pandemic levels without significant support.

IT SEEMS AS THE WEEKS PASS BY, WE are slowly returning to an Australia somewhat recognisable to the burgeoning first world economy we had all grown to know as “normal”. There is certainly a feeling of uncertainty and hesitation amongst all of us, as we start to restore our daily lives back to “Before COVID” (BC) times. I recall back in February, only one-month BC, our Victorian operation had recorded its best trading year to date since the company was founded, yet only one month later as restrictions began to close down parts of the economy, our trajectory had spiralled downward, as many of our CICA members have experienced.

But now, as I mentioned, it seems to be on a path to stabilisation. It seems as though the value of the Euro has restored to BC levels. It seems our customers have more confidence to plan project works in the industrial sector. It seems the construction sector has managed continuity through the pandemic and it seems like life will gradually return back toward our “old normal”. It seems, to the most part, Australia has managed the pandemic well, relative to the rest of the world.

“It seems” though, is not a great term to gauge confidence, and confidence is the fuel small-medium enterprises hunt to generate growth and prosperity.

Given how active both federal and state governments have been to provide support for businesses through tax rebates, employment programs and investment allowances, it seems they are very concerned about our economy 14 / CAL July 2020

returning to pre pandemic levels without significant support.

Governments, both state and federal, are keen for us to invest. But investment comes with confidence, and confidence must exist in both private businesses and the banking sector together. This becomes a very interesting three-way dance between 1 – businesses and business confidence, 2 – government support, and 3 – the banking and finance sectors appetite for risk. Interesting because on the one hand, we have many thousands of businesses registering for Job-keeper, plus taking up payment deferment options with their banks

CICA president Tom Smith.

and risk profiles, I’ve never been able to grasp why, for example, I could buy a new vehicle, and spend, say, $130,000 on a new Range Rover and gain immediate support for its funding, yet if I wanted to spend the exact same amount of money on an older crane, most lenders would reject the deal. I know which of the two would earn more money over the next five years, plus sell for more after the five years has expired, but many lenders run from these deals, particularly in economic conditions such as now. But hey, that’s why they’re the bankers instead of us.

Governments, both state and federal, are keen for us to invest. But investment comes with confidence, and confidence must exist in both private businesses and the banking sector together. and financiers, then, on the other hand, attempting to take up investment allowance incentives through capital acquisitions and engaging with alternate banks and financiers to achieve the lending. I have been watching with interest, the appetite of financiers to pledge support for acquisitions during this time. Each tend to have a slightly different slant in their risk profiles, most though, seem very open to support acquisitions for new equipment or close to new equipment, while many (not all) are very hesitant to fund in the older, eight year plus machinery category.

Just while I’m mentioning banking

A further interesting angle is the role of the federal reserve, as it works independently from government to provide a more palatable investment environment. Every month we hear speculation of interest rate reductions.

With the official cash rate at already record low 0.25 per cent levels, what does this really mean to us real people with real businesses? Put simply, if the reserve lowers to zero or even in to negative interest rates, there is no incentive for our banks to make money on the short term market, that is, a bank holding excess money places it short term to the reserve and will only receive a 0.25 per cent short www.cranesandlifting.com.au

term return. That means, in theory, our local banks increase their available funds, or the “supply of money” as it’s known, to lend to businesses who want to invest in new capital acquisitions on fixed term equipment finance loans to capture a greater return on the retail interest rate market, say around the 3.6-4.4 per cent mark. The theory is, the lower the reserve rate, the greater the supply of money available for us small-medium enterprises to use on capital acquisitions and other products the bank can capture a greater interest return on. But that’s the supply side only, the banks then must have confidence that the demand for such equipment in the market place warrants the investment and is sustainable for the purchasing business long term. That’s why the government business incentives have been pledged in such a targeted way. To ensure investing businesses can secure continuity through the pandemic and continue to prosper on the other side. Convincing the banks that this fits with their own risk profiles can be the tricky part.

At CICA we have been monitoring our members and industry very closely.

The CICA Board has, and continues to, meet fortnightly via Zoom during the pandemic, and discusses with our CEO, Brandon Hitch, the feedback from our membership, the takeup trajectory of CICA services and products, along with modifications required (if any) in approaching our special projects and lobbying activities and expenditure. For the most part, we have kept significant areas of lobbying unaltered, notably in the area of roads and road access. We have gained significant progress in some east coast locations, with limited single trip permits now being granted regularly in Victoria for six, seven, eight and nine axle cranes, boom in rack.

It has been exceptionally important to us to keep very active and engaged as we have been unable to conduct business in its usual way. It seems our industry and members have the

resilience to push through this very trying time and I look forward to a time where I can comment with certainty that this has been achieved.

CICA BOARD Tom Smith – President Geoff Bevan – Vice President Andrew Esquilant – Director Danny Black – Director John Gillespie – Director Bart Sutherland – Director Marcus Ferrari – Director Ben Pieyre – Director David Solomon – 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 John Humphries VIC/TAS Liaison Officer 03 8320 0433 0439 556 867 john@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

Tom Smith CICA President Managing Director – McKay United 0439 130 567

Damien Hense Road Safety Liaison Officer 03 8320 0460 0488 007 575 damien@cica.com.au Andy Chambers Crane Traineeship Coordinator 03 8320 0420 0477 577 667 andy@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.

July 2020 CAL / 15

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CICA MEMBER PROFILE

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL CICA member Komp Cranes has stuck to what they know best, running smaller cranes and servicing the lighter end of the lifting in Melbourne.

KOMP CRANES IS A FAMILY BUSINESS, which was started by Paul and Melinda Keinhuis in 2002.

Since 2011, it has been owned and run

by Danny Toohey and his wife Barbara.

The business focuses on all areas of the construction industry including residential and commercial building and it also services general industry in and around Melbourne.

“I have been in cranes and rigging for 25 years and before that, I was in the truck spare parts industry. I basically got into Komp Cranes because I wanted to do it for myself and my family and not work for someone else. It was a case of backing myself and fortunately it has paid off,” said Toohey.

According to Toohey, the business focusses on the smaller end of the market and the fleet reflects this.

“The major point of difference between Komp Cranes and others, is we remain a small company that ticks all the right boxes when it comes to the smaller end of the market and we specialise in smaller cranes up to three axle all terrains.

Currently the fleet includes: • 2.85t Maeda mini crawler; • 3t Unic crane truck; • 13t Kato; • 16t Tadano; • 40t Liebherr; • 55t Liebherr; and • 20t Franna.

A 60t Liebherr is on order and is due later this year.

Komp Cranes also operates three tray trucks to help with the logistics of the fleet.

“We will have up to a 60t capacity in our fleet when the new Liebherr arrives, but we also have the ability to source larger cranes from a variety of other yards when needed,” said Toohey.

“The work we do influences the mix www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Barbara and Danny Toohey – the team behind Komp Cranes.

of our fleet because there are plenty of jobs with limited or tight access. For our business it is important that we fully utilise the fleet. For this to happen I have been purchasing cranes that are in demand and which can be sent out in a variety of sizes. For example, our 55t crane can be deployed as a 40t machine if my smaller cranes aren’t available,” he said.

According to Toohey, maintenance and servicing of the fleet is the key to crane availability.

“I don’t have a fulltime mechanic and I use a mobile crane mechanic for most of servicing and repairs. We also have a fully equipped workshop and with a couple of mechanics in my staff, we can fix most things ourselves if need be.

“If we are going to see the cranes fully utilised, it’s important for the fleet

to be well maintained and serviced. At a minimum, we service our cranes to the manufacture’s specification. We generally outsource the truck servicing, because I know a lot of heavy diesel mechanics,” he said.

Most of the work for Komp Cranes involves small to large building sites, steel erection and domestic work including the installation of swimming pools and spas. The team also works with arborists and moving machinery in industrial applications.

A keen focus on customer service has helped generate long term, customer loyalty, says Toohey.

“We have customers who have been using us since the beginning and we still do work for the very first customer who received invoice number one. Most of our July 2020 CAL / 17

CICA MEMBER PROFILE Komp Cranes’ work influences the mix of the fleet because there are plenty of jobs with limited or tight access.

clients aren’t interested in cheaper prices, they just want good reliable service. I take customer service very seriously and want to see every job completed on time and in full,” he said.

Safety is also a key focus for the business and every lift is carefully planned, says Toohey.

“To ensure our work is completed safely, we closely adhere to the safe work practices and guidelines set down

by WorkSafe Victoria. We also run a well-maintained fleet of cranes that is periodically inspected as part of CICA’s green sticker program. It is the same with our lifting gear, we ensure it is tested on a regular basis.

“I spend a lot of time conducting site inspections, especially when it comes to the domestic jobs. You never know what you are in for with that type of work, so it’s important that our crews are fully prepared for the site and there are no surprises,” he said.

Komp Cranes generally runs between six and eight staff members, depending on how much work the business has, and most of the staff have plenty of industry knowledge. According to Toohey, the business benefits from being a member of The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA).

18 / CAL July 2020

“We were members of the Victorian Crane Association and we have been a member of CICA since 2012. We see a lot of benefits from our membership. The amount of information available to us is very helpful to the running of the business on a day to day basis and the discounted green stickers is an added bonus, it all adds up.

“I am also an active member of the Victorian Steering Committee and I enjoy playing my part in terms of ‘going in to bat’ for us smaller companies. I also attend the CICA meetings along with representatives from the manufacturers, WorkSafe Victoria, the unions and other interested industry groups. I try and attend the CICA conference because there is always useful knowledge shared during workshops and the networking is also a real plus,” said Toohey.

Support from OEM’s and suppliers in general is important to his business, says Toohey.

“Good support from OEM’s and suppliers in general is a must in this day and age, and I’ve been well supported to date. If a supplier is not offering the right level of support, I don’t hold back in letting them know what I think. If the support still isn’t there, I will never make another purchase from that

supplier again. The crane industry is a relatively small community and word gets around quickly,” he said.

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn was of initial concern to Toohey.

“COVID-19 has certainly impacted the business, but I’m sure with the incentives and help from the government and financial institutions, we can all pull through. Initially, I thought my world was going to tumble down, but now I’m staying more positive. As they say, we are all in this together and we’ll all pull through this together,” he said.

“Five years from now, I would like to see the business still going strong with the possibility of getting into the four and five axle mobile crane market. I would also like to think we will have a management team running the business, because my wife and I are doing it all ourselves at the moment.

“I encourage all crane companies to get on board with CICA. A lot of important work goes on behind scenes such as trying to get the stamp duty removed from registration and having the man box rules overhauled. These changes are of importance to our industry and will help Victoria align with the other states.

If you are not a member of CICA, get on board,” said Toohey. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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CICA VALE

VALE BOB PARKER Vale Bob Parker, CICA Life Member, friend and major contributor to the Australian crane industry.

IT WAS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT CICA announced the passing of Life Member Bob Parker. He had bravely fought a battle with cancer for some time and peacefully succumbed in mid-May. Although Bob was clearly a pioneer during the early days of the Australian crane industry, his wife Betty would like him to also be remembered for his love of his family, “he loved cranes, but his love of family always shone through,” she said.

Bob spent a lifetime in the crane industry, starting as a rigger, and moving through crane driving and estimating to senior management positions. Much of the early time was spent in Sydney and Brisbane with Maros Constructions.

Since then, the bulk of his time was spent with Brambles.

He was a key player in the formation of a crane hire association in Queensland; and was on the organising committee for the first national crane conference, held at the Broadbeach Hotel on the Gold Coast in 1979. He served as the State and National President of the association, and consistently supported the industry through service on various committees over the years.

Bob was able to combine the practicality of his early background and an appreciation of the role and conditions of the worker at the ‘coal face’ with a breadth of vision which came from his rise through the management ranks and contact with other sectors of the industry.

Despite the hours spent at work and on industry service, he was a committed family man. Bob was awarded the Con Popov memorial award for service to the crane industry at the 1999 annual CICA dinner at which time he was greeted 20 / CAL July 2020

Rob Way presents the Con Popov Memorial Trophy to Bob Parker (right) at the 1999 dinner.

He was a key player in the formation of a crane hire association in Queensland; and was on the organising committee for the first national crane conference, held at the Broadbeach Hotel on the Gold Coast in 1979. He served as State and National President of the association, and consistently supported the industry through service on various committees over the years. by the surprise appearance of his wife Betty with a message of support and congratulations from his children and grandchildren.

Given Bob’s ‘call to arms’ in his acceptance speech for the award, Bob was asked for his views of where the industry should be heading, which he agreed to give in his capacity as an individual who has spent well over 40 years in the

industry in various positions, and who has been actively involved in the Crane Hirers Association since its inception.

Bob’s view was that the history of the industry needs to be understood in order to appreciate current problems, and to find a way forward.

The industry started with large family-owned hire companies in the major cities who first used simple cranes www.cranesandlifting.com.au

they made themselves, then war surplus slewing cranes, before imported cranes became generally available in the late 1950s and early 1960s. As the major companies upgraded their fleets, they created a buoyant second-hand market for the cranes they traded or retired from their fleets, creating a path for new people (often former operators) to enter the industry.

forcing it to buy to a price that could be supported by the prevailing hire rates.

This was particularly pronounced with the strengthening of the Yen during the 1980s, creating a volatile market for new equipment. A consequent change of this era was a blurring of the boundary between the hirers and the marketers.

Bob believed that as a whole the industry did not mature sufficiently

Bob believed that with States now showing a willingness to investigate and prosecute, rather than maintain the previous ‘hands off’ approach until a serious accident occurred, the days of the ‘rate cutter’ and ‘overloader’ were numbered.

With the expansion of the industry, a number of people from the major hire companies saw the need for an official voice for the industry, with Victoria being the first state to get an association up and running. Bob recalled Bill Shaw as a key figure in spreading the message and pushing for a national council to promote common interests, including uniformity (because each State developed its own regulations, the State associations would remain the day-today engine of the industry.)

Problems that existed at the time were; dumping of unsuitable cranes; crane hire and hirers becoming defacto second hand dealers and a failure of the industry to adjust hire rates in line with improvements in crane technology,

to work under the changing climate of self-regulation in the late 1980s and 1990s, covering areas such as safety, employment (enterprise bargaining) and the general business climate. This left the responsible players with a dilemma in how to respond to the rate cutters and ‘overloaders’.

When the government allowed the import of used equipment in the early 1990s, the flood gates were opened, and control of the industry was effectively lost.

Bob believed that with States now showing a willingness to investigate and prosecute, rather than maintain the previous ‘hands off ’ approach until a serious accident occurred, the days of the ‘rate cutters’ and ‘overloaders’

were numbered.

It was only a matter of time before people in this category had a slipup, attracting the attention of the authorities; and the penalties were quite onerous, including jail.

Bob believed that while the industry had become quite efficient and costeffective over the years, its safety record was not particularly good and quite costly to the individuals and companies involved, as well as to the community at large.

The problem increased when technology brought changes bringing onto the market, increasingly lighter cranes capable of lifting greater weights, and the industry needed to learn how to use these cranes safely and effectively.

He believed the industry should support moves to shake out the corner cutters, rather than hide from such measures.

He further believed that an industry body needs to consider who it represents, as it works to lift the profile of the hire industry, because the craneage users will seek safer, more productive alternatives if the crane hire industry cannot satisfy those demands.

Bob was awarded life membership in 1994 and he was the recipient of the Con Popov Memorial Trophy in 1999. These awards recognised his outstanding contribution to the Australian crane industry which he so rightly deserved.

Bob was a good friend to many and will be sorely missed.

The class of ‘79 reunites. Those from the inaugural meeting on the Gold Coast regathered at the Sydney conference in 1999. There are some young, but familiar faces. Bob is sixth from left at rear, Betty is centre front. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

July 2020 CAL / 21

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CICA TECH CORNER

CICA WIND GUIDANCE NOTE REVISION The CICA Technical Committee explains recent changes to wind load calculations.

MOBILE CRANE OPERATIONS ARE SUBJECT to wind speed limitations during lifting, erection, dismantling, and also when outof-service. Excessive wind forces acting on loads and cranes have led to several serious accidents around the world. If not controlled properly, wind can be a major risk for crane operations.

To provide assistance to mobile crane users, the CICA technical committee developed a guidance note on wind load calculation, six years ago. This guidance note covered the manufacturer’s permissible wind surface area, the calculation of the dynamic wind pressure and the permissible wind speed.

Following the calculations in the guidance note, wind effects can be assessed to determine reduced permissible wind speeds based on load surface area in accordance with load charts.

For example: • If the wind surface area of a load is less than the total allowable wind surface area (specified by the crane manufacturer) multiplied by the chart capacity, no further calculations need to be made.

• If the wind surface area of a load is greater than total allowable wind surface area, further calculations need to be made to determine the permissible wind speed.

Wind speed on site should be measured and compared with the load chart wind speed or the calculated permissible wind speed, to see if it is safe to operate the crane under the site condition. (It should be noted that the wind speed can vary between ground level and the boom tip or load height. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The use of anemometers attached to a pendulum arrangement on a boom tip, can be an excellent means to assess the conditions.)

When the CICA technical committee developed the guidance note six years ago, it was recommended by the manufacturers and the industry that the crane load chart capacity be used to calculate the allowable wind surface area, so for that reason, the calculation

the hoisted load (mass of the load and the hook) should be used to calculate the allowable wind surface area. To provide guidance for the Australian crane industry with the latest industry practice, the CICA technical committee have decided to revise the CICA wind guidance note to reflect this change.

This revision of the guidance note is underway, and we expect to finalise the updated guidance in two months’ time.

The CICA technical committee is currently working with If not controlled properly, wind can be a major risk for crane operations. the crane manufacturers to obtain their support for the new guidance. Manufacturer’s recommendations on wind load calculation will be attached in the appendix for reference and CICA are also evaluating the international guidance on this topic, to capture the best industry practices.

Calculating wind load impact on crane operation can be complicated and for special cases, the lift designer should seek manufacturer’s instruction on wind load calculation as the crane manufacturers have a better knowledge of the crane limits.

Other than the calculations, formulas used in the guidance note are the new guidance will also consider all based on crane load chart capacity. practices on site for the dogger/rigger Most of the CICA technical who are controlling the load, for example committee members are heavy lift - topics on tag lines, recommendations planners themselves and they have on assessing forces and rotational effects noticed that over the past few years, acting on a load and load controlling the practice recommended by the crane skills for different load cases will be discussed. manufacturers and some international guidance on wind load calculation has Once completed, the guidance note will be changed. Instead of using the crane available to CICA members, please contact chart capacity for the allowable wind Alice Edwards (projeng@cica.com.au) if you surface area calculation, it is now widely adopted by the crane manufacturers that would like a copy.

July 2020 CAL / 23

CICA VICTORIA STATE CHAIR REPORT

CICA VICTORIA STATE CHAIR REPORT Nick Morris addresses key issues facing the Victorian crane sector.

HAVING SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE AROUND cranes and now manager of engineering at Boom Logistics, Nick Morris is well placed to comment on the positives and challenges facing the crane industry in Victoria.

ROAD ACCESS “Road access in Victoria has never been better” said Morris, “it’s apparent that VicRoads has allocated funding and resources to creating and updating the maps and we’re also seeing IAP data used purposefully.

I remember a time, in the 90’s when one of my father’s cranes had an early version of IAP, consisting of a Nokia phone taped to the windshield. The IAP has come a long way, as has road access. It is not perfect and while we may aspire to the Tasmanian model, I am also cognizant of the fact that the Victorian road network is larger and more complex. John Humphries, CICA Liaison Officer has been working closely with VicRoads on areas of the network that are problematic, and we are seeing the benefits. This relates to not just new routes, but also the first and last mile considerations.”

Morris has also seen a shift in culture over the years and has observed that most people within the industry are trying to do the right thing.

FALLOUT FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC “After some quieter times, in recent years we are entering an Infrastructure boom in Victoria. This led to confidence in the market, with strong projects not just in the city, but also across Victoria.

The COVID-19 pandemic then settled in, and whilst key infrastructure has continued, I feel there is uncertainty ahead and an impact may be forthright.

There has been a lot of time and money invested in getting projects ready and crane resources to Victoria, so a topical 24 / CAL July 2020

Nick Morris, CICA Victoria state chair.

issue for us now is, where will the money come from for these projects moving forward? Will private investment shrink, relying on government to continue to boost via infrastructure? It is typical in this industry that if the big cranes are working, then the smaller ones are working too, so I do have some concerns about the number of jobs that will be placed on hold or postponed in the coming months.

I am primarily involved in the renewables sector and we have already seen one major project delayed over finance constraints. After infrastructure, the wind market in Victoria is likely the second largest in terms of opportunities for cranes. If the jobs are decreasing in the pipeline, who will be hiring the equipment, and will we see a lag that will take some time to recover from?”

There are circa 15 cranes capable of wind turbine installation in Victoria currently, and for every big crane there

might be another four to five machines on site. Three to five years ago, there may have been two or three cranes of this size in Victoria.”

EMPLOYMENT Morris can testify to the career opportunities in the crane and construction sector, “when I graduated from University, the City Link project meant there was work for a lot of engineering graduates in Melbourne.

We are now seeing similar opportunities; with these projects leading to engineering and trade based opportunities. In renewables alone, the demand for wind technicians is booming; as such, any impact in investment in these projects will have a potential knock on effect to training and career opportunities.

“I hope there is funding support for projects, but on the flip side, as employees we all need to be realistic.

Now is not the time to be putting out the hand for more money, but rather, it is the time to ensure ongoing employment,” he said.

The Victorian Mobile Crane Traineeship is good for the industry, and Morris hopes this will continue to evolve positively for the industry.

MENTAL HEALTH One thing that Nick Morris has realised over the years, is the equal weighting of importance that mental health has. “A lot of attention is placed on creating a safer workplace through SWMS and the like, and while this is fitting, I have also come to appreciate that we need to make sure our workers are as safe at home, as they are on the work site.”

Morris supports the work being done

by IncoLink and their Bluehats program.

“Counselling, support and education are available, and I urge people to reach out to access these for themselves, for others and their workplaces.” www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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CICA FOCUS ON SAFETY

INTEGRATING WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY A new book covers the safety challenges presented by the large pipeline of infrastructure construction work being planned.

THE SAFE USE OF CRANES IN THE construction industry is influenced by many ‘upstream’ factors including the procurement, design, planning and coordination of work. A new book

by Helen Lingard and Ron Wakefield of RMIT University’s Construction Work Health and Safety research group compiles research work undertaken over a 12-year period and includes case studies drawn from RMIT’s work with partners in industry and government.

Other case studies on health and wellbeing are drawn from work with major construction contractors in the Queensland construction industry and industrial construction projects in New Zealand.

The book contains important lessons for clients, design professionals, project managers and others about how to embed work health and safety in management activities across the entire project life cycle.

Integrating work health and safety.

Several of the chapters draw on research funded by the Victorian Government Major Transport Infrastructure Authority relating to: • clients’ use of commercial frameworks to drive work health and safety excellence, • the role of supervisors in ensuring workers’ health and safety, • the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, and • the use of lead and lag metrics to track and understand project work health and safety performance.

26 / CAL July 2020

Lessons can be learned from the research relating to clients’ consideration and incorporation of work health and safety requirements in project procurement and management processes.

The book also incorporates a detailed analysis of factors impacting ‘safety in design’ and provides recommendations for how best to eliminate or reduce work health and safety risks at the design stage of construction projects.

An organisational culture maturity continuum, developed on behalf of the Australian Constructors Association,

is also presented in the book. This continuum can be used to understand the extent to which organisational or project cultures are likely to enable or impede work health and safety performance.

Topics included in the book are tied together by the theme of integration.

The over-arching message is that work health and safety considerations need to be better integrated into construction project management practices across all stages. Work health and safety can be improved when meaningful input into decision-making is sought from all stakeholders, including subcontractors, industry bodies and associations, unions and workers.

The large pipeline of infrastructure construction work being planned also presents challenges in terms of workforce capability and performance. Further, time and resourcing pressures in projectbased construction work drive long often unsociable hours of work that can impact workers’ health, safety and wellbeing.

The mental health of construction workers is of particular concern and the industry has an alarmingly high rate of suicide. This is sometimes attributed to unsupportive work and organisational cultures, as well as the presence of psychosocial health hazards in the workplace.

In this context, an integrated approach to protecting workers’ health and safety is very important.

The book, titled “Integrating Work Health and Safety into Construction Project Management” was published by John Wiley and Sons. More information can be found at: https://www.wiley.com/ en-us/Integrating+Work+Health+and+Safety+into+Construction+Project+Management-p-9781119159926 www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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CICA WORKPLACE ADVICE

MANAGING YOUR WORKFORCE THROUGH THE COVID PANDEMIC Holding Redlich examines the workplace schemes the federal government has introduced to assist businesses dealing with the impact of the pandemic. the employer must pay employees at least $1,500 and, in the case of those earning more before the Scheme was introduced, the employer could top up the difference if they wished.

Michael Selinger, partner, Holding Redlich.

ACROSS THE CRANE INDUSTRY, ALL businesses have felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not least of which are the challenges, managing workforce, industrial and safety issues.

WHAT IS THE JOBKEEPER SCHEME? Early in April, the Federal Government introduced significant changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) as part of its JobKeeper Scheme (the Scheme), in particular by introducing a fortnight wage subsidy of $1,500 gross paid to eligible employers in order to keep eligible employees employed with the business.

To be an eligible employer, the employer had to demonstrate a decline in actual or predicted revenue, in most cases of 30%. All employees could then be nominated to receive the subsidy so long as they were full-time, part-time or long term casuals for a period of 12 months before 1 March 2020, including those stood down or rehired. Each fortnight, 28 / CAL July 2020

EXCLUDED EMPLOYEE ISSUES The Scheme prevents an employer picking or choosing who to nominate – it’s ‘one in, all in’. If the employee was eligible at the time the employer applied for the Scheme, then they were required to be nominated. This caused some issues as employers moved to terminate employment of workers before applying for the scheme, opening potential avenues for claims to be made for unfair dismissal or discrimination.

Separately, some employees were excluded from the Scheme by the rules themselves, most notably those on temporary visas such as students or short term work visas. At this stage, there does not appear to be any indication that the Scheme will be extended to include those workers, even with an apparent $60 billion being available. As such, employers may face the challenge of how to manage any workers who do not qualify for the Scheme.

Young workers have also been impacted. Originally, they were included in the Scheme, but in April the eligibility rules changed so as to exclude 16 and 17 year old full time students who were not financially independent. If, like a lot of businesses, you made a payment to a 16 or 17 year old employee before 24 April 2020 assuming they were covered by the Scheme, that payment will still be subsidised by the Scheme. You should also check whether a worker may qualify

if they turn 18 during the balance of the Scheme.

MANAGING HOURS OF WORK DURING THE PANDEMIC Given the economic uncertainty, many employers are looking at how they can vary hours of work to meet changes in demand. There are different options available depending on whether you are part of the Scheme.

1) If you are not part of the Scheme: Before you can vary hours of work of an employee, an agreement must be made with the employee. In doing so, it is important to first consult with each employee and discuss the reason for the change and seek each employee’s views and agreement on the arrangement. The Mobile Crane Hiring Award 2010 (Award) imposes notice and consultation obligations at clauses 8 and 8A. When you increase hours of work, you must ensure that the employees are paid pursuant to the terms of the contract and any applicable modern awards, especially overtime.

2) If you are part of the Scheme: Your business can issue JobKeeper enabling stand down directions if you are part of the Scheme and the worker cannot be usefully employed for their normal days or hours because of changes to business attributable to the pandemic.

The JobKeeper enabling stand down direction includes directing an employee: 1. Not to work on a day or days on which an employee would ordinarily work; 2. To work for a lesser period than the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Many employers are looking at how they can vary hours of work to meet changes in demand.

period which the employee would ordinarily work on a particular day or days; or 3. To work a reduced number of hours (compared with the employee’s ordinary hours of work), which may be reduce to zero.

Importantly, there is no right available under the Scheme to increase the hours of work of employees. Any increase of hours will need to be done by agreement and there is no obligation for any worker to take on more hours to “match” the $1,500 JobKeeper payment. However, unlike a request to work more hours, the Scheme also allows employers to request an employee to take paid annual leave and an employee must not unreasonably refuse to the request.

employees to take paid or unpaid leave.

However, you cannot direct employees to take paid leave unless there is a “closedown” under clause 25.5 of the Award or if employee has excessive accrued annual leave in accordance with clauses 25.8 and 25.9 of the Award.

If you no longer require the employee’s role to be performed by anyone because of changes in the operational requirements, you may also consider terminating employment by making the role redundant. This is the most straight forward approach to respond to a downturn in business. This approach may be taken after all other options to retain the employee have been exhausted but note that the Award has generous redundancy terms at clause 12.

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS IF THERE IS DOWNTURN IN BUSINESS? If there is downturn in business, you may want to reduce hours of work as outlined above. Other options that may support temporary reduction of labour costs include reaching an agreement with

MANAGING EMPLOYEES REFUSING TO WORK Some employers who are receiving JobKeeper payments for employees are facing the situation where eligible employees, especially casual employees, are refusing to work but still wanting

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

to receive the JobKeeper payments.

The short answer to whether you need to continue passing on the JobKeeper payments to such employees is – yes.

But what other options do you have?

You should always seek legal advice before taking action, but a few options you can consider include: 1. Issue a broad communication to employees regarding expectations of employees during the Scheme period, including casuals. On the basis that employees have declared that they are “regular and systematic” on their nomination forms, you could assert that you can require the employees to work their regular hours of work while they receive the JobKeeper.

2. Treat this as a disciplinary issue (insubordination) – issue warnings to employees who are regularly refusing work without any reasonable excuse. If an employee fails to make themselves available to undertake their role and to perform the inherent duties and responsibilities of their role, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action, in the normal course.

3. Consider whether you require employees to work fixed shifts on a more permanent or short term basis. You could consider whether to offer certain employees part-time or full-time roles, on a short term or ongoing basis. This would be a variation to employment. You might be inclined to select employees for these part-time / full-time roles based on performance criteria. You may determine that other casual roles are no longer required in the restructure which may lead to redundancies – for instance of casuals who are irregular or unreliable.

If you need to deal with disciplinary action or termination process, you must make sure the process is procedurally fair to avoid any risk of unfair dismissal claims. If in doubt, contact CICA-Assist.

Authors: Michael Selinger, Partner, Holding Redlich; Jamie Kim, Lawyer, Holding Redlich July 2020 CAL / 29

IN FOCUS / TOWER CRANES

BUILDING THE BRAND

The Jarlway name will be new to some, but to many it is a brand that has been steadily building its reputation throughout the tower crane sector for the past few years. Cranes and Lifting reports.

A Jarlway JTL180G14 and JTL160G10 at work in Sydney.

30 / CAL July 2020

WHILE CERTAINLY NOT NEW TO THE Australian market, changes in how the local construction industry must approach the issue of air rights over the past few years has certainly fostered the growth of the Jarlway tower crane brand in Australia.

With its focus on the luffing tower crane segment, Jarlway continues to produce cranes that keep pace with the market needs, and they don’t shy away from customising their product to give customers what they require for specific projects.

With a product range that covers everything from a 6t recovery crane to an 80m jib 32t flat top and a 60m jib 24t luffer, Jarlway certainly has a machine for most needs, however it’s been their luffers that have found them a niche in Australia.

“Since 2015, our cranes have been working in the Australian market, with customers like VTS Cranes in Brisbane adding the JTL120E8 luffing model with its 8t capacity and 45m jib to their rental fleet”, said Paul Gao, sales manager of Jarlway from his office in Guangzhou where the Jarlway factory has been located, since they started manufacturing cranes in 2004.

“We have learnt from our Australian dealer and customers, what is needed on our cranes to make them suitable for the market and what we need to offer as a manufacturer to support our product.

“Features like a secondary brake on the hoist winches are a standard item, not an option, and we use larger cabins and seats to suit the preferences of the Australian operators and our electrical cabinets are all stainless steel for durability. We know that one of the most important needs of any customer is the speed of the response from the manufacturer and with our factory team being almost on the same time zone as www.cranesandlifting.com.au

the east coast of Australia and on the same time zone as the west coast, we are able to handle issues in normal business hours for our customers and mostly on the same day,” he said.

Making sure Jarlway cranes meet the Australian market requirements is another important step and the team at ADG Engineers play an essential role in this. Starting with a gap analysis to the Australian Standards, ADG Engineers perform a detailed design verification of every model of Jarlway tower crane imported by the Australian dealer.

Reviews of the technical literature and design calculations are done as well as a visual inspection of the model on arrival in Australia to verify the crane has been manufactured according to the information given to ADG Engineers.

Principal of ADG Engineers Construction Services division, Graham Mapri, said.

“Dealing with the people at the Jarlway factory and with their dealer here in Australia is straightforward and quick. Being on roughly the same time zone means we can address any matters quickly and most are done on the same day. The factory is also open to our feedback on areas we think can be improved, and they have implemented many of these suggestions, so we’re pleased to show that our experience with tower cranes adds value.”

When it comes to getting the Jarlway tower cranes to fit the jobsites in Australia, the application engineering and customisation ability of the product is essential. This includes designing the tower crane to fit existing accessories for the rental company. Designing tower sections that can work within the available space yet are strong enough to reach the freestanding height needed with the jib length required, through to designing the crane to park in tight positions. The team at Jarlway works closely with Australian consulting engineers to get this done.

One such challenge was a tight parking requirement in Parramatta for a JTL160G10 luffer with a 50m jib on the 10t capacity model. Working with the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Steve Hardiman, managing director, Hardiquip.

“Making sure that the result addresses all aspects of the installation design is critical and this involves looking at everything from the foundation, the tower sections, the jib and how the parking mechanism will be used by the operator each day. We were able to come up with something that not only worked well but was very cost effective for the customer.” team at O’Hearn Consulting in Sydney, a simple and effective mechanism was designed and installed at the factory to allow the jib to park at a radius of 9.5m.

“Once we identified the need for the tower crane to have a non-typical, out of service configuration, we started working with Jarlway and the dealer on a solution”, said Matthew O’Hearn, principal of O’Hearn Consulting.

“Making sure that the result addresses all aspects of the installation design is critical and this involves looking at everything from the foundation, the tower sections, the jib and how the parking mechanism will be used by the operator each day. We were able to come up with something that not only worked well but was very cost effective for the customer,” he said.

Keeping the tower crane within the project boundary often involves installing it within the building footprint and that’s where the size and strength of

the tower sections comes into play. For the people at Cosmo Cranes in Sydney, they needed their JTL160G10 to have a tall free stand with a 50m jib but fit within an elevator shaft that was too small for the typical tower sections used by this size of crane.

“Jarlway designed and made a customised tower type to suit this site that solved the project need, but Jarlway did it in a way that makes that customised tower something we can use in our standard project needs as well. They also kept the standard foundation accessories in the design, so we didn’t have the cost of a bespoke item,” said John Handley, business owner at Cosmo Cranes.

Sometimes, having the crane ready to go quickly is just as important as choosing the right crane for the job.

“We found ourselves in this position a few years back”, said Nuno Ribeiro, managing director of Access Cranes in Melbourne.

July 2020 CAL / 31

IN FOCUS / TOWER CRANES

A Jarlway JTL110D6 operating in the suburbs.

“One of our customers was told they could not install the tower crane they planned to due to issues with the jib of the crane going outside the project boundary. Through our business relationship with a company in Hong Kong, we knew that Jarlway had designed a compact luffer to suit the narrow sites in Hong Kong, some of which are only 12m wide and 30m deep but have tall buildings on three sides. So, we contacted them and saw that the compact luffer would solve the problem for our customer here in Melbourne,” he said.

“Working with Jarlway on the production and shipping time of the crane and towers, we were able to come up with a solution that allowed our customer to continue with some of the construction of the project and we installed the tower crane into the partially built structure. Because Jarlway’s lead time is very short and shipping to Australia is only a few weeks 32 / CAL July 2020

from factory to our yard, we had the 40m jib, 16t capacity JTD4020D16 installed in a little over two months from the time of the call, including the Plant Registration with WorkSafe Victoria,” said Riberio.

What’s next for Jarlway in Australia will be something their newly appointed dealer, Hardiquip, is busy working on.

“Right now, we are seeing an increased demand for luffers to fit on job sites that previously would have used a small hammerhead or even a self-erector”, said Steve Hardiman, managing director of Hardiquip.

“Just making the crane fit the site space isn’t all that’s needed as quite often there are power supply limits we have to work within, and the cost of a generator is outside the budget for some projects. We’ve come up with a Low Power option on some models, which allows us to have the crane work from the grid without reducing too much of the crane’s performance.

“We’ve added quite a few of the small capacity luffers to our fleet in the past two years and we plan to continue investing to meet the market demand.

Our technicians and riggers have been to the factory and are trained in the product there, including the erection work which we do on all new models we bring to Australia,” he said.

“Our parts stock is good, and we continue to add to it so we can support all the Jarlway owners in the market no matter where they are. With the factory team being so accessible during business hours and having the ability to get something from the factory to us overnight when needed, we feel confident that we can meet the needs of the market.

It’s nice to have a good warranty and a factory that’s nearby, but it’s better to have a crane that’s built well and just works.

Reliability is what people remember,” said Hardiman. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR ALL TERRAIN Matherson Cranes will be the first customer to take delivery of the new LTM 1120-4.1, the most powerful four-axle all-terrain crane ever built.

JEWEL IN THE CROWN 2020 sees Gladstone based Matherson Crane Hire celebrate 40 years in business. To mark this milestone, managing director, Wayne Matherson recently ordered a Liebherr LTM 1120-4.1, the first to be delivered in Australia.

IT ALL BEGAN BACK IN THE 70S WHEN Neil Matherson was working for Evans Deakin Industries (EDI) Hire as a crane operator. At the end of 1979, he told his boss, Ivan Ruzic he wanted to start his own crane business.

“At the time, there was a lot of work in Gladstone. I went to Ivan with the idea of starting my own crane business and he was that supportive, he even promised to give me work. My wife Beth and I borrowed $50,000 and started the business with an 8t BHP on a Chamberlain tractor, ‘an 8t wobbly’,” said Matherson snr.

“Ivan was true to his word and EDI Hire were supportive, so much so, they spent time showing Beth how to keep the accounts and manage the business. We never looked back,” he said.

Back then mobile phones didn’t exist, and Beth would take the phone calls on www.cranesandlifting.com.au

the landline, and relay the bookings via UHF and repeater stations. Customers were more organised in those days, said Matherson senior, booking cranes a week in advance. The early business was a family affair, with their five-year-old daughter Tanya, answering the phone and taking bookings when Mum and Dad were busy.

“It was all hands on deck, with everyone pitching in and I couldn’t have done it without Beth, she had the toughest job,” said Matherson snr.

With a continued focus on customer service the business grew, cranes were replaced every five years or so. Crane two was a 10t BHP “wobbly” on a tractor base. Crane three, a 12t Linmac and crane four a 16t Linmac; then the business started to grow. In 1996, Wayne Matherson’s brother in law joined and for a while it was the two of them operating two cranes. When Wayne

joined in 2000, it was the three of them with three cranes.

“We were basically doing our thing, you didn’t have the legality of the rigger at the time, so we were rigging our own loads and we were running around like madmen. We have always been 100 per cent in Gladstone and proud to have serviced the community for all this time,” he said.

It was around 2005 when Matherson began thinking there had to be more to the business.

“You never stop working in and on your business, but we were working six and sometimes seven days a week. It’s hard yards being an owner operator and I thought we should probably start employing people to assist. Also, the riggers law in 2005 forced us to have extra people on hand.

“At that point we purchased our July 2020 CAL / 35

IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR ALL TERRAIN

first slew crane a little Kobelco RK 160 and a Demag AC55 City Class which were in demand from the market. We steadily built the business, becoming familiar with the equipment we had, and we organically grew. We didn’t have unrealistic expectations or plans for the business, we wanted to service our customers well, grow with them and take the opportunities for future growth as they presented,” he said.

Gladstone is a very fluctuant market and business must be able to adapt to the ups and downs says Matherson.

There was a boom in Gladstone around 2010 and the business grew to include 23 employees and 10 cranes. Today, it’s trimmed back to 13 staff and 9 cranes.

The business grew essentially on general hire which included work in the housing sector, light commercial and some industrial applications.

“As we grew, we were able to take on larger profile customers, and we looked at general industry more, without losing sight of the customers that got us to where we were. We still love our general

hire. We now hold multiple industrial maintenance contracts and service a whole gamut of customers, across various industry sectors including power stations, aluminium refineries but we still go and lift the cubby house for mums and dads,” he said.

According to Matherson, the relationship with Liebherr started in 2011. He also explains his thought processes when choosing the right crane for his fleet.

“We purchased our first Liebherr, the LTM 1055-3.2 in 2011. At the time it was the right machine for the market. I don’t look at cost of cranes until I’m ready to buy. I look for the right machine with the right capabilities and after that the price is what it is.

“We love the Liebherr. It is a highquality and super reliable machine and the service and support from Liebherr has always been fantastic. They also understand that some decisions don’t always swing their way and that sometimes their product doesn’t always suit my market,” he said.

Neil and Wayne Matherson celebrate 40 years in business.

36 / CAL July 2020

“Two and half years ago, we bought the Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 three axle through Bryce O’Brien, the Queensland/ NT sales manager. It simply nails the three axle market and the decision to stay with the quality product has proved to be the right one. We’ve just ordered the new 120t four axle, the LTM 1120-4.1 which lands in January 2021. We’re going to be the first customer in the country to receive this model, which is pretty cool,” said Matherson.

The LTM 1120-4.1 is the most powerful four-axle all-terrain crane ever built. The new 120t machine breaks into a performance class which has previously been the sole preserve of five-axle cranes.

As far as boom length is concerned, it is on a par with 200t class cranes as its 66 m telescopic boom is the longest ever to be installed on a four-axle mobile crane.

Liebherr will start deliveries of the new LTM 1120-4.1 in January 2021.

“It’s an unbelievable machine. We’ve been looking to upgrade our four axle 100t class for a while but in our view, no one had quite hit the nail on the head. In my opinion, new products from manufacturers were worse than the previous models and I wasn’t sure what to do. Then Bryce contacted me and said ‘hey we are doing this and I said ‘yep sold, order it’,” said Matherson.

‘It has an amazing capability with 66 meters of main boom but remains very versatile and manageable with a counterweight package of only 31t.

With the four axle base, and being a taxi business, I can utilise the machine in the smaller market and roll it in as a taxi crane with no counterweight and compete in the 70t market. It hits my target needs and then exceeds them and I’m getting more than I wanted from the machine which is great. It opens up what we can do as a business.

“Once again, Liebherr has done it first and produced a product that ticks all the boxes. It sits well with me because I know I have the support of a fabulous family owned business as well. Liebherr is a quality product that is super reliable.

The LTM 1120-4.1 is going to be the diamond in the crown,” he said. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Going into this year Matherson could see business confidence returning to the Gladstone economy with a reasonable number of projects on the table.

“2020 was looking OK but the COVID-19 restrictions have obviously impacted on business confidence.

But now the restrictions are gradually lifting and with the government stimuli fast tracking infrastructure works and construction projects, we are looking positive.

“We don’t need the rebound to be massive, we just need consistent growth and confidence and I believe we are coming into that period now. We are also confident we have the right partner in Liebherr. They really are a super reliable product, and in our opinion, they are the Rolls Royce of the crane industry. I’m sure there will be a lot of Liebherr users that agree with me,” he said.

The Liebherr LTM1060-3.1 nails the three axle market and the decision to stay with the quality product has proved to be the right one says Matherson.

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IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR TOWER CRANES

NEW FIBRE CRANE HEADED TO NEW ZEALAND During last year’s Bauma, Liebherr launched a new Flat-Top series. Three of the eight units are equipped with fibre rope and therefore have “fibre” added to their product title. The first unit from the series is headed to Auckland, New Zealand. Cranes and Lifting explains.

Operators have an unrestricted view of the site through full-length windows.

NEW ZEALAND CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS Hawkins is the first Liebherr customer in the southern hemisphere to order a fibre crane, a 370 EC-B 12 Fibre.

The first eight units of the new series already cover a wide range of services – from small city to large handling cranes, it’s all there. As a result, the maximum load capacities range from 6t to 16t and the maximum jib head load capacities range from 1.6t to 2.8t – working at a maximum radius. At full jib length, the units are among the largest in their class. The 125 EC-B 6 itself reaches 58 metres. The two largest cranes in the series, the 340 EC-B 12 and the 370 EC-B 12 Fibre each have a reach of up to 78 metres.

38 / CAL July 2020

In addition, all cranes are optimised for assembly.

The Fibre series are EC-Bs equipped with a fibre hoist rope called soLite. soLite has been jointly developed

by Liebherr and Teufelberger, an international company specialising in fibre ropes, steel wire ropes and strapping.

According to Thomas Schroeder, executive general manager Liebherr Tower Cranes Australia and New Zealand the launch of the new range followed plenty of research, development and testing. “soLite has been thoroughly tested over a 10-year period, both in the factory and on job sites and the results have been nothing short of stunning. In total, it has

been operated and tested over 318 weeks on 11 tower cranes, with 2,035m of rope utilised and tested in the field, on 15 sites in five countries. The Fibre cranes allow us to get up to 20 per cent more lifting capacity from the same structure.

“A good example of this can be made if you compare the 370 EC-B with the 340 EC-B. The steelwork in both is nearly identical but the 370 has 30mt more lifting capacity with the same structure.

This is done by reducing the weight of the rope and the hook block,” he said.

“There are other advantages of the fibre rope including the fact that it doesn’t need to be greased. Due to its reduced weight, mounting it on the crane is safer and easier to handle and lasts up www.cranesandlifting.com.au

to four times longer than conventional steel rope,” said Schroeder.

Hawkins is the vertical build element of Downer.

Downer is the largest and oldest integrated services provider in New Zealand.

Dave Wright is national plant manager for Hawkins. He has been with Hawkins for 15 years and in the construction industry for 30.

“Hawkins owns and operates key plant and equipment mainly designed to assist with the setting up and construction of vertical build sites. The equipment includes tower cranes, portable buildings, temporary power and lighting, and basically any other equipment required to set up the temporary side of the site,” he said.

There are five Liebherr tower cranes in the Hawkins fleet which are as a result of a long relationship with the Liebherr organisation and the past performance of the Liebherr tower cranes.

“Since Downer bought the Hawkins business, we have been through a process of renewing the tower crane fleet. We now have two luffing cranes which are 357 HC-L 18/32s. We also have one 280 EC-H12s, which is a hammer head model and we have just taken delivery of the new Liebherr 370 EC-B 12 Fibre.

“We have a long relationship with First of the Liebherr Fibre crane series has arrived in New Zealand.

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Stephen Broomfield, Liebherr’s, Tower Crane sales manager in New Zealand and Dave Wright, national plant manager for Hawkins

Liebherr and over the years we’ve been extremely satisfied with the performance of their cranes. We appreciate the added safety features and what the computer system enables you to do. We’ve also been impressed with the LiDAT system which enables us to get real-time information from the on-board computer.

“The LiDAT system provides us with various types of technical data including the number of hours each particular motor does, information about the performance of the crane, and it also provides wind warnings. We can also

receive information on what is being lifted on the site, weights of the loads, along with the load torque and lifting cycles,” said Wright.

“We work closely with the Liebherr team in both Wellington and Auckland and, of course with Thomas Schroeder in Australia. We also receive support from Singapore and from the factory in Europe.

Because of the relationship with Liebherr, Wright knew the Fibre Crane development was in the pipeline.

“Hawkins senior engineer, Tim NobleCampbell, and I travelled to Bauma in April 2019, and that’s where we first saw the 370 EC-B. It’s got an extra 20 per cent jib head load capacity, extra performance and extra health and safety advantages when erecting and demobilising,” he said.

“The fibre crane means you don’t have a heavy wire rope but you do have a longer service life. There are also technical advantages with far less maintenance on the fibre crane. Another big advantage is although they have the extra capacity, the fibre crane can still remain on the 21HC290 Tower System which is a far more economical foundation compared to a larger capacity crane.

“All round, we have high expectations for the crane and know it’s backed with product reliability and Liebherr after sales support,” said Wright.

July 2020 CAL / 39

IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR TOWER CRANES

soLite has been jointly developed by Liebherr and Teufelberger, an international company specialising in fibre ropes, steel wire ropes and strapping.

When developing the new series, Liebherr focused on both the comfort of crane operators and safety on the construction site. The new LiCAB cabin is significantly larger and also has a greater field of vision compared to previous models.

Operational safety is also noticeably increased: The different elements of the rope’s outer layer wear out at a different pace – the crane operator knows it’s time to replace the rope when the red layer underneath the sheath becomes visible.

The now widely recognised bi-colour design of Liebherr tower cranes has been 40 / CAL July 2020

applied to the new EC-B series. Upon customer request, the yellow sections can be easily and cost-effectively adapted to the respective company’s colours.

The advertising panels are twice as large as previous options – without any loss of assembly height. For example, the 340 EC-B 12 and the 370 EC-B 12 Fibre both offer customers an additional 8.5 m2 of advertising space for company logos and advertising slogans, with the additional option of lighting.

Optimised structural steelwork: smaller, lighter, even more performance Several details at the top of the crane

have been optimised for transport and assembly: The new EC-B’s compact head, jib and trolley are lighter than their predecessors. In addition, the jib is now so narrow that three jib sections fit onto a truck bed. Compared with similar Liebherr cranes, even the shortest jib requires one whole transport truck less – and at least two less at maximum radius.

This saves both time and money. The new cranes have also been designed with optimised quick assembly connections for jibs and counter-jibs, to make assembly even easier and, above all else, safer.

The new EC-B series makes optimal use of the tower systems’ performance capacity. Even the currently largest, new EC-B, the 370 EC-B 12 Fibre, works using the 21 HC 290 tower system with corner posts measuring only 2.1 metres. This is particularly interesting as it is one of the most widely used Liebherr tower systems.

Stephen Broomfield, Liebherr’s sales manager for Tower Cranes in New Zealand said, “Liebherr is very proud to have Hawkins as their partner and we are looking forward to working closely with them and towards another success story.

“The 370 EC-B 12 Fibre is a 12t tower crane on our 2.1m tower system. Our next model, the 380 EC-B has to go on 2.4m towers, so we almost get the same lifting capacity with smaller towers.

“We are able to achieve up to 78m of jib length, with a maximum 2.8t lifting capacity at that radius. The crane can be configured with different drives, reaching a maximum of 272m per minute. The big advantage of Liebherr electric cranes over diesel powered cranes is that similar speeds are achieved on an empty hook, cutting the lifting time considerably,” he said.

According to Schroeder, units from the EC-B range will be available in Australia soon.

“Liebherr-Australia is introducing the 370 EC-B 12 Fibre, along with the 340 EC-B 16 into the Australian market from April 2020 onwards. Cranes from the range will be available for rent from this point onwards. These will be the first Fibre tower cranes ever to be used in Australia,” he said. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

2020

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REACH INDUSTRY READERS WITH THE CRANES AND LIFTING MAGAZINE SHOWCASE 2020

CRANES AND LIFTING MAGAZINE WILL LAUNCH A NEW INITIATIVE IN THE SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2020 ISSUE. THE CRANES AND LIFTING SHOWCASE 2020 PROVIDES EVERY CICA MEMBER WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIST THEIR PREMIER CRANES IN ITS FLEET FREE OF CHARGE.

CIRCULATION AND ADDITIONAL COVERAGE FOR THE CRANES AND LIFTING SHOWCASE 2020 The SHOWCASE will first appear as a section within the September/October issue of Crane and Lifting. We will then extend the reach of the SHOWCASE by utilising the readership and circulation of other titles in the magazine’s group.

This coverage will be via the digital products and platforms of titles including AUSTRALIAN MINING,

INSIDE CONSTRUCTION, ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE and QUARRY. Combined, these readerships have a weekly reach of 75,000, which includes the distribution of eNewsletters and traffic to the various websites.

The Cranes and Lifting SHOWCASE 2020 will then be housed on the respective websites in a downloadable, PDF format. An extensive marketing campaign is planned to create awareness of the SHOWCASE’S availability.

For further information on the advertising opportunities within the SHOWCASE please contact: Brad Marshall on 0403 993 443 / Email: brad.marshall@primecreative.com.au

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IN FOCUS / COMPONENTS EXCHANGE PROGRAM

MARKET RESPONDS TO COMPONENTS EXCHANGE PROGRAM Crane hire companies quick to respond to the Baden Components Exchange Program.

Cranes and Lifting explains.

IN THE MAY/JUNE EDITION OF Cranes and Lifting, we highlighted the launch of the Baden Components Exchange Program and how it can help minimise customer down time when components need replacing.

Following publication of the article, Ben Baden received a number of positive phone calls.

“The article generated a strong response from customers, and in particular the Components Exchange Program. As a result, we have already had the 55t Liebherr telescope cylinder change over twice.

“The first time I changed the 55t Liebherr tele cylinder, it was a relatively simple re-chroming job. With this, the customer’s crane would have been down for approximately three to four weeks.

We swapped the telescope cylinder out in three days and then overhauled his cylinder. When you factor in the daily hire rate for a 55t all terrain, the customer has saved a lot of money due to the limited downtime of the crane,” said Baden.

According to Baden, cylinders can get damaged for various reasons.

Damage could be due old age, dirty hydraulic oil or it might be as a result of impact damage.

“Cylinders with a bit of age can potentially develop rust areas on the chrome which lifts the chrome from the cylinder, damaging the seals and causing it to leak externally.

“In this instance, the cylinder needs to be removed, stripped apart, the chrome rod is inspected for any rust, abrasions or knocks, damage, scratches or marks. The internal barrel of the cylinder is also checked for scoring and occasionally barrels will need to be 42 / CAL July 2020

Damaged chrome requiring repair.

honed out to bring them back to good working condition. You then get a fresh set of seals throughout and the cylinder is reassembled and bench tested. That’s pretty much the cylinder repair process.

“The cylinder repair process can be as simple as stripping the cylinder apart, finding everything just needs to be cleaned and polished, a new set of seals fitted and its put back together.

That’s the best-case scenario and your quickest fix and turn-around time.

Depending on your cylinder repairer, that can happen within one to two weeks,” said Baden.

The next level of repair is when the rod needs to be chromed. It goes through a process where the old chrome is stripped off it before it can be re-chrome plated. After it is re-chromed it is linished and then re-assembled.

If the barrel has internal damage, the barrel will need to be honed says Baden.

“In worst case scenarios, we have cylinders that come with damaged barrels. Either the barrel is cracked through or has been over-pressurised and expanded or they have been bent in an accident. These are the most time consuming and expensive of the repairs.

“The only way to do a proper repair is to remanufacture the barrel completely and for that you are looking at a four to six-week turnaround, as long as the materials are available. If the material isn’t available in Australia, which occasionally it isn’t, it can be three to four months to fabricate a barrel. The other option is to purchase a new cylinder from the manufacturer,” said Baden.

“We’ve turned one 90t telescope cylinder over where it was a relatively simple process and it only required re-chroming. But the second time we sold that telescope cylinder, it was to a customer who had a cracked barrel.

Again, his crane was only down for a few days during the change out process.

“The important point about the exchange program is the time spent to repair that cylinder is not down time for the customer’s crane. Generally speaking, we can get the crane back in service within a few days rather than weeks. It’s then ‘my own time’ to repair the cylinder in my and have it ready to go when the next customer might need that cylinder,” he said.

Baden says he doesn’t often source new cylinder pricing but occasionally a customer will, and they find that new cylinder pricing is generally high.

Then the cost of shipping has to be factored in, on top of the cost of the new cylinder, which makes it a costly exercise. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

“With our system, the customer only pays for the repairs to their cylinder.

Obviously, the cylinder I provide the customer is not the cylinder they are paying for, that cost has been borne by the preceding customer.

If the customer has a simple fix their bill will reflect this. When I receive a leaking cylinder from the customer and they have swapped it out using my overhauled cylinder in their crane, I then strip and assess their cylinder and they are charged the costs to repair their cylinder.

The cylinder that actually goes into their crane may have cost significant amounts of money to repair but that’s not the bill the customer pays. They pay the bill for the repair of the cylinder that came out of their crane says Baden.

“That’s the only way the system can be fair and equitable for everyone.

Otherwise someone that gives me a cylinder which has a significant repair cost, may only pay for a simple repair cost and that’s not how the program works. You have to pay for your cylinder’s repair.

“The 90t cylinder has been turned over twice and the 55t Liebherr

A damaged gland requiring refabrication. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Cylinder disassembly process.

telescope cylinder has been turned over twice. Again, once with a relatively simple re-chroming repair and once with a cracked barrel.

“With older version cylinders, or cylinders from cranes older than 10 years of age, we are updating those cylinders to more current versions.

That’s because there are inherent

problems with older version cylinders which cause cracks to occur.

“The newer cylinders don’t have that problem. We are updating and modifying the older version cylinders to have the latest version, which fit into the older model cranes with no problem,” said Baden.

Baden confirms he sold the 90t telescope cylinder, the 55t telescope cylinder, the 130t Liebherr luffing cylinder and the Link Belt 80t luffing cylinder all as a result of the article.

“As far as the reach of our program, I’m happy to share that two of the cylinders went interstate one to Victoria and one to Queensland. One of the 90t Liebherr’s went to Victoria, the Link Belt went to Queensland and the two 55s and the other 90 were delivered in New South Wales,” said Baden.

“But it is clear how crane owners benefit from the program. As I described previously, while cylinder repairs are definitely an expensive component of crane maintenance, they are insignificant compared to the down time of the machine.

“We think there is potential for this program and we will continue to improve on our cylinder stockpiles to be able to have more available, at least of the most popular models,” he said.

July 2020 CAL / 43

IN FOCUS / TADANO OCEANIA

TADANO OCEANIA OPENS NEW $10 MILLION HEAD OFFICE Sophisticated parts and service hub will support customers and grow business in Australia and New Zealand.

TADANO HAS REAFFIRMED ITS commitment to supporting customers across the Oceania region with the opening of a new, purpose-built head office in Brisbane, Australia.

Opened on June 1 in the northeastern suburb of Lytton, the $10 million facility greatly enhances Tadano’s offering to customers within greater Brisbane as well as its operations across Oceania. The new facility also provides customers for the first time with a common location in the city to access both Tadano and Demag parts and service.

“This is an exciting time for the business and for the customers we serve,” says Tadano Oceania managing director, Anthony Grosser. “We were in the process of looking for a larger premises, and the acquisition of Demag in 2019 accelerated the process. Our new head office at Lytton is now the largest dedicated crane repair facility in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Grosser explains while Australia represents about 0.3 per cent of the world’s population, it is a very strong and developed market, making it an important market for Tadano.

The new 14,000 sqm head office significantly improves Tadano Oceania’s offering to customers in several key ways. “One major change is that the new location in north-east Brisbane is closer to port facilities and the industrial heart of Brisbane,” Grosser said. “It is located off the Port of Brisbane Motorway and so is extremely accessible to customers.”

12 SERVICE BAYS TO REDUCE CUSTOMER DOWNTIME The new facility is also a step-up from Tadano Oceania’s previous head office in the suburb of Darra, both in terms

The new facility is located in north-east Brisbane, closer to port facilities and the industrial heart of Brisbane.

44 / CAL July 2020

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

There are 12 fully equipped service bays in Tadano’s new facility, meaning customers’ needs can be addressed promptly, reducing downtime.

of size and services offered. “We now have more than 8,000 sqm of hardstand for the commissioning, repair and reconditioning of cranes, as well as two wash pads – one internal and one external,” Grosser said. “There are 12 fully equipped service bays, meaning customers’ needs can be addressed promptly, reducing their downtime.”

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Other notable features include tilt-panel construction, floor-to-ceiling glazing in the offices, a 10-tonne gantry crane, an internal service pit, and multiple roller shutters.

1,000 SQM FOR PARTS Mr Grosser says the site features 3,100 sqm of enclosed space, including offices, training facilities and spare parts and stock storage. Some 1,000 sqm of space has been dedicated to parts alone. While Tadano parts and services

have been available on site since the opening on June 1, the Demag offering will be phased in throughout July. The Demag parts and service facility was previously at Eagle Farm.

Tadano’s customers are not the only ones pleased with the new facility. Staff will benefit from the new head office’s proximity to rail transport and its modern ergonomic features, designed to make their working days safer and more comfortable.

Grosser says the new facility brings Tadano’s total commitment to the region close to $20 million since 2010. “This shows just how important Oceania is to Tadano and how committed the company is to the region.”

KEY FACTS ABOUT TADANO OCEANIA’S NEW HEAD OFFICE • Located at 1/146 Lindum Road in the Brisbane suburb of Lytton • Close to ports • 12 fully equipped service bays including overhead cranes and wash bay • Parts sales and pick up • Dedicated training rooms • Office facilities • about 14,000 sqm total area; • about 8,000 sqm of hardstand; • about 3,100 sqm of enclosed space; and • about 1,000 sqm for parts.

July 2020 CAL / 45

IN FOCUS / GROVE ALL TERRAIN

GROVES FIT CANBERRA CONCEPT Canberra based crane hire business Concept Crane Hire, recently took delivery of a Grove GMK3060L, the first crane in the range to be delivered in Australia. Cranes and Lifting reports.

The new GMK3060L features a 48 m boom and significantly stronger load charts.

46 / CAL July 2020

DANIEL WHITEHEAD AND DAVE TAYLOR, owners of Concept Crane Hire, had worked in the industry for 12 years before they started the business almost six years ago. Both started in the crane industry as trainees with a local crane company, B&D Crane Hire.

According to Whitehead, Concept Crane Hire started as a result of the closure of B&D Crane Hire.

“We both had the opportunity to start in the crane industry with Bob Taylor and Daniel Phillips at B&D Crane Hire here in Canberra. They decided to close the gates at the end of 2014 and sold most of their machines.

“There were a couple of cranes that didn’t sell, and we saw an opportunity.

We bought a 60t Tadano and a 15t Franna and kicked off the business with those machines,” he said.

For the first year, the business consisted of Whitehead, Taylor, a small team and casuals when they were required says Whitehead.

“It was hands on for the first year but at the end of it we bought our first second-hand Grove, a GMK5130 from Metcalf Cranes, Melbourne. From there we’ve pretty much bought a crane every year and we now have seven machines in the fleet including a new 20t Tadano City Crane and the Grove GMK3060L long boom,” said Whitehead.

Brand loyalty and business relationships has been a major reason why Concept Crane Hire have purchased Groves says Whitehead.

“For five years, I operated a Grove GMK5130 at B&D before we started the business. I’ve gotten to know Andrew Gray, Sales Manager for Manitowoc over a long period of time and I’ve developed good relationships with a couple of the technicians at Manitowoc.

“The machines are user friendly and www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Daniel Whitehead and Dave Taylor with the new Grove GMK 3060L.

parts are easy to get hold of. We operate two GMK5130-2s and the GMK3060L. We’ve only had the GMK3060L for a couple of weeks. It’s small and compact but the extra boom is unbelievable, it’s got excellent charts.

The new GMK3060L features a 48 m boom and significantly stronger load charts. It is available in both Euromot III/Tier 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 a carrier length of only 8.68 metres and a minimum overall height of 3.48 metres with the suspension fully lowered.

The new model features a longer, 48m seven-section TWIN-LOCK www.cranesandlifting.com.au

hydraulic pinned main boom and boasts significantly stronger load charts.

“The GMK3060L was developed in accordance with The Manitowoc Way and is a result of ‘Voice of the Customer’ feedback, a methodology whereby cranes are built in accordance with customers’ needs and wants,” said Andrew Gray, sales manager, Manitowoc.

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.

“The GMK3060L has been out on a couple of jobs and we’ve been really impressed with its performance, it’s a great little machine. It is ideally suited for smaller residential and commercial jobs which tend to have tighter access.

The crane is also spot on for the road restrictions around the greater Canberra area with 12t per axle” said Whitehead.

“We chose the new crane on spec. We heard it was being released at last year’s Bauma and we were looking to update the Tadano 60t Truck crane to a Grove three axle All Terrain enabling better access to tight construction sites. We knew the GMK3060L was the machine we wanted. We ordered it through Andrew and haven’t really looked back,” he said.

July 2020 CAL / 47

IN FOCUS / MINI CRAWLER CRANES

SENSITIVE LIFT FOR AUSTRALIAN WAR HERO Renovations to the Aircraft Hall at the Australian War Memorial required the removal of a key object – a Second World War de Havilland Mosquito bomber aircraft. Cranes and Lifting finds out how Capital Cranes helped pull off this feat.

The Maeda crawler cranes were deployed in front and out board of the engine nacelles.

IT WAS A SENSITIVE LIFT REQUIRING meticulous planning by the Memorial’s management team. They contacted Digger Misner and his Capital Cranes team knowing he had the right cranes for the lift, two Maeda MC305C models.

“We had an enquiry from the Australian War Memorial, and they said they required Maeda crawler cranes.

They’d seen the Capital Cranes website and knew the cranes would fit the bill.

“There were challenges with the lift, but Laura Kennedy, manager, conservation (technology, objects, preventive), collection services for the Memorial and her team, had meticulously planned every stage of the lifting process. Basically, this meant we 48 / CAL July 2020

had to focus on the cranes and do what we were told,” said Misner.

There was some planning involved for Misner and his team at Capital Cranes. Due to the age of the plane, they were provided with the results of a weights and measurement exercise conducted by the Memorial.

“We supplied the cranes but we had some planning to do as well. We had to provide outrigger loads which Maeda supply with the crane which makes life easier.

“Because of the age of the plane the Memorial conducted a weights and measurement exercise and the results were supplied to us, and we worked well within these guidelines. To their credit the weights and measures corresponded

exactly to the weights and measures we had on the hook,” he said.

The Mosquito was mounted on a mezzanine floor structure. The raised floor and curved wall cladding on this structure had to be removed. Then one Maeda removed the engines and cowling which are the metal covering that house the engines.

“We assumed the maximum outrigger load of 3800kg be applied at the mid-span of the underlying steel beam, the floor should have the capacity to hold the load without propping,” said Misner.

Once the cladding and structure had been removed, the steel mezzanine floor was revealed, and the plane was secured to the top of the mezzanine. Contractors www.cranesandlifting.com.au

installed tilt props, and mast hoists were installed to support the plane. The mezzanine structure was then removed.

Scaffolding was then assembled and positioned as a fail-safe under each wing and outboard of the engine nacelle, a housing, separate to the fuselage which holds the engines, fuel and other equipment.

A 3mm floor covering was in place so the museum floor wasn’t damaged.

The two Maeda crawler cranes were then deployed in front and out board of the engine nacelles. The aircraft was lifted clear of the structural support mounts using the cranes which lifted the front of the plane and the mast hoist held the the tail.

“The War Memorial staff told us exactly what they needed, they were incredibly professional, and we didn’t need to worry about anything unless we thought it involved an unsafe work practice. The planning from Laura and her team was very detailed and absolutely impeccable,” said Misner.

The aircraft was then lowered onto aircraft jacks at the wing locations and onto an adjustable trestle at the tail. Two small wing trestles, one on each wing, were placed on artillery trolleys under each wing outboard of the jacks.

Two mast hoists were then assembled at the nose of the aircraft and a 10.5m lifting beam was set up, with a spreader-bar clamped to the front of the main lifting beam.

The Maeda crawler cranes were then positioned at the front and the rear of the fuselage to lift the 10.5m beam which was then secured to the mast hoist assemblies by a contractor in an elevated work platform.

Over the next few days the Mosquito was slowly dismantled by a team of experts and transported to a storage facility.

“It was sensitive lift. We weren’t allowed to mark the floor hence the floor covering. The lighting wasn’t terrific but the Maedas are fitted with flood lights built into the machine and this made a difference. We had to ensure the Maedas had low engine emission engines because www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The de Havilland Mosquito bomber was first designed as an unarmed fast bomber

of the health and safety aspect and the Memorial actually had extraction fans working during the lifts,” said Misner.

The Maeda MC305C is the compact crawler crane and in spite of its small size, it is very powerful and is perfect for hard-to-access locations. It features a load capacity of up to 2980 kg, a width of only 1.28m and a maximum height of 12.52m.

The MC 305 has a large LMI display that informs the user about details about the load, reach, boom angle and hook height and can even be individually programmed. When using the included remote control, you will always have the best view of the load. Its outriggers can be arranged like a spider’s legs. The MC 305 is also equipped with a diesel motor and has an optional combination drive (diesel and electric). The superior quality and design of Maeda products ensure a long operating life with low maintenance costs. This means that the end user will receive a higher return on investment for rental machines.

Capital Cranes has been operating Maedas for three years and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Misner confirms he was about to invest in a new model.

“We have a lot of work in federal buildings and monuments like the Australian War Memorial, National Library, National Museum and art galleries. We were just about to invest in a new electric model with non -marking tracks, because of emissions and because we have to leave the floors in perfect condition.

“The Maeda’s are a machine that are specific to this type of work. Limited access, sensitive work environments, height and floor load restrictions so we have them in the fleet on an as needs basis. They are a part of the service offered by Capital Cranes.

“I tend not to dry hire them. I prefer to use one of our experienced operators, but if the customer has an experienced operator, we will dry hire the machines.

We also send a shipping container with the cranes, so they are always garaged and not left out in the elements.

“Pace Cranes are very good to deal with. Nothing is a problem, they answer all your enquiries properly and promptly.

Michael Cawston, national sales Manager and Anthony Heeks, managing director are great guys and they know their business,” said Misner.

July 2020 CAL / 49

IN FOCUS / FRANNA The MAC 25-4 offers maximum safety, excellent roadability, intuitive operation and unmatched versatility.

MAC 25S HEADED UNDERGROUND IN MONGOLIA Three Franna MAC 25-4 were recently delivered to a Mongolian gold and copper mine.

Cranes and Lifting reports.

The MAC 25-4 cranes, fully customised with mine specs and an advanced fire suppression system, were carefully winched down the mine shaft.

50 / CAL July 2020

FRANNA – A TEREX BRAND IN partnership with local dealer MSM Group LLC have successfully delivered three pick and carry cranes to Mongolian mine OyuTolgoi, one of the rarest underground mines in the world in terms of gold and copper deposits. The deal consists of 3 x MAC 25-4 cranes, fully customised with mine specs and an advanced fire suppression system which allow the machines to safely and efficiently operate in the complex underground mining environment.

The Franna MAC 25-4 is a mobile articulated crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 25 tonne. The MAC 25-4 offers maximum safety, excellent roadability, intuitive operation and unmatched versatility. Over the years its design has been tried, tested and

proven in a range of difficult lifting applications and is still a customer favourite today. A Superlift (SL) upgrade is also available on the MAC 25-4 as an additional option.

The SL kit works in tandem with the existing MAC 25 counterweight, adding a low-slung additional counterweight piece to the rear of the machine and increasing rated capacity of the machine by up to 30% in some configurations.

Mark Lock, Franna sales director said “We are delighted to have partnered with MSM Group to deliver these cranes to the OyuTolgoi mine project and believe there is a great opportunity for further success in the Mongolian market. The aftersales support from MSM is second to none and they provide truly exceptional www.cranesandlifting.com.au

results for their customers.”

MSM Group LLC was established in Mongolia in 1998 and today employ a professional team of over 340 people.

The company specialise in three key areas of business, effectively serving the automotive, industrial & and beverage industries. Since 2014, MSM have been a strategic partner of Terex in Mongolia, providing mobile cranes, tower cranes and aerial work platforms to meet the needs of their local customers.

Upon arrival in Mongolia, the MSM team successfully installed the Ansul

fire suppression to all three cranes which further enhance the safety of each machine. As fires pose of the greatest threat to mines, the Ansul fire suppression helps keep operators safe and equipment secure. Ansul have been providing advanced fire suppression systems to the Mongolian market since the 90s. In 2016 MSM Group were appointed as authorised Ansul distributors and to date have completed over 200 installations, with over 100 of these being installed on machines that are working directly at the OT site. With a total of 30 Ansul certified technicians, MSM provide after sales support for Ansul products as well as testing and commissioning equipment with Ansul FSS across the country.

MSM is authorised to design, install and maintain following Ansul systems: • Ansul “Red line” cartridge operated portable and wheeled extinguishers;

• Ansul Vehicle Pre-engineered Systems; • Ansul Checkfire Detection; and Actuation Systems.

Mark Gabel, CEO of MSM commented “MSM Group LLC is deeply convinced that Terex brand products make a valuable contribution to the development of Mongolian construction and mining sectors and as always we are delighted to be the official distributor. I would like to thank both Franna and our logistics team for successfully delivering the equipment despite the supply chain constraints posed by COVID-19. I would also like to thank our Aftersales team for completing all relevant modifications, installing the Ansul FFS retrofit and finishing the lifting certificate in a timely fashion and to the highest standard. Onward and upwards.”

For more information on MSM Group LLC, please visit https://www.msmgroup.mn/

The MSM team successfully installed the Ansul fire suppression to all three cranes which further enhance the safety of each machine. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

July 2020 CAL / 51

IN FOCUS / DYNAMIC RIGGING

DYNAMIC APPROACH TO RIGGING Ten years ago, Ross Johnson and a group of investors saw a niche in the Victorian lifting and rigging equipment section. Today, Dynamic Rigging Hire is Melbourne’s leading name in lifting and rigging equipment rental. Cranes and Lifting explains.

Dynamic Rigging’s equipment is stored on pallets or in storage boxes which are stored in pallet racking.

“MY BROTHER APPROACHED ME WITH A couple of other connections representing a group of investors, and he said, ‘we’ve got this idea, but we don’t have anyone to run it,’” Ross Johnson said.

“I was selling trucks at time and looking for a new challenge, and I could see this was going to be a good opportunity. I’d started businesses of my own before, from the ground up, and so the challenges weren’t new to me,” he said.

The business opened in Geelong when the concept of renting rigging equipment was new to the industry.

Today, there are a number of rigging houses servicing the industry in Victoria, but not many have followed the rental path says Johnson.

“The business model and our approach to the industry hasn’t changed an awful lot over the 10 years. There are plenty of lifting gear shops providing sales and inspections in Victoria but there is still a relatively small number of players in the rental market,” he said.

According to Johnson, Dynamic Rigging Hire will hire equipment for a 52 / CAL July 2020

day and for more than a year.

“Generally speaking, customers will come into us with a lot of one off, unique jobs that won’t be repeated again and we have repeat customers that we deal with every week. People come to us and say we’ve got a big lift next week where we’re lifting a major structure and this is the gear that we need, they already know what they need, and we’ll fulfil the shopping list. There are other times when you get an enquiry where someone says I have to lift this, there’s going to be a crane on site how do you think we’re going to do it? We’ll come up with a few options as to what we have available and we’ll let them determine if this meets their needs or not,” he said.

The Dynamic Rigging premises is located in the western suburbs of Melbourne in Sunshine West and operate out of a premises. The facility is approximately 800 sqm in size and all of the equipment is stored on pallets or in storage boxes which are stored in pallet racking.

“There is a whole wall of equipment and gear stored in the racking. There is

also a workshop area where we inspect our equipment and conduct our own inhouse level of work. If somebody asks me today for some 85t shackles, 80t slings and a spreader bar to suit, I know it’s all in order, it’s all available. It’s all accessible and it’s easily identifiable in the factory,” Johnson said.

“I do take pride in the presentation of our equipment. The maintenance of the equipment that we stock would often be overlooked, if it were owned by crane company, it would sit out in all weathers.

But our equipment is kept under cover and out of the weather, clean and in as pristine condition as we can keep it and ready to go,” he said.

For a crane hire business, the advantage of using Dynamic Rigging Hire is they are not carrying a lot of inventory that they might only use once in a blue moon says Johnson.

“Crane companies know what we stock, and we can fit their requirements whenever the need is there. In that sense we are a bit like a Bunnings for the crane industry.

“Instead of them having to hold www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Dynamic Rigging Hire recently used a 100t capacity Straightpoint (SP) Radiolink plus load cell to complete tests on two 90.7t capacity Shuttlelift mobile gantry cranes.

major amounts of inventory, we do it for them. We maintain it and they know it’s here when they need it, and when they are finished, they return it and that’s where their obligation ends,” said Johnson.

According to Johnson, a key part of the Dynamic Rigging Hire offering is the maintenance of products. Every piece of equipment that goes out on hire is methodically inspected when it is returned to the factory.

“Every piece of gear receives an offhire inspection and we stock equipment that has to be maintained to Australian Standards. This includes chain sets and equipment used to lift precast panels and this testing is conducted and approved by a registered third party. Our workshop technicians are LEAA trained and accredited which also ensures our equipment is mantained to the highest levels.

“All the equipment in the factory is maintained to both the Australian Standard and the manufacturers www.cranesandlifting.com.au

recommendations and all stock has relevant and current documentation,” he said.

Dynamic Rigging Hire also provides niche equipment and technology.

Less obvious products include load cells which are like a digital scale. This technology enables items to be weighed into the 100s of tonnes and are accurate to the last kilo.

Dynamic Rigging Hire recently used a 100t capacity Straightpoint (SP) Radiolink plus load cell to complete tests on two 90.7t capacity Shuttlelift mobile gantry cranes.

The new Shuttlelift cranes, tested to 91.5t, will be utilised by the end user to lift pre-cast super T-beams at a manufacturing facility in the city’s western suburbs. They had to be load tested prior to being put into service to comply with Australian Standards; they will also be subjected to periodic testing to maintain that compliance.

The Radiolink plus combined with a pair of 120t capacity shackles, 100t capacity roundslings and a 145t capacity Maxirig spreader beam. The owner of the cranes engaged the services of its mobile crane provider to assist with the counterweights, which in turn requested Dynamic Rigging Hire to provide the rigging gear to lift the counterweight tray and the calibrated load cell to record

the tests.

The mobile crane provider used one of its Franna pick and carry cranes to place the counterweights in the superlift tray and the set up of the load cell and rigging gear was also uncomplicated.

The readings were monitored by the crane technicians who used the load cell to make adjustments to the scale system on the cranes. Both cranes were load tested and had their operating systems set within an afternoon. The following day saw operator training and the cranes finally placed into service in a very busy pre-cast yard.

The Radiolink plus, SP’s best-selling product, was used with the Handheld plus reading device, which enabled the rigging team to monitor the cranes at a safe distance. They utilised the long-range 2.4GHz version providing a wireless range of 1,000m. However, Bluetooth output can also be utilised, connected to any smart phone running the manufacturer’s free HHP app (named after the Handheld plus) on iOS or Android at ranges up to 100m.

Johnson confirmed he is about to expand on the range of the Straightpoint Load cell products. Recently, he used 100t Straightpoint load cell to weigh an 85t pressure vessel to obtain a confirmed weight for transport and crane lifting planning purposes.

Instead of crane companies holding major amounts of inventory, Dynamic Rigging does it for them.

July 2020 CAL / 53

IN FOCUS / DYNAMIC RIGGING

According to Johnson, being responsive to customer demands has been a major reason for the success of the business.

“In this business you have to be very responsive to the needs of the customer.

Recently, we received a call at 7am Monday and a large pneumatic chain hoist needed to be in Whyalla the next day. Unable to find a commercial freight service to meet these needs we delivered the gear ourselves and was at site midday the following day.

“It’s not a free service, but it’s a service that is there. Of course, it’s more costly for the customer if the crane is sitting there not operating because it doesn’t have the right rigging equipment.

“In this business, everybody is working for somebody else and our clients can find themselves in a bit of a hole. They turn to us to help them get the right rigging equipment to help

Every piece of gear receives an off-hire inspection and we stock equipment that has to be maintained to Australian Standards. This includes chain sets and equipment that is used to lift precast panels and this testing is conducted and approved by a registered third party.

them out of that hole. Whilst a lot of the crane industry revolves around planned project work like freeways and bridge work in construction and infrastructure, there’s also a lot of work that is unplanned,” Johnson said.

Johnson confirms the business has strong relationships with customers from a broad range of industries.

“As I said earlier, we have customers that approach us with a requirement for random one offs, we deal extensively with the mobile crane industry, but

we also deal with the large Tier One builders and contractors as well as large engineering and construction organisations.

“We also have a significant amount of work from within the rigging industry where a number of companies don’t stock the product range that we have.

We also have a fair amount of work in the commercial building sector, which is obviously serviced by the tower crane industry, where we have a lot of work as well,” Johnson said.

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IN FOCUS / UAA

ACCIDENTS COST EVERYONE A continued rise in crane accidents is driving change throughout the insurance sector, says UAA. THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS SEEN the crane sector experience stresses and strains not experienced before. The volume of work for crane hire businesses has increased exponentially for some, the shortage of skilled labour has also increased, and some crane companies are becoming extremely anxious around the availability of quality resources.

According to George Grasso, chief services officer for UAA, there is a constant battle for companies to keep quality staff, manage expenses and make every effort to maintain a high level of training and OH&S standards, coupled with the ongoing pressures of new enterprise bargaining agreements and COVID-19.

As such, there has been an increase in the number of crane accidents whereby incurring large losses in material damage to machines and exposure of horrendous proportions and what seem to be outrageous legal liability demands from allegedly affected third parties.

Many insurers globally in this segment are reducing their capacity to insure this industry and or are forced to increase rates to remediate such losses from both material damage and legal liability (Third Party Property and Personal Injury), or have removed themselves from the industry completely, he says.

“2019 was an horrendous year as far as the number of crane incidents we’ve had to deal with and almost all of them appear to be a result of extraordinary costly but simple mistakes.

“We have seen a lot of these types of incidents. As the old saying goes, ‘faster the haste, slower the pace’, but incidents are occurring because operators, riggers and dogman, who were already faced with time constraints, are even more time poor.

This has led to very expensive machines being damaged, not being available for work and having to go through the timewww.cranesandlifting.com.au

George Grasso, UAA chief services officer.

July 2020 CAL / 55

IN FOCUS / UAA

consuming process of being repaired. In every instance, the customer is reliant on the insurance company to oversee the repair process,” said Grasso.

Grasso confirms UAA is a long-term supporter of the crane industry, it has been for many years and it will be for a long time to come but, if the current level of incidents continue it will be reflected in increased insurance premiums.

“If the number of incidents going to continue to grow, it is inevitable that it will have an impact on insurance premiums to offset such costs, none of us want this. We want to encourage all crane businesses to take a step back, refocus on their people and processes, understand where they are at regarding training and examine how competent they are at operating the machines, rigging and dogging. We also think putting in place better controls, measures and incentives to encourage staff to be more diligent and focused on the task in hand should be considered,” he said.

Grasso confirms safe workplace authorities like Work Cover are diligently policing the industry. If there is an incident, whether there is a fatality or no injury, prosecutions can still follow. With some of the recent incidents, Work Cover continue with extensive investigation that will drive change to crane hire companies, manufacturers and the industry as a whole, he says.

Following many of these incidents, it has taken several months to repair the damage to cranes, which is certainly beyond the limit of indemnity for clients with Business Interruption protection.

For clients that don’t have the optional extra of Business Interruption Insurance, UAA makes every effort possible to find ways to subrogate from another liable party and will bring in the uninsured losses whether it is loss of revenue, increased cost of working or lack of lease protection in any recovery action against a potential liable third party. Many of these machines are still on finance and the loss of revenue also covers lease repayments.

If a client isn’t generating revenue from a crane, lease repayments still have to be made and these can be $50,000 to 56 / CAL July 2020

We have seen a lot of similar types of incidents. As the old saying goes, ‘faster the haste, slower the pace’, incidents are occurring because operators, riggers and dogman, who were already faced with time constraints are even more time poor. This has led to very expensive machines being damaged, not being available for work and having to go through the time-consuming process of being repaired. $60,000 a month in some cases.

In addition to such incidents, the years and costly legal exercises in defending a client’s position with legal liability demands placed upon them, can be exhaustive and emotionally draining for all parties.

“From our perspective, the situation is of increasing concern and UAA knows the industry is only going to get busier. We want clients to take stock of their business, understand what is happening at all levels and examine how to further mitigate potential risk and losses,” said Grasso.

Grasso goes on to discuss the chain of responsibility when there is any incident and what impact this has on the industry in general and insurance premiums specifically, let alone liability exposures and in addition when there is an unfortunate fatality or injury.

He uses the well-known and unfortunate workplace death at the University of Canberra Hospital construction site as the example.

In February 2020 the crane driver charged over the 2016 workplace death of his colleague at the construction site admitted his reckless actions risked the man’s life. Michael Watts pleaded guilty to one charge of reckless conduct, exposing people to serious injury or death, which is a category one offence under the Work Health Safety Act 2011.

Herman Holtz, 62, died when the pick and carry crane Watts was driving rolled and hit him at the Bruce construction.

The crane rolled while moving an 11-tonne generator.

The ACT Supreme Court heard the crane was operating “in excess of its rated

capacity” when Watts used it to move the generator. The move was also “in the absence of sufficient planning; at night with reduced lighting and visibility; and on unsuitable and dangerous terrain.”

Watts was originally charged with manslaughter over the incident. The charge was abandoned in place of the work health and safety offence, which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years imprisonment and a $300,000 fine, or both. Several other parties have also been charged.

“There were a number of extraordinarily unfortunate circumstances involved in this incident.

They’ve got a pick and carry crane carrying a generator and it was going to travel over a fair distance, up to 800 meters over dangerous terrain and at night. This is where someone needs to stop for a minute and ask, ‘is there a better alternative?’

“In this instance, the alternative could have been to load the transformer onto a trailer and transport it across the site, then lift it off. It may have been another case of time pressure, but without taking the time to implement safer alternatives, albeit that may cause some minor delays, but is offset by this unfortunate incident that is still ongoing over four years later,” said Grasso.

“You are trying to do the best thing by the project and the construction company, but sometimes you have got to stop and think about the dangers of the task. You now have the operator pleading guilty and you have other organisations and individuals charged. The ripple effect from these types of incidents are both professionally and personally www.cranesandlifting.com.au

draining, it just doesn’t stop.

“We are also seeing cranes set up on certain sites using in some cases inefficient outrigger pads without taking into account appropriate ground conditions and use of Geotech reports.

A little more time and money could be invested to ensure the appropriate pads are used to set up. Yes, it involves more cost and time, and if the client isn’t motivated to pay for additional precautionary measures, there should be an element of the crane company saying ‘how much risk do I really want to take on for this job? Is it really worth it?’, this is where the industry really needs to unify and remain consistent, consistency is key,” he said.

If this trend continues and the level of incidents remain, the industry could be looking at insurance premiums increasing significantly, says Grasso.

If there is another bad year like 2019, UAA will have no option but to increase premiums, this is the only way to remain in business and to provide protection to the industry, unlike many other insurers who are exiting the industry as it has become unsustainable for them.

“As the leader in the market with our product and services, and with over 48 years of servicing the industry, the longest standing crane insurer, we want to make sure we remain viable to our customers for many more years to come.

We can’t do it on our own, the industry needs to continue to fine tune OH&S practices and mitigate risks.

“You can’t be guaranteed the same level of service and commercial considerations from other insurers because UAA understands and respects the industry. Plus, we are local where other competitors are outside of

Australia. In the current market we are seeing other players in this field, particularly those connected with Lloyds of London, exiting the risk of the crane sector. They’ve taken on risk and they’ve been burned,” he said.

“There is a genuine capacity issue in the insurance market at the moment and UAA is concerned about the lack of options for clients, there is nothing wrong with healthy competition. Over the last six months, brokers who have placed their client’s business elsewhere no longer have the capacity to rewrite with them and have now come to UAA asking if we can help them out. This is the reality and it is happening right now, take risk mitigation very seriously, otherwise you can become ‘uninsurable’, particularly as we live in one of the worlds most litigated countries,” said Grasso.

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IN FOCUS / DIGITISATION IN LIFTING

STREAMLINING HEAVY LIFTING AND HAULAGE THROUGH DIGITISATION Leading German heavy lifting and haulage specialist recognised the impact paper-based administration was having on the business and streamlined processes by implementing the E.P.O.S. modular software system. Cranes and Lifting explains.

GUSTAV SEELAND GMBH is one of the largest providers of heavy goods logistics in Germany, providing solutions across the entire area of heavy and special transports, mobile cranes, industrial assembly and heavy goods storage.

Jan Gaarz, operations manager at Gustav Seeland GmbH explains how far-reaching the implementation of the E.P.O.S system has been, and how important the digitisation of paper processes will be to the future of the business.

“We recently integrated the E.P.O.S. Online Application which replaces existing job dockets, delivery notes and optimises the processing of orders.

This information is now sent directly to tablets being operated by drivers, supervisors, operators and other staff onsite.

“The Online Application compliments the digital processes already operating in the office which are a result of

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implementing E.P.O.S. the deployment, planning and organisational system modular software system. We are already seeing positive results from these implementations and we see the digitisation processes as a crucial step forward in the future development of our business,” said Gaarz.

Recently, Gustav Seeland GmbH completed a project which tested the resources and the expertise of the business. An 85m ferry had to be brought from the port of Hamburg to Fußach in Austria - by road. In order to transport the ferry to its destination, it was dismantled into 17 parts in Hamburg.

The ship sections, which are almost 14m long and up to 5m wide and around 4m high, were then loaded onto the special vehicles by crane. The elements, which weigh around 33t were transported on the flatbed trucks from Hamburg via Hanover, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Munich and Memmingen

to Fußach within three nights. At the shipyard they are then reassembled into a ship. After completion, the ferry was the first LNG ship on Lake Constance.

Details relating to complex projects like this are available to everyone involved, including administrative staff in the office and the drivers and operators involved. With E.P.O.S., it is possible to attach numerous amounts of supporting documentation and images to every activity such as quotes, jobs and invoices in E.P.O.S. For example, pictures from a site inspection, freight lists or ground plans from the customer are accessible for everyone at any time. It’s a simple case of dragging and dropping the documentation or images and sending the files as an email attachment.

E.P.O.S. has transformed business processes for Gustav Seeland, and the integration process was relatively seamless says Gaarz.

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

“The integration process went very well.

We ran both the paper and digital systems in parallel for the first three months and then we completely did away the paper system. Employees were initially sceptical about the E.P.O.S. system but quickly saw the benefits it brings and were soon fully accepting.

“With the Online Application , orders can be settled immediately after completion. Order documents such as work plans, driving permits etc. are digitally assigned to the orders,” he said.

Job data is exported directly from E.P.O.S. to the tablet operated by the driver, crane operator or onsite staff.

Job related documents can also be sent directly to the tablet. The customer is able to read the detail relating to the job and confirm it is correct by signing off on the completed job with a digital signature.

“We’ve been able to streamline the

whole reporting system with the Online Application feature. It has provided a number of benefits including flexibility with digital orders, dispatch and prompt billing,” said Gaarz.

“Documents come directly back to the office via the online proof of performance which can include delivery notes and photos. Drivers are able to report back on issues relating to vehicle defects and these reports are immediately stored in the system to ensure the vehicle is inspected at the first available opportunity.

“After a very short start-up period, the digital performance records were very well received, with customers also immediately receiving a digital copy by email,” he said.

Christian Matusch, director of leading German business software company Matusch, developer of E.P.O.S. says the experience of Gustav Seeland GmbH

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exemplifies the importance of digitising all operational processes.

“If you are in the heavy-lift or heavy haulage industry, future-proofing your business with flexible and functional software is an important pillar to ensure your company’s future success.

“The Equipment Planning and Organisation System, (E.P.O.S.) functions as the information centre for the entire company. The software provides a standardised and transparent process, from the preparation of the quote through to the planning and execution of the project,” he said.

“Complex orders with any combination of transport, assembly and lifting services can be calculated, processed, checked and invoiced with the software, and despite the wide range of functions and complex processes, E.P.O.S. is simple and userfriendly to operate,” said Matusch.

IN FOCUS / LINK-BELT

NEW TELESCOPIC CRAWLER FROM LINK-BELT

Cranes and Lifting finds out more about Link-Belt’s recently debuted TCC-800, an all-new 72t capacity telescopic crawler crane.

The TCC-800 features a new four-section 11.8m-36.5m fullpower boom that reaches a maximum tip height of 56.2m with full boom and Link-Belt’s SmartFly pinning system.

60 / CAL July 2020

THE TCC-800 TELESCOPIC CRAWLER crane debuted at ConExpo 2020 and began field-testing shortly after. First shipments are scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020. Its predecessor, the top selling telecrawler TCC-750, has been a cornerstone of the US telecrawler market since its initial debut in 2008.

The TCC-800 comes with a new four-section 11.8m-36.5m full-power boom that reaches a maximum tip height of 56.2m with full boom and Link-Belt’s SmartFly pinning system.

Link-Belt SmartFly helps ensure proper fly erection and stowage sequence while minimizing work at height. This SmartFly system continues to get high marks from industry owners. The TCC800 offers optional one or two-piece 10.6-17.6m fly.

New to Link-Belt’s telecrawler lineup will be variable side frame track positions (V-CALC) on the TCC-800.

“V-CALC, in the case of the new TCC-800, offers the added flexibility to operate the crane with side frames in asymmetric configurations. Pulse 2.0 monitors actual side frame position, auto-selecting the correct chart,” said Scott Knight, Product Manager Lattice and Telescopic Crawler Cranes.

TCC-800’s variable side frame combinations, new cab with 20 degrees of tilt and Pulse 2.0 offer an operator a multitude of options for any jobsite everything from pile driving, bridgework to plant work, and general construction.

TCC-800 will utilise a stage five dualcompliant Cummins QSB 6.7 engine with 232hp at 2000 RPM for greater fuel economy, improved quiet operation and cold-start capability. Other advancements include pressure read-out www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Watch short video

TCC-800’s variable side frame combinations, new cab with 20 degrees of tilt and Pulse 2.0 offer an operator a multitude of options for any jobsite.

on all hydraulic circuits, viewable on Pulse 2.0 display. Total vision package with right-side swing camera, winch-view camera, and rear-view camera give the operator great jobsite visibility during setup and lifting. Single axis or joystick controls are also available both offering operator selectable foot or hand controls for travel operation. Textured paint on all vertical surfaces and slip resistant paint on all horizontal surfaces improves durability and footing.

New high-performance variable displacement pumps provide power control and load sensing on the TCC-800 for smooth functioning of all operating processes. Matching 19mm grooved drums have 254.2m of rope capacity with 7 656.6kg maximum line pull and 485 fpm (147 mpm) maximum line speed. The list chart on the TCC-800 also includes a maximum four-degree list chart for increased performance in varying jobsite conditions.

The TCC-800 self-assembles with 17,463kg of upper counterweight and two 3,000 1,360 kg sections of carbody counterweight. For transport, the TCC-800 moves in two loads: main unit transports under 45 359 kg with fly, side frames attached, hook block and ball, lifting sheave and full tank of fuel; overflow includes counterweight sections and stays below 20,184kg. Clearance height on a lowboy transport trailer stays below 3.9m.

OPTIONAL WIRELESS REMOTE TCC-800 has an optional wireless remote-control system which allows the operator to be out of the cab and still have control of the crane.

Link-Belt Cranes, with headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, is a leader in the design and manufacture of telescopic boom and lattice boom cranes for the construction industry worldwide.

Complete crane specifications are available at www.linkbelt.com www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Immediate scheduling of orders during customer calls Individually configurable scheduling plans, also available online while on the go.

Advantage: quick overview of usage and double bookings Simple handling of complex projects with E.P.O.S. project management Digitised processes – paperless, continuous processing Online delivery notes/instructions for drivers and signed dockets E.P.O.S mobile apps for management, sales, drivers, mechanics and delivery jobs

IN FOCUS / MCKAY UNITED

UNITED GROVES TO THE RESCUE Leading Melbourne crane hire business McKay United, recently completed the company’s largest “all Grove” dual-lift utilising Grove all terrains. Cranes and Lifting finds out more.

VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL (VICT) is Melbourne’s newest container terminal. It features a state-of-the-art container handling system including 20 Automatic Stacker Crane (ASC). When one of the ASCs derailed, McKay United deployed two Grove all terrains, a GMK7450 and GMK5250L to assist.

VICT is located north of Port Phillip Bay at the mouth of the Yarra River, at the Port of Melbourne’s Webb Dock East. The 35-hectare terminal has an annual capacity of over a million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) and a straight berth of 660 meters that can accommodate two vessels along-side.

The OneTerminal deployment at VICT includes a Kalmar Automatic Stacking Crane (ASC) system comprising 20 ASCs, and it was

one of these that had derailed.

“We are talking about an automated system for handling containers and because the ASC had come off its rails, it was holding up the whole container handling process and the production of the port in a fairly major way,” said Simon Atkins, general manager, at McKay United.

“The ASC had actually twisted so this proved a challenge and it was difficult to locate the twisted wheels back on the tracks. The ability for both the GMK7450

and GMK5250L to work at nearly maximum chart was a very positive and rewarding outcome for our client.

“They had tried to jack the crane initially which proved unsuccessful, so I went down and had a look. There was an issue getting into the area due to a water runway which we had to fill in with crushed rock and a steel plate to provide access for both the GMK 7450 and GMK5250L. “We prepared the cranes in the yard and the GMK7450 got to the

For the first phase of the project the GMK7450 and GMK5250L placed the gantry crane back on the tracks.

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www.cranesandlifting.com.au

port within two hours. We conducted an extensive examination of lifting procedures with Kalmar, to understand where the lift points were on the crane.

There were two points on the top of the crane, and it was important to know if these were designed to take the whole load. We set both cranes up and came back the next morning to start the lift,” said Atkins.

The ASCs run on train tracks and one of the crane’s legs had stayed on the track following the incident.

“The 250t lifted one leg whilst the 450t lifted two, it had a weight of about 157t. We made one attempt at the lift which didn’t work and after some consultation, I said I thought the mechanical grab, which handles the containers, was throwing a bit of weight. The grab weighs about 45t and I said if we could get that weight off the legs, it would help. They got into the grab, released the brake and moved the it further along the gantry of crane. We came back the next day and that’s when we conducted the lift,” said Atkins.

For the first phase of the project the GMK7450 and GMK5250L placed the gantry crane back on the tracks.

For the second phase of the project, the GMK7450 picked up one side and slewed the gantry crane away from the damaged rail and onto the straight part of the track, with assistance of winches controlling the other side of the load.

“We suspended the ASC while they did a bit of work on the track close to the 250t. This track wasn’t too badly damaged so that it could sit the stacker crane back down. Then the 250t took the weight off the 450t and slewed it because that’s where all the damage to the track was.

“There was a 10m section of damaged track and we couldn’t put it back down. We were able to get one wheel back on a piece of straight track.

We lowered it down again then hooked up one leg. We slewed it gain and we were able to put the other leg on the straight track and they went to work on getting the damaged track out. That was us done, they were able to access www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The cranes conducted four separate dual lifts of the gantry crane, with the GMK7450 lifting between 160t and 175t of the total load, and the GMK5250L lifting around 84t.

the bent track, replace it and run it from there,” said Atkins.

The GMK7450 was configured with 120t of counterweight, with 25.7m of main boom extended to lift at a 7m radius. The GM5250L was configured with 80t of counterweight, and it had 37.9m of main boom extended to lift at a 7m radius.

The 450t GMK7450 has a maximum main boom length of 60 m and a maximum tip height of 136m. The crane also features MEGATRAK suspension on a seven-axle carrier, a removable rear outrigger box and the Twin-Lock boom pinning system.

The 250t capacity GMK5250L has a main boom length of 70m and a maximum tip height of 110m. It is one of the most powerful and versatile five-axle cranes on the market with the highest-rated capacity and the quickest set-up time in its class.

“As far as the rigging equipment for the lift was concerned, we were lucky enough that the available spreader bar was the one used by Kalmar to assemble

the crane and it was in test.

“We used our 100t slings, but the spreader bar was made for the assembly process. VICT were really happy with our ability to get there quickly. I said if the machines had been working, we wouldn’t have been able to respond so quickly, but because they happened to be in the yard, we are more than happy to help day or night.

“The brand new 250t is a great a machine and it performed perfectly. It was able to get right in and close to the ASC and we ended with 28.5m of main boom and we were able to get an 84t lift because it was up pretty straight.

We were lucky that both machines were available and certainly Kalmar and VICT were pleased with the work we did and the outcome,” said Atkins.

In total, McKay United used the two cranes for four separate dual lifts of the gantry crane, with the GMK7450 lifting between 160t and 175t of the total load, and the GMK5250L lifting around 84t.

The whole project lasted 16 hours, 8 hours on two consecutive days.

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IN FOCUS / 3D LIFT PLANNING

3D LIFT PLANS SAVE MONEY Cranes and Lifting learns how a lift manager utilises 3D Lift Plan to realise time and cost savings by using two cranes instead of one larger one.

TRAPPER WYMAN, who serves as Mansfield Crane Service Corp.’s lift manager, was a finalist in the 2018 Lift Plan of the Year competition, utilising 3D Lift Plan as a visual tool to explain to both the customer and his staff exactly what a traditional twocrane lift entailed. Using the software, he was able to simulate the lift. In doing so, he realised he could save Wyman was most impressed with how he was able to realistically mimic the exact movements of the cranes in making the lift.

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time and money by using two cranes instead of one larger one.

The project involved the removal of a reciprocating compressor skid from a midstream facility in the company’s hometown of Mansfield, Pa. “When the customer contacted us and we looked at the job with 3D Lift Plan, we determined it would have required a much larger crane, which would have

cost a lot more money.” Instead, the two-crane configuration made the project much easier to handle.

“A big issue with this project was that the set-up was hard to describe to the customer and our people. We were able to show what we planned in a way that everybody was able to understand and accept it. Using 3D Lift Plan was the only way we could accomplish this,” explained Wyman. “The project called for us to remove the roof of the building and reach inside, lift out the old unit, and replace it with a new one before putting the roof back on. This would have required mobilising a large crane from a distance, and that would have been cost-prohibitive.”

MCS decided that two smaller cranes could be used, but a two-crane configuration connecting to the unit lengthwise at each end would not work. Instead, Wyman planned to connect the cranes width-wise to the skid which would provide the necessary capacity requirements.

However, because the skid would need to pass between the two cranes, the lift planner had to approach it differently. “At first, we were unsure if the cranes would be able to elevate booms high enough to accommodate the lift,” he said. “This is where 3D Lift Plan was useful in simulating the lift for feasibility. Our crane operators and client were scratching their heads when this was first described to them but using 3D Lift Plan and making a video of the lift were key to everyone’s complete understanding of how the plan would work. It brought down project costs considerably, and the visual experience instilled confidence in carrying out the job.” www.cranesandlifting.com.au

In regard to 3D Lift Plan’s lift simulation capabilities, Wyman was most impressed with how he was able to realistically mimic the exact movements of the cranes in making the lift. “It’s synchronised with both cranes,” he explains.

“We would have used a traditional CAD program, but that limited our being able to show how the cranes would move through their various positions. This was accomplished a lot quicker, and for a lift planner, the speed at which you’re able to put a lift plan together represents a significant amount of time.”

Finally, Wyman said he likes how extensive 3D Lift Plan’s data is in regard to specific crane models.

“We haven’t run into a situation where it hasn’t been able to do what we need,” he added.

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The 3D Lift plan demonstrated the plan in a way that everybody was able to understand and accept.

IN FOCUS / ESKER COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE ProLift streamlines collections process with Esker’s cloud-based Collections Management software.

REDUCING PAST DUE PAYMENTS BY 60 PER CENT Cranes and Lifting explores how a US forklift and material-handling dealership streamlines its collections process with Esker’s cloud-based Collections Management software.

FOUNDED IN 1978, ProLift Industrial Equipment began as Louisville Lift Truck, a forklift rental house in Louisville, KY. Today as a Toyota materials Handling company, ProLift is a full-service forklift and materialhandling dealership operating nine locations, employing 450 workers and offering multiple product lines.

ProLift Industrial Equipment is one of the Midwest’s largest Toyotaowned dealers of forklifts, pallet jacks, reach trucks and other materialhandling equipment. The company operates nine locations across Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia, selling, renting and servicing equipment manufactured by the industry’s leading brands. ProLift’s clientele ranges from major corporations to smaller, single-store businesses.

ProLift’s own business had been expanding steadily since 2007 when the company was acquired by Toyota Industries North America (TINA).

But, as order volume increased, the technical limitations of ProLift’s ERP began to create friction during the company’s post-sale activity. In talking with collections personnel, ProLift identified the following outstanding needs: • visualisation of all collections activities (e.g., via a dashboard); • customisable call lists and contact follow-up reminders and management tools; • automated workflows capable of eliminating redundancies; and • seamless interoperability with existing and future ERP systems.

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SOLUTION After vetting several solutions, ProLift ultimately selected Esker’s cloud-based Collections Management software. With its ability to integrate with ProLift’s Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP, Esker’s solution has introduced a new level of transparency to the company’s invoicing and payment tracking processes. ProLift’s internal stakeholders can now quickly resolve collections issues using a plethora of varied and highly localised data points.

Thanks to the Collections Management solution’s extensive menu of options, ProLift staff can now: • generate customised reports; • assemble more actionable call lists; and • access granular customer activity data across a range of touchpoints and categories, from new sales to parts, service and rental (PSR).

Stuart Geiger, ProLift’s corporate controller, notes that Esker’s Collections Management solution has even helped ProLift better manage customer lines of credit. In addition to aiding with risk management, this functionality has also been critical in elevating the level of customer service it can provide.

“With Esker, I can instantly collocate and analyse all 2,000 customers who have an open balance,” Geiger explained. “I can then make decisions about which customers have too high of a credit line, which don’t have enough available credit, and which are approaching their credit limit and need to be engaged.

“Esker has been very valuable to us.

The collections management solution has allowed us to pinpoint and improve where our receivable problems exist,” said Geiger.

BENEFITS Beyond the expected improvements, Esker has delivered invaluable business intelligence about inaccurate data introduced to invoices during ProLift’s order entry process. Whether they contain an incorrect mailing address or reference the wrong PO number, such invoices are not collectable. Knowing that those problem invoices stem from front-end errors rather than back-office operations has enabled ProLift to distinguish, as Geiger puts it, “the symptoms from the disease.”

Since implementing Esker’s Collections Management solution, ProLift has: - reduced past due payments by 60 per cent, from 11,479 to 4,669; - boosted the collections team’s overall productivity by implementing better QA and clearing bottlenecks at every stage of the AR process; - decreased Days Sales Outstanding from 55.4 to 48.3 within two years, significantly enhancing reconciliation efforts; and - improved average response time on customer inquiries to 36 hours since implementation.

In the near future, ProLift hopes to implement Esker’s customer payment portal to make their end-to-end AR processes even more efficient.

“Esker’s Collections Management System solution has allowed us to better manage what we’re doing and intelligently answer questions about why and where we’re placing our resources,” said Geiger.

Further information: www.esker.com.au/ solutions/order-cash/collections-management/ www.cranesandlifting.com.au

IN FOCUS / MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING Casey-Lee bravely tells the story of Glenn’s suicide hoping it will make a difference to the way the crane industry views mental health and wellbeing.

WE NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER Mental health and mental wellbeing are oft used terms, but many in a male dominated industry like the crane sector dismiss it saying, “it won’t impact me”.

CASEY-LEE POWELL RUNS RED RADIO Solutions, a business specialising in communication solutions for the crane sector. Casey-Lee is now a widow following the suicide of her husband Glenn. She has bravely decided to tell her story, in the hope it will increase awareness of men’s mental well-being and suicide prevention in the crane industry.

Glenn and Casey-Lee Powell had been operating Red Radio Solutions for six years, it was in the last 12 months leading up to Glenn’s suicide that Casey-Lee noticed he was beginning to struggle.

“During those last 12 months he www.cranesandlifting.com.au

began to voice his opinion and he’d wake up in the morning saying he didn’t want to live, and he couldn’t go on; it was a really slow but steady progression.

“A lot of this involved alcohol abuse, he began drinking heavily and he was slowly losing control. As a result of the alcohol, he became depressed and he was being treated with medication for the depression.

“As his wife and his business partner, I witnessed his personal struggle behind the scenes, but saw the pride he took in his work. I could see people from the outside looking in would never have

known Glenn was struggling, and that’s how he wanted it,” she said.

According to Casey-Lee, Glenn had the perception that if people in the industry knew what was going on, the business might be lost, he would lose the respect of customers or that people wouldn’t trust his work ethic.

“There are a lot of men in the industry who are struggling with the same sorts of issues including alcohol abuse and family breakdowns.

“I get to experience this quite a bit.

Maybe it’s because I’m a woman and I ask questions or maybe it’s because men feel July 2020 CAL / 67

IN FOCUS / MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

more comfortable talking to a woman.

Either way, they do talk to me about their problems. I can see that the one group that could have been a great support for Glenn, is the one group who would be too embarrassed to talk and to voice their thoughts and opinions,” she said.

“Glenn would show up on the job site and give 110 per cent like he always had, nobody would know he was struggling. I think the point we are missing in the industry is the big stigma attached to men talking about their mental health and wellbeing. Talking about their struggles and depression just doesn’t happen.

“I’ve spoken to guys on sites and their response is “it’s all BS; just take a tablet and you’ll feel better”. Because I’m having these conversations, I can see a large gap in terms of the awareness and the importance of mental health and wellbeing,” she said.

Long hours, periods where they might be working away from home, builds pressure on the individual and relationships says Casey-Lee. “Guys in the crane sector are working six days a week. They are leaving early to get to the job sites and more often than not they are getting home late. There are external pressures on them, and I think that’s where it falls down.

“Before Glenn’s depression he was full of life, enthusiastic about the business and motivated to deal with anything the business threw at him. He trained at the gym every day, and he was a willing and happy participant in the business.

Nothing was a struggle, nothing was too much hassle, he was willing to take to each day as it came,” she said.

Casey-Lee and Glenn had been married for six years and worked in the business together. The business was sound had been travelling perfectly well. Glenn was 49 when he committed suicide. He hadn’t drunk alcohol in his earlier years, but over the last four or five years he discovered it and began to drink.

When Casey-Lee realised there was a problem, there were various organisations that she could have turned to with or on behalf of Glenn.

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Suicide by men in the crane industry, it’s a fact, and work mates, managers and business owners shouldn’t be embarrassed that it happens on their watch. It is a complex issue and very often, no one knows what the individual is going through.

“This is where I found the system failed us. We went to several AA meetings and I called the helpline when he was really struggling, but he didn’t want a bar of it, he didn’t want anyone to know.

“We ended up with our local GP and he prescribed the anti-depressants. A pattern developed where Glenn would be fine for a while then he would have another bout of depression and he wouldn’t get the help. He wouldn’t want to own up and admit that he needed it. He’d then seem fine and we’d speak about going back to AA meetings but that was as far as it got, he would get angry if I tried to push him,” she said.

There are organisations within the construction sector which are specifically focused on men’s mental health and wellbeing, such as Mates in Construction and Blue Hats but Glenn wasn’t prepared to reach out to anybody says Casey-Lee. “Because it was only the two of us in the business there wasn’t anybody else for him to turn to. I know Mates in Construction are really good, they put on barbeques on construction sites and encourage the boys chat, but because it was just Glenn and I, we didn’t utilise the available services.

“By sharing Glenn’s story, my main goal is to increase the awareness of men’s mental health and suicide prevention, not just with the guys on site but also with the business owners of the crane companies,” she said.

“Suicide in the crane industry, it’s a fact, and work mates, managers and business owners shouldn’t be embarrassed that it happens on their watch. It is a complex issue and very often, no one knows what the individual is going through. It strikes me that

everyone involved in a crane business should check with their colleagues and ask if they are OK? “I think regular checking in during a barbeque at the end of the week, or a one on one to make sure they are OK is really important. It should also be OK for crane operators and dogmen to say they are not OK and not be worried about losing face, losing the job or a shift as a result of being honest.

“I hope the crane owners that read this article will see how important it is to check in on their boys on a regular basis and ask if they are OK without the stigma of the mental health being held over them,” said Casey-Lee. Many crane companies are family businesses and Casey-Lee has heard the term time and again from young family members coming into the business. “If I didn’t work in the business, I would never see my Dad.” “That speaks volumes about the nature of the business and the men that are in it. Because of the hours they keep, many of the guys are out of shape so it’s not just about mental health awareness it’s about physical health as well.

“When Glenn and I were in the eye of the storm, it was very difficult to know what to do, and I struggled. Being his wife and his business partner, I found I was sucked into not always doing what was right for Glenn but doing what was right for the business.

“I wish I had reached out and got more professional help instead of trying to wrap him up in cotton wool and fix him myself. I just hope the next business owner, the next wife or the next crane driver who suspects there’s a problem, reaches for the right level of help, because it is out there,” said Casey-Lee. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

IN FOCUS / MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

MATES IN CONSTRUCTION Construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work.

For young workers, the facts are that they are well over two times more likely to take their own lives than other young Australian men.

MATES IN CONSTRUCTION, MINING AND Energy deliver strategic, innovative, evidence-based suicide prevention and mental health programs to the building, mining, energy and construction industries. This is done by raising awareness, building capacity, connecting workers to help and providing evidencebased information to the industry through research.

Research has shown that workers find it difficult to discuss feelings and emotions with colleagues at work, and the nature of the work has made social support more difficult.

MATES in Construction CEO, NSW, Brad Parker said some of the cryptic signs of suicide discussed during training are relatable.

“Stories like the project manager who asked his colleagues if they wanted his golf clubs as he didn’t need them anymore, he later suicided, or the construction worker who played cards with workmates every lunch time in the crib shed. He stopped playing cards, had

lunch on his own in his car and three days later he suicided.

“We remind people and workers in our industry that they spend more time at work with their workmates than they spend with their loved ones, family or friends, so we think you’re best placed to pick up changes, call it out and then connect people to help. MATES HELPING MATES is real and tangible, it’s not a throw away statement,” said Parker.

“Pride” is identified as an issue: male workers have a problem with not being viewed as “manly”. Participants of the research held a strong belief that suicide was an impulsive act and that someone intending to take their own life would show no signs and not discuss it.

MATES is focused on raising awareness though effective and direct communication with all levels of the industry through newsletters; general awareness; Connector and ASIST worker networks.

MATES events and Tool-Box talks.

Brad Parker MATES in Construction CEO NSW.

CAPACITY BUILDING Programs are designed to actively engage the industry in sustainable programs such as the Life Skills Tool Box and MATES programs including General Awareness Training, Connector and ASIST courses.

PROVIDING HELP Case Management that connects workers to help by using existing services, ensuring that help is both practical and useful.

RESEARCH Gathering data and partnering with research institutions to provide useful, insightful and practical information for application in the industry, under guidance of the MATES in Construction Board.

MATES is focused on raising awareness through effective and direct communication with all levels of the industry. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

MATES in Construction is an independent charity and anyone wanting to support the MATES Industry Partnership Program can contact Greg Johnston on (07) 3063 7055.

Website: https://mates.org.au/how-mates-works July 2020 CAL / 69

IN FOCUS / MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING Bluehats is a peer support program based on educating and training people to look after and support each other.

THE BLUEHATS PROJECT WAS BORN OUT of Commercial construction builders and Unions coming together and acknowledging that the Industry had an issue with poor mental health and suicide. Whilst not exclusive to this industry but simply a reflection of issues impacting the community; the industry decided it needed to do something to protect and support their people.

As Incolink was already the Industries’ wellbeing and support agency, providing outpatient counselling, Critical incident response, Education and Information sessions at Unions and Employers training Centres, tool boxes and many more other services in Victoria and Tasmania; the industry commissioned Incolink to develop a program to facilitate direct support with these issues in an endeavour to reduce the suicide rate amongst the commercial building industry.

Bluehats is a peer support program based on educating and training people to look after and support each other. It consists of 4 tiers.

TIER ONE: Incolink engages with employers to train everyone on site with a one hour of general awareness session about good mental health and suicide prevention.

These sessions are conducted on site in small groups, no larger than 40 people.

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The aim of these sessions is to: 1) Give people general skills to identify and manage stress and signs of suicidality.

2) Induct everyone on site to the Bluehat project and making them aware that the site will now be a Bluehats site equipped with Mental health and suicide first aiders.

3) Give them the opportunity to do a further seven hours training at our head office to become a Bluehat (Mental Health and Suicide First Aider).

TIER TWO: Those who volunteer to do the further seven-hour training (this training is in groups of 12 participants only) are upskilled to recognise some of the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and are given skills to ask the suicide question.

During the seven-hour training, the first aiders are trained using an international suicide prevention method developed

by Living Works called SafeTALK. A methodology that is not only designed to be used in the workplace; but a skill they can take back to their own community at the footy club, netball club, etc.

This training focuses heavily on providing a platform for first aiders (Bluehats) to invite people to reach out as well as self-care for those putting their hand up to be first aiders.

Once they complete the seven hours training, they are given a blue hat to wear so they can be easily recognisable on site and approachable by those in need. Their photo is also put on the notice board next to the physical first aiders and HSR’s so everyone knows who they are.

TIED THREE: Incolink provides ongoing support to all the Bluehats. It runs a database of

all Bluehats who are sent monthly text messages with self-efficacy messages, information regarding topics for the month; events such as Men’s health week, diabetes month, etc for them to spread the message on sites and also continue to look after themselves.

Incolink conducts regular site visits and phone calls to continue to promote and support the program. Bluehats are encouraged to stay in touch with each other as well to promote sustainability of project. Once a year there is a one-day forum where all Bluehats are invited to attend for further development and an opportunity to share some of their stories with their peers.

TIER FOUR: Incolink is committed to this project and conducts ongoing evaluation and research to ensure that the outcomes of the project are being met.

The two key outcomes are to improve/ enhance help seeking behaviour amongst the Industry (particularly men) and essentially reduce the suicide rate in the commercial building industry.

This project target all people working in the commercial building industry, which means both blue collars and whitecollar workers. The aim is to ensure that every site in Victoria and Tasmania is a Bluehat site; meaning every single worker in Victoria and Tasmania is given at least a one hour session on the site he or she works on, and that every site has Bluehats (first Aiders) on site.

Since October 2018, Incolink has trained over 5000 workers with the one hour General Awareness Session (GAS) and there are over 250 Bluehats (mental health & suicide first aiders) placed in sites around Victoria and Tasmania with another 200 waiting to be trained.

Please promote the 24/7 crisis support number at 1300 000 129. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

2020

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CRANES AND LIFTING MAGAZINE WILL LAUNCH A NEW INITIATIVE IN THE SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2020 ISSUE. THE CRANES AND LIFTING SHOWCASE 2020 PROVIDES EVERY CICA MEMBER WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIST THEIR PREMIER CRANES IN ITS FLEET FREE OF CHARGE.

CIRCULATION AND ADDITIONAL COVERAGE FOR THE CRANES AND LIFTING SHOWCASE 2020 The SHOWCASE will first appear as a section within the September/October issue of Crane and Lifting. We will then extend the reach of the SHOWCASE by utilising the readership and circulation of other titles in the magazine’s group.

This coverage will be via the digital products and platforms of titles including AUSTRALIAN MINING,

INSIDE CONSTRUCTION, ROADS & INFRASTRUCTURE and QUARRY. Combined, these readerships have a weekly reach of 75,000, which includes the distribution of eNewsletters and traffic to the various websites.

The Cranes and Lifting SHOWCASE 2020 will then be housed on the respective websites in a downloadable, PDF format. An extensive marketing campaign is planned to create awareness of the SHOWCASE’S availability.

For further information on the advertising opportunities within the SHOWCASE please contact: Brad Marshall on 0403 993 443 / Email: brad.marshall@primecreative.com.au

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