Cranes & Lifting November/December 2020

THE DEDICATED RESOURCE FOR THE CRANE INDUSTRY / NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

LIFTING THE ECONOMY TOGETHER Official Media Partner

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IN THIS ISSUE 8

SpanSet hosts the Treasurer Treasurer Josh Frydenberg visits SpanSet’s operation.

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14 Two Way Cranes expands operations Two Way Cranes moves south with new operation in Unanderra.

16 CICA Presidents Report

The crane sector maintains a positive outlook despite the COVID challenges.

19 CICA Vale CICA farewells Life Member and safety innovator, Rob Way. 22 CICA Tech Corner The CICA Technical Committee examines the impact of remote load control systems.

24 Innovation Multiplex recently deployed a remote load control system and reports on the outcomes.

26 CICA Member Profile Men are from Marrs is currently completing a Turkish bridge construction project featuring the worlds’ heaviest lifts.

29 Two Way Tally

Despite interruptions to her training classes, Tally is making great progress.

32 CICA and HVAMS The Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) represents a contemporary approach to heavy vehicle access on the Tasmanian Road Network.

36 CICA casual employment advice Holding Redlich examines the implications involved with employing casual labour.

38 Telematic solutions MTData has been at the forefront of the telematics industry for over 20 years.

40 Heavy Lift and Shift Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift and Shift discusses the latest addition to its fleet. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

43 Preston Hire accesses height The SuperElevate fleet features out of the ordinary access equipment.

46 TRT announces new distributor TRT appoints Ronco as distributor for Western Australia.

48 New Liebherr rough terrain to Norwest Norwest Crane Hire takes delivery of new Liebherrs.

50 New Grove all terrain to NZ First Grove all terrain model delivered in New Zealand.

52 Franna safety Franna launches emergency bridging key option.

54 Potain is the only fit New Potain MCH 175A works amidst space constraints.

57 New Tadano passes Xtreme test New 120t capacity Tadano all terrain is put through its paces.

61 Connecting cranes and customers Bringing in used cranes – The Baden Davis Crane Connection way.

63 Performance is key to new pinjib purchase Precast concrete specialist buys second Zoomlion crawler.

67 Self-levelling technology key to EWP success

AlmaCrawler range of access equipment is making significant inroads.

70 New city crane ready to go Tutt Bryant announce availability of new Kato 25t city crane.

72 Know what you are lifting UAA examines the risks of not being covered for the loads you are lifting.

74 New 120t capacity all terrain The first Liebherr LTM 1120-4.1 is about to arrive.

76 Paperless invoicing The Esker system enables paper invoicing and all transactions to happen in the cloud.

78 Importance of digitisation in heavy lift and shift

E.P.O.S. is software on the move.

80 Celebrating 60 years W.A Pickles celebrated 60 years by purchasing a TIDD PC28.

82 Working at heights safely Important advice from the Working at Heights Association.

84 Presidential lift planning 3D lift planning solves White House problem lift.

86 Lift of the Month

Illustrating what you do best.

November 2020 CAL / 3

FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER ISSUE OF CRANES AND LIFTING THE OCTOBER BUDGET, DELIVERED BY THE Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, has provided one of the largest boosts to infrastructure investment in recent times. The funding is directed towards smaller projects that can deliver stimulus quickly, while continuing to invest in the larger projects that will strengthen the resilience of the economy to further shocks in the long run.

The budget has provided $14 billion in new infrastructure projects to create 14,000 jobs in the future and $2bn is earmarked for a road safety program.

This will deliver small-scale road safety projects to boost short-term economic stimulus and $2bn in new funding is put aside for water infrastructure, making national water security a priority. Funding in these areas can only be good for the crane sector.

Following the budget announcements, Frydenberg visited SpanSet’s manufacturing facility where he confirmed his commitment to Australian manufacturing. Cranes and Lifting was there to cover the event. Frydenberg and federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, spent two hours touring the facility and talking with staff and media. SpanSet collaborated with Western Sydney crane company Two Way Cranes who generously loaned one of its new Franna AT40s for

the visit. The treasurer was delighted to learn it was also made in Australia.

In this issue we sadly farewell an industry innovator and CICA Life Member. Rob Way passed suddenly and will be deeply missed by his family and many close friends in the industry. Rob was a pioneer and champion for a greater focus on safety in the crane sector and safety is a major focus in this issue. We are also pleased to include a focus on elevated work platforms. Wherever you see a crane operating, more often than not, you will find an EWP. The team at Cranes and Lifting works hard to bring new initiatives to the magazine and it is rewarding when these are well received. We introduced the Lift of the Month with the September/October issue and it has proved to a popular addition. Feel free to send through your entries.

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

Published by:

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

Simon Gould Editor, Cranes and Lifting

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

4 / CAL November 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg and Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, watch local manufacturing in action.

TREASURER BACKS LOCAL MANUFACTURING IN BUDGET After one of Australia’s most significant budgets, the first stop for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was the electorate of Lindsay.

Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh MP welcomed the Treasurer of Australia, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP to Lindsay for the first stop after handing down one of the most significant Federal budgets in Australian history.

“The Treasurer came to Western Sydney after delivering this Budget because he knows the investment in Australian manufacturing, the support for hardworking and aspirational small businesses, and the road upgrades and infrastructure projects will create more local jobs. This is what the Budget is all about,” said Ms McIntosh.

The Treasurer joined Ms McIntosh at local manufacturer SpanSet Australia in Emu Plains, with managing director Kristian Pritchett.

“SpanSet is one of the many Australian manufacturers who will be able to scale up, be more competitive, take on apprentices, create jobs and lead our economic recovery,” said Ms McIntosh.

“As the Treasurer has said, there is no economic recovery without a jobs recovery. Western Sydney can lead our jobs recovery by being at the forefront of 6 / CAL November 2020

a new era in Australian manufacturing, where we can compete on quality and value.

“The measures in the Budget will get behind manufacturers and unlock their potential, particularly in the areas where we can leverage our strengths, with the strategic investment through the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative.”

The Modern Manufacturing Initiative will support projects within six National Manufacturing Priorities where we have a competitive advantage or emerging priorities, including resources technology and critical minerals processing, food and beverage, medical products, recycling and clean energy, defence, and space.

The Treasurer and Ms McIntosh were welcomed at SpanSet with the support of another Western Sydney business, Two Way Cranes, hoisting a large banner backing Australian manufacturing showcased by managing director Frank Zammit.

“In less than two decades, Frank went from purchasing his first crane to now having a fleet of 44 and employs over 120 people. As a Western Sydney local, Frank told me how the contract for the Western Sydney International Airport, was the highlight of his business career.

“Investing in the infrastructure projects our community needs not

only eases congestion and improves safety on our roads but gives Australian manufacturers and business like SpanSet and Two Way Cranes the opportunity to create more local jobs.

“The Treasurer also took part in a roundtable discussion with my Advancing Manufacturing Taskforce, dedicated to addressing the barriers facing Western Sydney manufacturers and exploring opportunities to create local jobs.

McIntosh and the Treasurer hosted a Federal Budget Briefing for local small businesses and community leaders.

“People in our community had the opportunity to hear directly from the Treasurer how the Budget will support their family, get behind their business and most importantly, create jobs,” said Ms McIntosh. “The Treasurer answered questions from local manufacturers, swimming centres, hotels and small businesses on delivering tax relief, supporting apprentices, and skills and training. Small businesses are the job creators of our economy. This Budget, the Treasurer and I are all about backing businesses to lead our economic recovery and create jobs. If you want to see manufacturers creating more local jobs, you can sign my petition to back Australian manufacturing at melissamcintosh.com.au/backaustralian-manufacturing.” www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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UP FRONT / AUSTRALIAN MADE

LIFT THE ECONOMY: BUY AUSTRALIAN MADE Following the release of key strategies during his Budget speech, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg visited Western Sydney synthetic sling manufacturer SpanSet, to learn first-hand what these strategies will mean to local industry.

IN HIS FEDERAL BUDGET SPEECH, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg made a number of major announcements designed to promote and encourage the Australian manufacturing sector.

Following these announcements, Frydenberg made his first ‘media doorstop’ during a visit to SpanSet Australia a Western Sydney based manufacturer of Height Safety, Load Restraint and Lifting products. The Treasurer was joined by Federal Member for the electorate of Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh MP, and they were hosted by SpanSet managing director, Kristian Pritchett, and his team.

McIntosh recently established the Advancing Manufacturing Taskforce, aimed at investigating, promoting and advocating for policies that create local, national, and international opportunities for manufacturing

The Federal Budget included a number of initiatives designed to boost local manufacturing.

8 / CAL November 2020

in Western Sydney. SpanSet, as an Australian Manufacturer, is proud to be a member of this taskforce, says Pritchett.

“As far as we are concerned, the Advancing Manufacturing Taskforce is a very important initiative for Australian manufacturing. Its aim is to bring about the efficiencies required to lower production costs and allow Australian manufacturers to compete against comparable imported products.

We congratulate Melissa and her team for this initiative, and we are delighted to be playing our part in its success,” said Pritchett.

Pritchett goes on to discuss the difficulties businesses, in general, have faced during the COVID pandemic and how federal government enterprise has helped ease the burden.

“Throughout the pandemic, most

businesses have applauded Federal Government policies and agree JobKeeper has been a real lifeline for many companies, along with PAYG incentives. These policies have kept most Australians employed in unprecedented circusmtances.

“The Instant Asset Write-Off scheme is a positive and will help with our planned machinery and testing equipment purchases in the near future,” he said.

Pritchett explains what a visit from the Treasurer means to an organisation like SpanSet Australia.

“For the Treasurer and the Federal Member for Lindsay to undertake a tour of our facility is an enormous honour.

To have someone of Frydenberg’s profile take time out of his incredibly busy schedule to tour our facility and meet with our staff was a huge boost.

“I am extremely grateful to both Josh Frydenberg and Melissa McIntosh for their approach. They were open, downto-earth, and were genuinely interested in what our team does daily,” he said.

During a press conference, which followed the facility visit, and a meeting with the Advanced Manufacturing Taskforce, the Treasurer explained how the Morrison Government is backing Australian manufacturing, as well as the science and research that underpins it.

As part of our Economic Recovery Plan to lead the nation out of the COVID-19 crisis, the aim is to create the jobs needed now and for generations to come. Three key policies include: An investment of $1.5 billion over four years for the Modern Manufacturing www.cranesandlifting.com.au

SpanSet manufactures high quality synthetic slings for the heavy lift and haulage sectors.

“With initiatives like the Manufacturers Taskforce, you really get the feeling there is a genuine and concerted effort to reclaim ground the manufacturing sector has lost.

I feel manufacturing is being taken seriously.”

Strategy to allow Australian manufacturers to scale up, compete internationally, and create more jobs.

At a cost of $4 billion from 2020-21 to 2022-23, the JobMaker Hiring Credit will give businesses incentives to take on additional young job seekers. This will help young people access employment opportunities as the economy recovers.

The JobMaker Hiring Credit will be available to employers for each new job they create over the next 12 months and for which they hire an eligible young person, aged 16 to 35.

The third policy, designed to make the manufacturing sector more competitive, relates to energy. In a $52.9 million package announced in the Budget, the Federal Government will work to tap into gas supplies in mines not being used, increase production, and use new pipelines to reduce domestic costs.

The move is expected to help bring down electricity prices and stabilise Australia’s own stockpile, while allowing the gas to serve as the backbone for a lower emissions national electricity market.

“It’s is very encouraging to have a government focused on the manufacturing sector. When you are living and breathing Australian manufacturing every day, and everyone is working hard battling cheap imports, that severely impacts your business; you have to fight for every sale. With these policies, I honestly believe we are on the right track,” said Pritchett. “Arguably there are further policy changes around www.cranesandlifting.com.au

free trade agreements that would add additional protection against imported products but that’s a discussion for another day.

“When competing against an equivalent imported product with a locally produced one, you need to work smarter, keep your costs down and invest in good people and efficient machinery.

In this country, we need to be efficient to be competetive. The pursuit of these efficiencies is never-ending.”

Pritchett said that it is a massive step in the right direction to finally have

manufacturing at the forefront of the government’s mind.

“With initiatives like the Manufacturers Taskforce, you really get the feeling there is a genuine and concerted effort to reclaim ground the manufacturing sector has lost. I feel manufacturing is being taken seriously.

The required investment is going to be there, and the necessary tax incentives available. There is a ground-swell of interest in locally manufactured product,” he said.

To help demonstrate SpanSet’s November 2020 CAL / 9

UP FRONT / AUSTRALIAN MADE

Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg and Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, meet the SpanSet team.

“The campaign is also designed to encourage Australian businesses to buy Australian made. This means consciously supporting Australian manufacturers and buying Australian products wherever and whenever possible.” synthetic slings, Pritchett worked closely with Two Way Crane’s Frank Zammit, who generously made one of his new Franna AT40s available for the event.

The Franna AT40 is manufactured in Australia by Terex.

“Frank has utilised SpanSet slings in his business, but it was not until he had a tour of our factory that he gained a greater appreciation of how our products are made, and the amount of manual labour and effort that is put into manufacturing them.

“He can now see we are working hard to keep 50-plus local people employed, to manufacture lifting slings, height safety equipment and load restraint products to the highest quality, while running a thriving business and keeping Australian manufacturing alive. With this understanding, Frank is now in a better position to appreciate the benefits of purchasing Australian made products over imported,” said Pritchett.

Pritchett goes on to discuss the reasons behind wanting to increase the 10 / CAL November 2020

profile of SpanSet and what he hopes to achieve by doing so.

“We have been travelling under the advertising and social media radar for a while now, and this campaign is intended to change that and let the crane sector, in particular, know the benefits of purchasing SpanSet products. The campaign is also designed to encourage businesses to buy Australian made.

This means consciously supporting Australian manufacturers and buying Australian products wherever and whenever possible. If the industry starts thinking like Frank and decides to go down this path, then we can really affect change in this country,” he said.

“It’s interesting. I recently received an email from Ross Johnson, manager of Dynamic Rigging Hire, one of Melbourne’s leading names in lifting and equipment hire. He saw our previous article in Cranes and Lifting magazine and said he was looking to replace his imported products with SpanSet equipment.

“Ross has been stocking some specific SpanSet products over the last 10 years and he has a lot of imported hire equipment coming up for renewal. He is impressed with the high quality of SpanSet products previously purchased and the fact that they are Australian made,” said Pritchett.

Where possible, Dynamic Rigging Hire stocks Australian made products, says Johnson.

“I understand you pay a little extra for Australian made slings, but I would say the ‘price gap’ is closing. The price of imported product is significantly increasing,” he said.

Dynamic Rigging Hire offers approximately 150 different synthetic round slings, with capacities up to 150t.

“We are gradually replacing what imported slings we have with SpanSet lifting slings; and there are a couple of reasons for this. We want to support Australian businesses, and we know SpanSet manufactures high quality products,” said Johnson.

“It is not always possible to know the source of imported equipment, but we know exactly where the SpanSet products are manufactured and we have a relationship with the SpanSet team.

We know we can pick up the phone and discuss our specific requirements, at any time,” he said.

Pritchett stated, “this is exactly the response we want to encourage, and the type of attention we are looking to capture. We want business owners, like Frank and Ross, to say, ‘I’m going to support SpanSet specifically because I want a high-quality, Australianproduced lifting sling.’

Pritchett believes the tide is turning when it comes to Australian Made and Australian manufacturing.

“It’s an important message and it’s starting to get traction. The Treasurer has been here, and we are working closely with Melissa McIntosh MP on the Manufacturer’s Taskforce. Australian manufacturing is fighting its way back and I believe this can impact positively on the crane industry,” said Pritchett. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

SYDNEY – HEAD OFFICE 37 Cox Place, Glendenning NSW 2761 | 02 9622 8830 WOLLONGONG 5 Resolution Drive, Unanderra NSW 2526 | 02 4272 5224

twowaycranes.com.au

UP FRONT / TWO CRANES

TWO WAYS HEADED SOUTH Over the last three years, Two Way Cranes has surprised many with an aggressive approach towards growth. Many in the industry won’t be surprised to learn a further expansion in services is happening, but they might be surprised to learn the direction in which the company is headed.

TWO WAY CRANES RECENTLY ANNOUNCED a major expansion of its services into the Illawarra Region with the opening of a new yard in Unanderra, near Wollongong.

Frank Zammit, managing director Two Way Cranes explains more about the strategy.

“We’ve been working on this development for 12 months. In this time, we have been looking for the right premises which we’ve now found in Resolution Drive, Unanderra. The yard has 4000 sqm of hard stand with a good shed and office so it’s a great starting point for us.

“We already have a number of cranes

located in the yard including a 25t Franna superlift, a 55t capacity Liebherr, a 100t capacity, four axle Grove and a 200t Liebherr. As we establish and grow the business, the plan is to build on the capabilities of the fleet.

“There are a number of restrictions on four axle and five axle machines in the region, so we’ve also located one of our four Dolly machines in the yard to enhance the mobilisation of the larger cranes,” said Zammit.

According to Zammit, the expansion is as a result of the opportunities presented throughout the region.

“There is a lot of industry in the area and there are a number of significant

infrastructure projects planned. There is also plenty of diverse activity throughout the Southern Highlands including quarrying and mining which has been a big part of my background. I want to get back into lifting the chocks, the shuttle carts and mining equipment. There is a lot opportunity for this business. In my opinion, I have more opportunity to utilise my machines between Sydney and Nowra compared to heading north where there is more competition.

“In terms of other crane businesses in the region, we are aware there are one or two significant players and a number of smaller companies in the market, but we’ve never worried about competition

Frank Zammit and Maury Ellis. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

November 2020 CAL / 13

UP FRONT / TWO CRANES

with our business. The crane industry is competitive wherever you are, and customers have the choice to work with who they want. As always, it comes down to the quality of the people you have, the comprehensive nature of your crane fleet and the service you provide,” said Zammit.

Being local is going to be a key ingredient to the success of the venture says Zammit.

“I am going to employ local people and we are interviewing for key positions as we speak. With small markets like Wollongong, business is very much relationship driven and it is often based on who you know. That is why it is important I employ people from the local area. I already have a local supervisor based in the yard full time and I will be working between the two operations for some time to help build the momentum which every new venture requires,” he said.

“We were recently approached by the

14 / CAL November 2020

“We were recently approached by the procurement departments of several major Tier One builders regarding upcoming projects in the Illawarra area. The fact that Two Way Cranes has for some time been Certified by Supply Nation and an Assured member of the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce will stand us in good stead.

procurement departments of several major Tier One builders regarding upcoming projects in the Illawarra area.

The fact that Two Way Cranes has for some time been Certified by Supply Nation and an Assured member of the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce will stand us in good stead. We have been involved with a number of major infrastructure projects in Sydney and working well with the Tier One builders.

Having the business close to a major centre like Wollongong makes it possible for us to apply the same expertise to these large regional infrastructure projects,” he said.

Zammit is realistic about the time frame for the new venture, but he wants the local market to know he is committed for the long term.

“It will take time to build the business, I am aware of this. It has taken me time to build a good reputation in Sydney and I like to think I am there now. It will take time for the southern business to get traction, but we will show customers in the area the same levels of expertise, service and respect we afford everyone, and the rest will follow,” he said.

One person who is not surprised by the move is Maury Ellis. He has been with Zammit when the business was just the two of them and Choa Yan in accounts.

“I’ve been in cranes for almost 17 years and I’ve been working with Frank since June 2012. When I met Frank, I moved from a large business to his small business. When Frank and I came

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

together, we recognised we had to do anything and everything together, to get the business to where it is today.

“This meant the implementation of a safety management systems, looking at jobs, measuring and quoting them through to putting lift plans together and allocating the work. You name it Frank and I were doing it.

“At the time, it was a bit of a risk moving from a large well-established business, but I could see the dedication, the passion and enthusiasm Frank had for the business and I knew he had the potential to grow,” said Ellis.

Zammit’s dedication and drive are key factors which have contributed to the success of Two Way Cranes says Ellis.

“Frank has a ‘go get’ attitude and not much gets in his way. From the beginning, we put the right business management structures, paperwork, policies and procedures in place. When we first started, we were working as subcontractors to other crane companies and managing their overflow work.

“When we were ready, we approached larger and higher-level clients and began to develop our own relationships and the work came. Frank and I were working Two Way Cranes have opened a new facility in Unanderra near Wollongong NSW.

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was impressed with Two Way’s Franna AT40.

on these jobs during the day and then planning for the next days’ work at night. I’m not the type that needs or likes a title, I get on and do what needs to be done and whatever it takes to get it done, I do it,” said Ellis.

When it comes to vision and ambition, by anyone’s standards, the Two Way Cranes story is exceptional. It takes a special team to realise this type of vision. Ellis explains how he and Zammit first saw the opportunities and then explored them.

“At the end of the day we have focused on providing the best service we can, having the right business structures in place and not letting people down.

We have delivered on everything we have promised with every project. Our success has come down to reliability and delivering customer service at an elite level.

“Our treatment of employees has been another key factor. We have always valued our team, we’ve treated them as mates more than anything, and we haven’t asked them to do something we are not prepared to do ourselves,” said Ellis.

“Frank has always said he wanted to be one of the largest crane companies in Sydney and at times, I have told him I thought he was absolutely mad. We have locked horns on many occasions and we still do. He says black, I say white and at the end of the day we meet somewhere in the middle.

“In the business, Frank uses the motto ‘We will not fail’ and this will apply to the expansion south. With that attitude he won’t let it fail, and whatever is needed to make the venture successful, it will be done.

“We have started by approaching clients in the local market, tendering on projects offering them an elite level of service, including the best equipment available, and then we will deliver project in full, on time and on budget, as we always have.

“It been an incredible journey with Frank and I am proud of everything he has and will achieve. I am also extremely grateful to the Zammit family for everything they have done for me and I’ve enjoyed every minute of the eight and a half years I’ve spent with them,” said Ellis.

November 2020 CAL / 15

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

NAVIGATING UNCERTAIN TIMES WITH OPTIMISM Crane hirers are bucking the trend and continue to be desensitised to the “doom and gloom” that COVID-19 has caused. Optimism abounds, as crane businesses put this year behind them and look to 2021 with renewed vigour. There’s plenty to look forward to.

I MUST ADMIT. THIS YEAR I HAVE struggled to find that spring in my step. That natural energy that usually throws me out of bed before sunrise ready to tackle anything and everything in front of me. It’s not just me, I’ve spoken to plenty of people this year who have felt the weight of uncertainty trying to pull them down, but it’s our resilience and ability to adapt which has put us in strong market positions in the first place. As the year passes by, uncertainty is replaced with optimism.

I am noticing crane hirers are becoming desensitised to the “doom and gloom” that COVID -19 has caused and replacing it with a more optimistic view.

And why wouldn’t we? That’s what we’ve always done. That’s why we have the businesses we have; and that’s why we will put the COVID-19 year behind us and push on with it in the future.

All of our year 2020 interactions have been more virtual than ever before. At CICA, we have had to adapt our connectivity with our members.

During a normal year, we would have many opportunities to meet in person and discuss our industry issues either through the NRG, Branch Meetings, or the National Conference. This year, we have used a diverse range of communication interfaces including the Cranes and Lifting Magazine. I’m sure you noticed the “Crane 2020 Showcase” in our previous September/ 16 / CAL November 2020

October edition, as we have received plenty of positive feedback. Further, we have the new ‘Lift of the Month’ feature being launched which is also a welcome addition. We are all crane people at heart and enjoy seeing our peers demonstrating the depth of planning and professional execution of crane lifts our industry delivers. The ‘Lift of the Month’ is a precursor to the ‘Lift of the Year’ awards, a highlight of the CICA Conference sorely missed this year that we can look forward to when we meet again next year in Perth.

During October we held the CICA AGM and Board elections as planned, albeit in a different online format this year. I am pleased to welcome Danny Adair to the CICA board as a newly elected director. Also, I would like to congratulate the re-election of Danny Black and Bart Sutherland for a further two-year term. Ben Pieyre has been successfully elected by the membership after having previously been appointed as a director by the board. The newly filled elected positions on the CICA Board are due to the vacancies created

by John Gillespie and Geoff Bevan who had both chosen not to renominate.

I thank these volunteers who all demonstrate their heart for the industry and work to provide strategic direction for CICA to support our industry and members. I also thank our outgoing Board Members; your service and

CICA president Tom Smith.

insights have been invaluable and very much appreciated. As I said in the last issue, we will recognise John Gillespie’s achievements and service to CICA more formally at the next CICA Conference.

I am also very thankful for Geoff Bevan’s contribution having served on the board for the past 6 years as both a director and vice president for two of those years.

Take a moment to flick back to the front cover of this edition. If you haven’t noticed, the cover features the Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, and Two Way Cranes founder and co-owner, Frank Zammit. This is a particularly important photo that highlights the Federal and various State Government’s recognition that local manufacturing and infrastructure projects are going to create jobs and provide a boost for the Australian economy. The Federal Budget announcements are an essential support for business, through their announcements in infrastructure projects and tax incentives, they are encouraging us and providing us with much needed confidence to invest. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned best laid plans on their head, but we need to get on, adjust and shift our focus to local jobs, local manufacturing, and upskilling local people. Our industry is known for getting the job done, and if governments are willing to put in the dollars, the only industry limiting www.cranesandlifting.com.au

factors for us will be the availability of skilled labour and accessibility to road networks, two key areas CICA has spent many years advocating and lobbying for improvement in.

To that end, Western Australia are making great strides toward having the first Crane Apprenticeship up and running; given the economic development and training priorities underway, they are now working toward a three-year apprenticeship to be approved and implemented for a 2021 commencement. Well done Anthony, Allan, Ben and the rest of the W.A. team for all the work you have invested into making this a reality.

In respect to future-proofing road access, look out for the article in this edition that demonstrates collaboration and improving road access in Tasmania. Simon Buxton and his team of road managers have worked collaboratively with mobile crane operators, CICA and the NHVR to produce a system of access for the Special Purpose Vehicle industry, that is workable and facilitates progress.

I recall travelling to Tasmania up to six years ago and meeting with Simon and his department. He and his team have always been solutions driven and willing to communicate openly with us to find a workable solution for our members. We hope that this system is taken up by other States on the Eastern Seaboard.

This issue also includes a tribute to the late Rob Way, a fine man who like Bob Parker, is considered one of the founding fathers of CICA. Please take the time to read this tribute to Rob, he was always such a likeable and insightful man to catch up with for a chat, and our association is forever indebted to him for his contributions.

This is the last issue for 2020.

While it has been a disruptive, interesting, and difficult year all rolled into one, it has also been a time to reflect, regroup and grow. I hope you and your families have a safe year end

and look forward to new beginnings, achievements, the ability to personally reconnect and, of course, a CICA Conference in 2021, which will certainly be one to remember.

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

CICA BOARD Tom Smith – President Ben Pieyre – Vice President Danny Adair – Director Danny Black – Director Andrew Esquilant – Director Marcus Ferrari – Director David Solomon – Director Bart Sutherland – Director CICA OFFICE Brandon Hitch Chief Executive Officer 03 8320 0444 0428 228 048 ceo@cica.com.au Heidi Hervay CICA Administration Officer (NSW, QLD, NT, VIC & TAS Secretariat) 0403 717 626 heidi@cica.com.au Alice Edwards Project Engineer 03 8320 0440 alice@cica.com.au Patrick Cran CraneSafe and CrewSafe Technical Officer 0488 004 274 pat@cranesafe.com.au Damien Hense Road Safety Liaison Officer 03 8320 0460 0488 007 575 damien@cica.com.au

Jed Kenwright Road Technical Officer 0439 556 867 jed@cica.com.au Julie Turner CICA Executive Assistant / Office Manager Direct: 03 8320 0411 Email: julie@cica.com.au Ashleigh Gould CICA Administration Officer – CraneSafe And CrewSafe Direct: 03 8320 0466 Email: ashleigh@cranesafe.com.au Michelle Verkerk Marketing and Media Communications Officer 0410 003 759 michelle@cica.com.au Unit 10, 18-22 Lexia Place, Mulgrave Vic 3170 (PO Box 136 Mount Waverley Vic 3149) Phone: 03 9501 0078 Fax: 03 9501 0083 Email: admin@cica.com.au Website: www.cica.com.au

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

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ROB WAY VALE In late September, The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) sadly announced the sudden passing of CICA Life Member and “crane safety pioneer”, Rob Way. ROB WILL BE REMEMBERED AS AN innovator of the Australian crane sector and someone who identified safety and operator training as major issues for the fledgling industry.

Rob was a third-generation member of a family scrap metal business, and the company’s first crane, a Butcher crane mounted on a Blitz truck, was purchased to lift tram bogies as part of a scrap metal contract.

He could see the potential and need for cranes and started Robert Way Crane Services Pty Ltd. Initially, his fleet comprised of several Blitz-based Butcher and Chaplin cranes and a Coles wagon crane. Rob also had some cranes built on AEC and Leyland all-wheel-drive chassis.

In 1961 Rob placed the upper from a six-tonne Coles wagon crane on an FWD six-wheel-drive chassis and had Lance Kirtland build a 90-foot boom for it. A year later he bought a 16-ton Link-Belt HC70 crane with an extra winch that was used for grab work or pulling a tag line for work with a demolition ball.

By the late 1960s Rob could see that hydraulic truck cranes were the machines of the future, and bought a Grove TM 250 (then the largest hydraulic truck crane in South Australia, at 50,000 pounds capacity), two 15-tonne capacity Kyoei truck cranes and a nine-ton CAP truck crane, to replace some of the older cranes in the fleet. He had previously visited Japan and seen the progress of hydraulic cranes there and kept abreast of developments elsewhere in the world.

The size and diversity of the cranes in the Robert Way Crane Hire fleet saw its www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Rob Way receiving the Constantine Alexander Popov award for contributions to the Australian Crane Industry.

services used over a wide geographical area; lifting steelwork at BHP’s Whyalla shipyards, erecting steel at the Gidgealpa oilfields, erecting sheds for Portland Cement at Portland (Vic), working for Peko Mines at Tennant Creek (NT), and erecting the rocket launcher at Woomera.

Machinery installation and dismantling (including packing) was a specialty, and literally hundreds of machines were stripped and packed for Actil Cotton Mills over a two-year period.

A separate company, Robert Way Constructions Pty Ltd, undertook steel erection work.

This level of activity attracted the interest of Brambles when it undertook a period of expansion and Brambles

took a substantial shareholding in 1973, although Rob continued to run the business for a number of years afterwards.

Rob also provided a starting place for a number of people who have gone on to be successful hirers in their own right – amongst these Nick Eleftheriadis of Nick’s Crane Services.

Nick was attracted to cranes from an early age and couldn’t wait to drive one.

In fact, he joined Rob Way Crane Services as a 13-year-old, though Rob only became aware of this much later, after Nick had been operating a crane for some time.

To Rob this was a dismissible offence, but Nick’s strong work ethic saved the day; and Nick worked for Rob for 24 years before starting Nick’s Crane Services November 2020 CAL / 19

CICA VALE

in 1974. Nick and Rob remained good friends, frequently catching up for a coffee and sharing stories about the business and the crane industry.

Robway Safety Systems was established in 1971. Rob’s experience with cranes had made him acutely aware of the need for a safety system that effectively monitored the load of a crane, to ensure the machine was not in danger of tipping over.

After importing systems from the UK and America, he found they were not always suitable for the harsh Australian conditions; unveiling a niche market that has since seen the company establish a lucrative export market and grow to 25 employees.

Robway Safety Systems manufactures and supplies around 10 types of safety systems, with more than 100 variations to suit the specific needs of offshore oil and gas platform cranes, tower cranes and all types of mobile cranes and forklifts.

The load monitoring system operates by sounding a warning signal when the crane reaches lift capacity. If the operator continues to lift the load to a dangerous level, the warning signal increases in intensity and may stop the motion of the crane.

This innovation has significantly reduced the number of crane tipping incidents - not only in Australia, but also in Asia, the Middle East and the US, where approximately 70 per cent of the company’s annual production is exported.

Over the years, Robway has been recognised for its achievements with several awards, including the 1996 Cathay Pacific China Trader Award, the 1991 ANZ Australian Business Innovation Award in Hong Kong and the MMI Commerce and Industry Award. In 1998, Rob was the first to receive the prestigious Con Popov award for his contribution to the Australian crane industry.

Rob was also a key figure in the formation of the first recognised industry association for the crane industry. This started in 1952 when a mobile crane division was added to the South Australia Road Transport Association.

This then developed into a more professional state association by using 20 / CAL November 2020

the SA Chamber of Manufacturers as the secretariat. Rob was a founding member and then president of the Australian Crane Marketers Association (ACMA).

As the industry kept growing, the association established its own secretariat and finally merged with The Crane Industry Council of Australia.

After several years trying to get the state associations to agree to an unofficial national conference, it finally happened in 1979 at Broadbeach. Approximately 150 people attended. This proved a great success and then following the conference the committee met in Perth and it was then that The Crane Industry Council of Australia was conceived.

As far as Rob was concerned, this proved to be one of the greatest achievements in the history of cranes in Australia.

While cranes and safety were a big part of Rob’s life, his wife Elaine and his family meant everything to him.

Rob’s daughter Vicki said “I had Dad on a pedestal, and he deserved to be there.

My brothers Robert, Garry and I grew up learning the values of a good work ethic, earning respect, being grateful for what you have but striving for more.”

Rob’s family witnessed firsthand, how he went above and beyond to help them and many others with anything, anytime instilling his motto “there’s a solution to

every problem.”

Rob was a great father in law/friend to his son in law Noel and a wonderful grandfather to his seven grandchildren and their partners, who loved him dearly and miss his stories and fun-loving nature. He was so proud of them, their achievements and especially his two great grandsons, born this year.

Rob was always “up” with the latest technology which amazed his grandchildren; and he kept a busy schedule, was still on committees, enjoyed daily swims, dart club, exercise classes and Qigong (Tai Chi) until his passing. He lived a full and wonderful life.

Hockey was another one of Rob’s passions, he was a major contributor to Forestville Hockey Club, where he played for approximately 30 years and competed for South Australia and Australia in Masters Hockey.

Rob will be sorely missed by his family, friends, employees, and those who were fortunate enough to have worked alongside him. The crane industry is better for the level of engagement and time that men like Rob Way and Bob Parker gave to it. We are grateful for their generosity, pioneering spirits and ‘can do’ attitude that has contributed to the organisation being able to improve and achieve positive change for crane owners over the years.

Rob with his wife Elaine and daughter Vicki.

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CICA TECH CORNER

The Verton R-Series operating on a Universal Cranes site.

CONTROLLING THE LOAD REMOTELY Remote load-control systems are designed to make taglines obsolete providing greater productivity, efficiency and safety by automating lifting operations. The Crane Industry Council of Australia’s Technical Committee examines these technologies in this issue’s CICA Tech Corner.

SAFETY IS ALWAYS THE PRIORITY FOR OUR crane industry. New rigging technologies used by the industry that wirelessly control the load remotely and make taglines obsolete, can help reduce the risk of riggers/doggers being in close proximity to the load and improve industry safety and efficiency.

WHY DO WE NEED TO CONTROL THE LOAD? Freely suspended loads from the crane hook are subject to load effects from different forces. These forces could cause the load to swing or rotate during the lifting process. The action of wind force could make the load rotate to its smallest sail area (wind surface area) to the wind, i.e. lifting a lightweight load with a large wind surface area vs lifting a vertical cylinder.

The hoist rope may spin as the load is lifted. Or the load may want to rotate 22 / CAL November 2020

when the crane is slewing, due to inertia force (heavy load has more inertia force compared with light weight). These unintended movements need to be controlled, as they could be risky during the lifting process (i.e. create excess lateral force on the sheave, or if the crane is operating near powerlines, the swinging movement could push the load into the danger zone).

HOW DO WE CONTROL THE LOAD MOVEMENT? The rigger/dogger uses tag lines attached to the load to control load swinging/ rotation or guide the load along a particular path during the lift. Or in the less common cases - manual load control may apply, for example, aligning the load with a foundation on the ground to bolt it down.

When controlling the load with taglines, the pulling force applied by the

rigger/dogger is most effective when the tagline is near horizontal. At 45° to the horizontal, the pulling force is only 71 per cent effective.

As the angle to the horizontal increases, the effective pulling forces decreases, when pulling at near vertical position with the tag line, the pulling force is all vertical.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REMOTE LOAD CONTROL SYSTEMS? Most crane lifting operations involve lifting the load up and placing the load to a different location by hoisting, slewing, crawling or a combination of movements. Riggers/doggers who work with the crane operators and use the taglines to control the load movement need to move with the load to make sure the load control effort is effective. This requires the rigger/dogger to work and move near the load. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Data from NSW Centre for Work Health and Safety shows that between the year 2012 and 2019, “Hit by load” was the most frequent mechanism of incidents (42 per cent) and accounted for a high proportion for all crane types.

Remote load control rigging devices use angular momentum, inertial force, and gyroscopic modules to rotate and control the load. The rigger/dogger can control the movement of the load remotely without working near the suspended load. This could help with preventing some of the “Hit by load” accidents happening during the lift.

Guidelines for tag line use, published

by Bechtel Group.

When lifting the load up to an elevation high above the rigger’s/dogger’s standing location for example, lifting something up to the top of a building effective pulling force from the rigger/ dogger will decrease, when they are standing at near vertical position to the load.

The effective pulling force that is used to control the load may not work if there is a sudden gust of wind passing by when the load is high up and clear of surroundings, the load may swing.

Not all load swing caused by wind can be eliminated, but it can be minimised by orienting the load to the smallest sail area. Another potential disadvantage of tag lines in this situation is the tag line may get caught onto surrounding obstacles/structures.

With remote control rigging technology, control of the load while hoisting the load to a high up position www.cranesandlifting.com.au

can be managed.

A 5 tonne, 3.2-metre-long chiller unit was lifted 90 metres to the 28th floors for replacement. The replacement was carried out via main window on Level 28. Narrow access through the façade of the hotel required precise maneuvering of the chiller. To make precise control and rotation of the load at 90m height possible, a remote-controlled spreader system with a remotely rotator was used.

With this system, mobile phone/ tablet interface were used to enable loads to be easily lifted from and delivered to precise GPS coordinates. This overcame the need for human held taglines to control free-swinging or suspended loads and eliminated risk of the taglines contacting the hotel facade. The lift was controlled by a single dogger at the landing point inside the building, it saved at least 2 doggers (on very long tag lines) and shortened the cycle times due to accuracy of the smart technology and eliminated building damage due to precision.

HOW TO ADOPT NEW TECHNOLOGY SAFELY? Innovation in technology is essential for the development of our society. New technologies bring safety benefits to our industry in different areas. Modern cranes and rigging gear are now designed

and manufactured to higher safety requirements compared with what we had 20 or 30 years ago. With all the changes happening, however, our safety principles are always the same - for any lift, planning, assessing risks and risk control should be conducted for all aspects of your lift.

The benefits and risks of adopting new technology for any lift should be considered. In other words, with all the benefits of the remote-control rigging system mentioned above, there are some key points to consider: • Because of all the new technology used in these devices, the weight of these units might be more than what you expected and could exceed the rated capacity allowed for the crane you selected • •Will the size and shape of the unit cause any problem with wind? All wind effect may not be eliminated by only rotating the load but is dependent on the load shape • When you use these units together with other rigging gear, check if they are compatible and the right capacity for each other Again, work as a team to plan the lift, assess the risks and control the risks to make sure you have a safe lift.

The CICA Technical Corner is made possible in part by a contribution from IncoLink.

The first commercial trial of Roborigger on Multiplex’s New Museum for WA site in Perth.

November 2020 CAL / 23

IN FOCUS / LIFTING INNOVATION

HOW AN INVENTOR AND A CONTRACTOR CAME TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE FACE OF SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION Improving safety in crane operations is a constant goal for the industry. The development of a wireless load controlling system demonstrates it is possible to eliminate personnel from being in close proximity to a suspended load.

PREMIER GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION company Multiplex first became interested in Roborigger in 2017, when engineering company TENSA Equipment approached them with a prototype for a wireless load controlling device that promised to improve crane safety.

Working on the principle that if people are not near the loads, they cannot be injured, Roborigger showed they could eliminate the need for dogmen to use taglines or to be in close proximity to a suspended load by controlling and orientating the load remotely.

According to Multiplex CEO John Flecker, it was an idea that resonated with Multiplex and they quickly saw its potential to be a game-changer for safety.

“Our overarching strategy is to be safer by design and focus on critical risks, which Roborigger aligns with perfectly by eliminating the need for workers to be in proximity of a high risk activity,” he explains.

“We could immediately see a significant opportunity in partnering with TENSA in the research and development of Roborigger.”

Roborigger Managing Director, Derick Markwell, explains that the collaboration with Multiplex has been fundamental to Roborigger’s development.

“Back in Perth we built a little prototype of our Roborigger and took it to Multiplex. We showed them a concept, which, I must admit, was pretty average at that stage. They said ‘keep going, make it 24 / CAL November 2020

work and we think there is a market for it.

We would use it.’

“So, we had another crack, built one that worked, and demonstrated it.

Multiplex were impressed and became an official development partner.”

The partnership has seen the innovative Roborigger technology successfully trialed and launched to market, with Roborigger Pty Ltd now set up as a separate business entity and the Roborigger product being used on a number of construction sites around the country.

A NEW STANDARD FOR CRANE SAFETY Standing underneath or in close proximity to a lift is still a common, and in some cases, unavoidable industry practice in construction – and one that creates risks, and a number of safety incidents and near misses each year.

Particularly when performing difficult maneuvering operations such as lowering a load deep into a structure, it’s common to see a number of workers positioned near the load and manually guiding it into position, often requiring additional dogmen and specific access systems to be provided.

Roborigger takes a new approach, uses inertial and gyroscopic forces to rotate and control the load wirelessly using a handheld remote.

It also utilises Internet of Things (IoT) technology to track logistical information and productivity data, enabling a transparent view of crane operations.

Roborigger originally developed the technology to address the challenging task of installing wind turbines offshore in the North Sea where they are currently unable to install the blades when the wind was greater than 12 knots. Back in Perth they realised that the worldwide tower crane market was the one to look at first.

“As we spoke to more people in the industry, we realised that safety was the key concern,” Markwell says. “As a result, Roborigger evolved from being a device that holds the load steady, to a device that could rotate and orient loads remotely and hold them in a specific position.”

The customer needs also progressed from having a device that would hold a load in a fixed position to a device that allows dogmen to rotate the load via a handheld remote control at a safe distance.

CONSULTATION KEY TO DEVELOPMENT A key element to the Roborigger-Multiplex partnership is the engagement and consultation with the site workers. A 12-month trial was designed to allow reasonable time and opportunity for dogmen (the eventual users of Roborigger) to use and trial Roborigger in real construction lifting operations.

This was initially carried out in the yards of local crane contractor FG Cranes, allowing data gathering, worksite observation and collection of feedback on the usability, performance and any potential challenges associated with www.cranesandlifting.com.au

A crane with a view, with Roborigger helping Multiplex to construct Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney’s Circular Quay.

Roborigger. The process saw significant changes made to the control and orientation method, and the development of a far simpler user interface.

Multiplex Regional HSE Manager Darren Ridley says the engagement process was critical for both parties.

“It allowed the Roborigger team to focus on building Roborigger units with the safety benefits and functionality for our business operations and importantly the end user (dogmen) while also ensuring the device was easy to learn and use and would be accepted by the end users once deployed on site,” says Ridley.

“As a result, the feedback from dogmen on our sites has been really positive.

We’re also hearing feedback on safety benefits we didn’t initially anticipate. For example, dogmen reporting a noticeable improvement to the level of fatigue and physical stress experienced during the workday due to Roborigger doing the majority of the ‘manual handling’ rather than having to physically manipulate suspended loads via tag lines.”

TAKING ROBORIGGER TO SITE Once both parties were confident that the prototype was ready to be tested on site, the trial extended to the first commercial use of Roborigger on the New Museum for WA site in 2019. Since then, the device has been used on some of Multiplex’s most complex projects, including Sydney’s Quay Quarter Tower and 388 George Street. The latter project was located on one of Sydney’s busiest www.cranesandlifting.com.au

intersections, with Roborigger helping to significantly reduce the risk with traffic while building within a tight construction zone.

It has also been used to aid construction of the iconic starburst feature at Australia 108 in Melbourne, now the southern hemisphere’s highest residences.

Constructing the starburst required the installation of its golden external façade panels at 210 metres above street level, each weighing up to eight tonnes, The load rotation control system stabilised the long and heavy panels during the lift to the 88th floor, allowing riggers to orientate the panels from a safe distance during the lifting operations.

“It was a challenging and complex task, but Roborigger helped our Melbourne team to achieve the installation safety and efficiently,” said Ridley.

The use on site has also emphasised the efficiency benefits of the device, with Roborigger not only making the lift safer, but also efficient thanks to reduced cycle times and an increased operational window.

“We’ve seen a benefit in windy conditions, with Roborigger increasing the operating window for lifting operations that involve loads with larger surface areas which are affected by wind. This potentially allows us to continue operations for longer when wind speeds increase, but are still within safe operational limits of the crane,” said Ridley.

A BROADER INDUSTRY IMPACT With the trials complete and Roborigger now in commercial production, it’s already making an impact on the industry. The device was recently recognised by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) WA as the Best Solution for the Work Health and Safety Risk, as well as winning three awards at the WA Innovator of the Year 2019.

Markwell says Roborigger aims to be the de-facto standard for safe crane lifting and the team is now working to gain more traction in the construction and resources industries locally and overseas.

In addition to Multiplex taking the lead of pioneering Roborigger use in Australia, Roborigger also now has agreements in place to deliver Roborigger units to leading construction companies in Japan and the United Arab Emirates by the end of the year.

Ridley says that along with expanding use of Roborigger across Multiplex projects nationally, the contractor is also hoping to see broader uptake to improve safety across the industry.

“That’s why we’ve been sharing what we’ve learnt along the way with other contractors, so that they and the entire industry can benefit from our knowledge and experience of Roborigger in a real construction environment,” said Ridley.

“Our ultimate hope is to see construction incidents involving workers standing under or near suspended loads completely eliminated through the use of Roborigger.”

November 2020 CAL / 25

CICA MEMBER PROFILE Marr’s M2480 completing a record-breaking 155t lift on construction of the 1915Canakkale Bridge.

MEN FROM MARRS COMPLETE WORLD RECORD LIFT Marr Contracting Pty Ltd (The Men From Marr’s), recently completed a word record lift during construction of 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, Gelibolu (Gallipoli), Turkey.

AUSTRALIAN-BASED HEAVY LIFTING TOWER crane specialists, Marr Contracting, have completed a world-record lift during construction of the 1915Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey. The record-breaking construction feat saw one of Marr’s M2480D Heavy Lift Luffers (HLL) – with a lifting capacity of 330t is the world’s largest capacity tower crane – undertake the world’s heaviest (155t) at height (318m) craneage lift on what will be the world’s longest span suspension bridge.

With the M2480D crane perched 328 metres above the water, it took approximately 30 minutes to lift a 155t 26 / CAL November 2020

piece of the upper cross beam (UCB) to its position 318 metres above sea level.

The installation of the centre section of the UCB on the Asian side of the Çanakkale Strait, completed a major milestone in the construction of the bridge, with the lift taking place at midnight on Sunday 7 June 2020. The European side was completed 24 hours later, with the final centrepieces installed on both sides of the Bridge at a final height of 318m on Monday 8 June 2020.

The engineering solution that made the world-record lift possible was one of the reasons DLSY (Daelim – Limak –

SK E&C – Yapi Merkezi) Joint Venture awarded the craneage contract to Marr Contracting International in 2017 after a competitive tender process including some of the world’s leading craneage companies.

Impressed by Marr’s track record in designing and delivering innovative lifting solutions on similarly challenging large-scale projects in Australia and around the world, DLSY Joint Venture challenged the Marr team to develop a strategy that would decrease construction time and associated risk.

The Marr team worked with the DLSY project team to develop a craneage www.cranesandlifting.com.au

methodology that makes use of the M2480D HLL crane’s capacity to lift heavier modularised components instead of the more traditional approach of lifting smaller components one-by-one and then welding on-site.

Two of Marr’s M2480D cranes have been on-site since last year constructing the bridge’s 318m high towers, and through fewer lifts of larger pieces the craneage solution has reduced the construction schedule, with less sitebased activities and a higher level of on-site safety. According to the Deputy Project Manager, Alper Alemdaroglu, the DLSY Joint Venture wanted a heavy lifting partner who could think outsidethe-box to make their vision for how they wanted to build the Bridge a reality.

“The Men From Marr’s have a reputation for technical competence and innovative thinking in developing strategies for heavy lifting on projects of this scale, but what has impressed us most is their collaborative approach to finding a solution that suited our construction methodology and programme, and then delivering it,” said Alemdaroglu.

Highlighting that a strong working relationship and alignment between Marr and the Joint Venture partners has been key to the project’s success to date, Marr Contracting managing director, Simon Marr said, “DLSY knew what they wanted, and they were also open to a non-traditional heavy lifting solution.

As experts in construction, the Joint Venture partners respected our expertise in heavy lifting and together we have been able to construct the tower stage of the project in record time”.

“The unparalleled lifting capacity of our M2480D HLL cranes have been a game changer for this project and will potentially change the way our industry looks at how bridges can be built, as well as a host of other large-scale projects. We are using the same way of thinking to challenge methodology on the construction of other projects including metro train stations, data centres, large commercial construction, energy construction and working www.cranesandlifting.com.au

refineries,” Marr said.

The record-breaking lift is one of a number of engineering feats completed

by The Men From Marr’s on the construction of this nation-building project. In November 2019, after being fully assembled at a dry dock, two of Marr’s M2480D HLL cranes were lifted as complete units, each weighing 600 tonnes, by a floating crane and transported a kilometre to the bridge tower caisson in the middle of the Dardanelles (Çanakkale Strait), where they were successfully installed in a oneday operation.

CEO of the joint-stock company established by the Turkish-Korean consortium, ÇOK A.Ş., Mr Mustafa Tanriverdi, said, “The four joint venture partner companies (Limak and Yapı Merkezi from Turkey, Daelim and SK E&C from South Korea) are contributing to the project by allocating their particular technical expertise acquired from working on diverse projects across the world to all phases of the project. With such strong historical

links between Turkey and Australia, we are delighted to have an Australian team contributing their expertise and innovative thinking to this important nation-building project,” he said.

ABOUT THE PROJECT On completion the 1915Çanakkale Bridge will take its place in world engineering history as the world’s longest span suspension bridge with a total bridge length of 4,608 metres, a central span of 2,023 metres and a total bridge tower height of 318 metres.

The bridge will connect the towns of Gelibolu (Gallipoli) on the European side of Turkey with Lapseki on the Asian side, providing a new heavy transit alternative to the Istanbul Strait passage that will mean faster and more cost-effective freight transport to the region, as well as strengthened economic potential and social bonds for the local community.

The Men From Marr’s scope of work on the project is due to be completed in December 2020/January 2021. The bridge is due to open on 18 March 2022.

The 155t section of the UCB being lifted into position onto the Bridge towers 318m above sea level.

November 2020 CAL / 27

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CICA AND NSW GUIDE DOGS

TWO WAY TALLY’S PROGRESS Despite the unwelcome interruptions caused by COVID, Tally and her Puppy Raiser Virginia have continued to work hard on training and Tally is on schedule with her development.

IN LATE 2019, THE CICA NSW COMMITTEE agreed to align with and raise funds for Guide Dogs NSW/ACT. During last year’s Regional meeting in Newcastle, Frank Zammit from Two Way Cranes secured the winning bid for the naming rights of a Guide Dog puppy. Tally was the popular name choice.

Tally is now 12 months old and has been living and working with her volunteer Puppy Raiser Virginia Hunt.

Puppy Raisers provide a warm, loving home to Guide Dog puppies for the first 12 months of their lives and assist with basic obedience and skill training.

Cranes and Lifting magazine last spoke to Virginia in March just before the COVID pandemic changed everything.

She provides some insights as to how Tally is progressing despite the obvious interruptions.

“Considering all the interruptions we have experienced around COVID, Tally is doing amazingly well. COVID interrupted the regular face to face, group training program with our Guide Dog Puppy Development Officer and other Puppy Raisers, as during the initial lock down this just wasn’t possible,” said Virginia.

Virginia and Tally were able to attend approximately six face to face sessions with the training group before the COVID outbreak, but these early sessions proved invaluable, says Virginia.

“After the first sessions, we weren’t able to work as group anymore which made life a little more difficult. Understandably, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT were strict with their COVID prevention activities and we www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Despite interruptions to training, Tally is progressing nicely.

went into lock down like everyone else. But they worked hard to ensure training and communication continued. Contact was by phone and we had a monthly catch up with our Guide Dog Puppy Development Officer who visited the Central Coast to drop off medication and food and to see how Tally was progressing,” she said.

“Group training was put on hold for quite a few months which was unfortunate, but it was a new adventure for all of us as we found new ways to keep pups like Tally training to become

future Guide Dogs.

“We were able to work through this new system and we had a lot of really useful information emailed to us. We also had a number of Zoom sessions with our Puppy Development Officer. The information provided by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT was great and as a Puppy Raiser, I managed to continue with the training as best I could,” said Virginia.

Tally has been really amazing says Virginia, she has matured and settled into her training very well.

November 2020 CAL / 29

CICA AND NSW GUIDE DOGS

“Tally is a very placid dog and a calming influence on the group. She sleeps in the house, un-crated and on a mat next to my bed all night.

Her house training is perfect.”

“She’s just over 12 months old and she has tracked really well with her development and training considering the challenges we have experienced due to COVID.” Virginia goes on to explain how online and Zoom training worked at a practical level.

“Because Tally is my first puppy through Guide Dogs NSW, I didn’t have a comparison. To begin with we were fortunate to attend the bulk of the foundation classes for the young puppies and these provided a terrific foundation for Tally’s training.

“As we moved into the adult classes,

we really didn’t know any different and we didn’t know what we were missing in terms of training face to face with our Puppy Development Officer. We implemented the home training as best we could via the information sent by email. It was very easy to follow so I feel Tally did really well with that,” she said.

The last time we spoke to Virginia, Tally was only a few months old. She was being taught to ignore the other puppies, she was weaving in and out of obstacles and being taught to focus on her handler.

Virginia explains the progress Tally has made.

“Tally has obviously mastered all the Two Way Tally is now mentoring another Guide Dog puppy named Venus.

30 / CAL November 2020

basics of sitting and staying. She can sit, stay and stand on command and you can leave her. I can walk a good 20m to 30m away from her untethered, and she will stay the entire time. I can perform circle work around her, walk backwards and forwards clockwise and anti-clockwise and she won’t move. She ‘recalls’ perfectly so when you call her, she will come from a distance and sit in front of you.

“She is completely comfortable with all body handling. All Guide Dogs are trained to sit, stay, drop and roll so they can be examined, and body handled by a vet for general health checks, for example. She does this perfectly. Her loose lead walking is fabulous. She is still a puppy, so she can be distracted when we are out especially with other dogs,” said Virginia.

“Tally can walk backwards on command and we are working on her weaving at the moment around poles, trees, signs and people which is tricky for her,” she said.

As far as Tally’s temperament is concerned, she really has become an ‘old soul in a young body’, says Virginia.

“Everybody comments on how calm she is and that includes the Puppy Development Officer. We are now back to training in much smaller groups with social distancing and masks with a maximum of three dogs to a training group at the moment. Tally is a very placid dog and a calming influence on the group. She sleeps in the house, un-crated and on a mat next to my bed all night. Her house training is perfect.

“In mid-August, we actually took on a second Guide Dog puppy, meaning Tally is now a big sister and mentor to the younger ‘Venus’,” said Virginia.

“Tally is amazing with Venus, and the puppy learns just by watching the older dog,” she said.

Tally is 12 months old and normally she would be with Virginia for 12 to 14 months.

“We expected to have Tally into the New Year but due to COVID we may be lucky enough to keep raising her for a little while longer. So, we should have another update on her progress early in the New Year,” said Virginia. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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CICA ROAD ACCESS FOR CRANES

TASMANIA LEADING THE WAY WITH PRODUCTIVE ROAD ACCESS In conjunction with key industry groups such as The Crane Industry Council of Australia and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Tasmanian State and Local Government road managers have developed a state-wide system to maximise heavy vehicle productivity and access across Tasmania’s roads.

THE NATIONAL HEAVY VEHICLE REGULATOR (NHVR) was established in 2013 and the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) commenced in February 2014. The introduction of the HVNL resulted in greater responsibility being placed on road managers when granting access.

In Tasmania, heavy vehicles provide an essential service to many critical parts of the economy, including the Agriculture, Aquaculture, Construction, Development, Energy, Forestry, Retail, Manufacturing and Mining industries.

The main challenge for Tasmanian State and Local Government road managers has been to develop a consistent, state-wide system to maximise heavy vehicle productivity and access across Tasmania’s roads, with the least administrative burden and while managing the risks to road and bridge assets and community safety.

In meeting this challenge Tasmanian road managers have worked collaboratively with mobile crane operators, the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) and the NHVR to produce a system of access for the Special Purpose Vehicle industry, which provides for the significant majority of all crane access, via a gazetted Notice, without the need for permits.

The system is known as the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System or HVAMS for short.

A Department of State Growth spokesperson explains the thinking and how the HVAMS works for the Tasmanian crane industry, the industry’s customers and road managers 32 / CAL November 2020

throughout the State.

“The Department recognises that the crane industry provides an essential service to the Tasmanian economy and, along with the heavy vehicle sector in general, underpins the business activity and economic growth of the State. As a road manager, heavy vehicles productively, efficiently and safely accessing the road network is a very good thing and we are grateful that we have a professional heavy vehicle industry that provides for the community’s needs and ongoing prosperity. It is therefore very important that road managers, in turn, provide efficient and sustainable access for these vehicles to the state’s roads,” the Department spokesperson said.

From initial discussions and exchanges with a broad range of industry operators, including their representative associations, road managers took the view that they needed to provide road networks and gazetted notices to facilitate productive heavy vehicle access, rather than individual routes and permits.

“As a the road manager we need to provide the heavy vehicle service industry with the flexibility to serve their customers requirements, where ever and when-ever that may be,” said the spokesperson.

“Our first priority back in February 2014 was to assist the Over Size Over Mass (OSOM) heavy vehicle industry.

Working collaboratively with industry operators, the Tasmanian Transport Association and collectively with local government road managers, the Local Government Association of Tasmania

and the NHVR we were able to produce a gazetted Notice in 2016 that covered off on approximately 80 per cent of OSOM activity without the need for a permit,” said the spokesperson.

“In early 2017 we turned our attention on to the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) industry, which includes mobile cranes. From the very start adopting a collaborative and collective approach in partnership with road managers, CICA, crane hire companies, and the NHVR was key. It was always clear that building trust, mutually beneficial relationships and an agreed understanding of the issues and the facts to find workable solutions, was the only way that we would be able to effectively progress.”

By August 2019 a gazetted Notice was released and HVAMS for SPV’s came into being as the method of access for the significant majority of mobile crane access on the Tasmanian road network, without the need for a permit.

“This is the result of two to three years of solid committed work from all parties.

We are particularly grateful to the individuals in the mobile crane industry who helped educate us about their business, its needs and requirements.

We enjoyed a very positive engagement with industry, although it wasn’t always easy or straight forward, with everyone coming together with different views and needs, but we worked through it to reach a great outcome,” said the spokesperson.

HVAMS is fully harmonised presenting effectively one road manager and one road network to industry with one set of conditions of access www.cranesandlifting.com.au

HVAMS with advisory layers

throughout the State. The system provides a common, transparent and equitable access platform that is used by road managers and crane operators alike to discuss, negotiate and sustain the most productive, efficient and safe way of travelling to and from site in what is an ever changing and demanding road and vehicle environment.

“HVAMS helps us to partner with the crane companies to make sure that they are productive and safe and that we are managing the public road asset together with mutual understanding,” the spokesperson said.

“We know these guys are doing important work for our community and so the system is obviously available on demand around the clock. At 2 am on a Sunday morning, a crane company can type their vehicle information into the system and it will give them access and conditions right there and then, and pretty much they can just go.”

HVAMS has been operating since August 2019 and is accessed on a website: https://hvams.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/spv.

“The operator enters the vehicle parameters, in this instance a crane, including vehicle width, length, height, axle distribution, axle masses, etc.” said the spokesperson.

“Once all the information has been entered correctly the system generates an interactive map of access, including conditions. The parameters entered can be saved to a unique code that can be www.cranesandlifting.com.au

HVAMS night travel with conditional access.

reused at any time in the future to go straight to a contemporary map. As a crane can be ‘set up’ in different ways a vehicle code can be generated for each individual setup, so you could have say five codes against one crane, or as many as you like!”

HVAMS is intuitive and all the information and explanations that an operator needs for road manager consent is available and live. When you’ve finished reading this article try entering the demonstration vehicle code 4ATCSPV2 into the Enter Vehicle Code box in the Travelling under Notice section of the front page and click on the Check Inputs box to see how it works.

“A number of symbols appear on the HVAMS map. These highlight that there are conditions the operator must comply with, as the crane selected has a higher impact on that particular part of the network, most often a bridge or other structure.”

By clicking the symbol, the operator will be given the conditions for travelling over the bridge.

An example of the systems functionality is the day or night travel option in top left of the map.

This option gives the operators the flexibility to keep running on a 24/7 clock and gives road managers the flexibility to set conditions depending on the level of natural light.

“At night bridges don’t suddenly get stronger. If a crane is asked to slow

down to 10 kmph during the day it will also be asked to do the same at night, however the road manager may require different mitigating conditions, in terms of pilots or escorts for example,” the spokesperson said.

“The reason why a road manager requires an operator to slow down to 10km/h over a bridge is most likely because that structure was not originally designed and constructed to carry a selected vehicle’s mass distribution. The structure is most likely in good condition, with many years, meaning decades, of design life left remaining. Often a road manager must still allow access, for the good of the economy and the community, and then manage the increased risks.”

“A way of managing these risks and receiving assurance that the travel condition is, or is able to be, met is through the use of in vehicle telematics.

Vehicle telematics is a method of monitoring a moving vehicle by recording data, such as the vehicles location and speed, through GPS and other onboard diagnostics. With good levels of assurance that conditions are met, a road manager will usually accept more risk.

Information from a telematics unit can also be used to inform a road manager about which bridges to target for upgrades or replacement. With a greater adoption of telematics, greater levels, efficiency and sustainability of access will be enjoyed by a productive industry in Tasmania,” the spokesperson said.

November 2020 CAL / 33

CICA ROAD ACCESS AND TELEMATICS

TELEMATICS KEY TO ROAD ACCESS The role of telematics is critical to the success of HVAMS and this element of the project is being rolled out now by a team at Transport Certification Australia (TCA), including John Gordon, manager strategic development.

TCA IS A NATIONAL ORGANISATION THAT provides assurance services relating to transport technologies and data to enable improved public purpose outcomes from road transport. One of its key functions is to administer the National Telematics Framework, and to provide data management and analysis services to road agencies.

“As a result of recent ministerial decisions and in response to what road managers have been looking for over the last couple of years, we’ve developed a number of applications tailored specifically to their needs. This has been a progressive piece of work and it links in with a number of other developments, proof of concepts and trials in various states. All jurisdictions are starting to use telematics in a more ‘light touch way’ and Tasmania is amongst the first to really make it happen,’” said Gordon.

“Tasmania has effectively looked at the suite of different bits and pieces, the ‘duplo building blocks’, if you will and with us, they’ve put together a scheme and a set of business rules that will allow us to collect, verify and analyse data in an efficient, controlled way.

“The scheme and business rules leverage the new Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA). For those who are familiar with the IAP, TMA is a very different proposition. Firstly, it’s not evidentiary quality and secondly, it’s not focused on non-compliant data,” he said TMA does not generate NCRs like the IAP does. Instead, TCA receives a stream of the data under structured arrangements with service providers, and permissions given by each transport operator, says Gordon.

“We then do all the data processing, we apply filters to the data, we aggregate it and depending on the audience, we de-identify it, and we provide the analysis 34 / CAL November 2020

back to road managers through an online portal.

“We provide aggregated and deidentified information about overall vehicle movements to Local Government road managers and State Government road managers. A small number of compliance officers will be able will be able to see identifiable data. For example,

trends and patterns. We are seeing road managers in Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria using this data to open up access. The system means they have certainty, it removes the mystery around vehicle movements, and road managers will have transparency through this data,” said Gordon.

Gordon goes on to explain how crane

“The scheme and business rules leverage the new Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA). For those who are familiar with the IAP, TMA is a very different proposition. Firstly, it’s not evidentiary quality and secondly, it’s not focused on non-compliant data.” if they have intel that a particular bridge is being crossed at more than 10km/h they can delve into the data and go back and see who that might have been.

“This is focused on compliance and behaviour change, not enforcement.

They are not looking to issue penalties or infringement notices. Rather, road managers will talk to the operator and ask them what was happening on this day. It is very much an educational and collaborative approach and we are seeing this working very well in other states,” he said.

The system will allow road managers to effectively monitor these vehicles and relate back to the access and conditions they have under the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS).

“All of the different systems aren’t fully integrated at the moment and it will probably be another two years before road managers can see integrated information with network data etc.

But even now, road managers can see vehicles that have signed up, and have certainty about what is operating on their network and be able to see

companies comply with the telematics.

“It is an open market arrangement.

Obviously, we don’t sell devices, we certify companies who will sell them. We routinely encourage transport operators to talk to these service providers and shop around,” said Gordon.

Crane operators don’t have to buy a new box explains Gordon.

“TMA has been designed to accommodate the use of suitable devices if they’re already fitted to vehicles.

Furthermore, a number of new service providers are coming onto the market and they are bringing new technology and new innovations.

“If a transport or crane operator has its own system which they are comfortable with it and they are using a service provider that doesn’t want to go through the process of certification, that transport operator can ask us to assess the system.

“We are happy to look at transport operator systems as well as certifying systems for the open marketplace.

“We try to make it as easy as possible for them to go to the open market to get what they need,” said Gordon. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

CICA EMPLOYMENT ADVICE

REGULAR CASUAL EMPLOYMENT ATTRACTS NEW LEGAL EXPOSURE In this article, Charles Power – Partner Holding Redlich, explains the importance of understanding employer obligations when it comes to casual labour.

CASUALS ARE EXCLUDED FROM ACCESSING the entitlements to paid annual leave, personal/carer’s leave and comp: assionate leave provided by the National Employment Standards (NES) in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).

In Workpac Pty Ltd v Skene ([2018] FCAFC 131) (Skene ruling) the Full Federal Court ruled that, for the purposes of the NES exclusion of casuals, a person is a casual when there is an absence of a firm advance commitment as to the duration of the employee’s employment or the days or hours the employee will work.

Where these promises are given, this usually means the contract between the parties is not for casual employment. It doesn’t matter that those commitments are subject to the rights of either party to terminate employment or adjust the agreed pattern of work.

Following the Skene ruling, an employment relationship will not be casual, at least for the purposes of the exclusion from paid leave entitlements under the NES, if the following are satisfied: • where the employer gives the employee a firm advance commitment to continuing and indefinite work, according to an agreed pattern of work, and • the employee reciprocates by committing to be available on a continuing and indefinite basis, to perform work according to that agreed pattern.

If neither the employer nor the employee gives this commitment, the employee is likely to be entitled to NES paid leave entitlements.

36 / CAL November 2020

The Federal Government responded to the Skene ruling by introducing into the Fair Work Regulations with effect 18 December 2018, Regulation 2.03A. This will assist an employer who employed a person “on the basis that the person is a casual employee” and paid that person a clearly identifiable loading amount to compensate the person for not having one or more relevant NES entitlements.

If in fact, that person was found not to be a casual employee for the purposes of the NES, and makes a claim to be paid “an amount in lieu of one or more of the relevant NES entitlements”, the employer may make a claim to have the loading amount taken into account in determining any amount payable in response to that claim. In other words, an employer can argue the amount payable to the employee may be offset by the casual loading payments already made.

In a sequel to the Skene ruling, the Full Federal Court in Workpac Pty Ltd v Rossato ([2020] FCAFC 84) (Rossato decision) has issued a decision that has substantially undermined the capacity of employers to rely on this Regulation.

The Rossato decision reaffirmed the ‘firm advance commitment’ test in the Skene ruling, in determining that a putative casual employee was entitled to NES paid personal/carer’s leave and compassionate leave. In the Rossato decision, the employment contract stated that the employee had the ability to “refuse and cancel” shifts or terminate the assignment at any time. However, the Court ruled there was still a firm advance commitment to work, given by both parties. This was because it was in

Charles Power – Partner Holding Redlich.

fact extremely difficult for the employee to actually cancel or refuse to work shifts, and it would expose him to disciplinary sanctions if he did so.

In the Rossato decision, the Court regarded the following factors as inconsistent with casual employment: • the contract was for ongoing or indefinite employment (subject to termination on the giving of notice), not short-term temporary employment • the employee worked the same hours as full-time employees at the workplace • the work was not to be performed on demand but was pre-programmed long in advance and fixed by a roster • the employer had the right to stand down the employee without pay in circumstances of a strike, breakdown of machinery, or any stoppage of work for any cause for which the employer cannot be held reasonably responsible • there were no mechanisms or arrangements that would be required to facilitate the allocation of irregular or intermittent work to the employee, e.g. notification of proposed rosters and system for acceptance. Rosters www.cranesandlifting.com.au

were not presented to the employee for him to pick and choose which shifts he would work.

The Court did not regard as significant the following factors that pointed to casual employment: • the hourly pay rate • the employee’s requirement to submit timesheets – the Court saw this as a means to the employer’s labour hire agency calculating pay, not as an indicator of irregular working hours • the employment being terminable on one hour’s notice – the Court considered that where the employer was in the business of labour hire, it was likely to have greater capacity to replace departing employees quickly because of a readily available source of spare employees on its books.

The Court ruled that Rossato had not claimed an amount in lieu of NES entitlements to paid leave. Rather, he had claimed the payment due pursuant to those entitlements. As such, Fair Work Regulation 2.03A did not assist the employer in this instance.

CASUAL CONVERSION For many years the Mobile Crane Hiring Award 2010 (Award) has entitled regular

casual employees with a right to request to convert to full-time employment after a sequence of periods of employment of only six months, and only if their employment was to continue beyond the conversion process. The clause required employers to provide written notice to eligible casuals of this right within four weeks of the employee having attained such period of six months.

The Fair Work Commission decided in 2018 to extend this right more broadly to other award-covered employees but imposed a qualifying period of 12 months.

FUTURE REFORM The Federal Government indicated support for amending the NES to extend this model award provision so as to enable casuals to request conversion to permanent employment after 12 months of regular casual employment. The Government indicated it would include a definition of casual employment in the NES. This most likely will adopt the test developed by the Federal Court in the Workpac rulings. The Government is also likely to address the defect identified in Fair Work Regulation 2.03A by the Rossato decision, so that an employer who paid a casual loading to a putative

casual can rely on that payment to offset claims for paid leave, should the employee be found to be entitled to that benefit.

CONCLUSION To minimise risk of claims for paid NES annual leave from casuals, employers should consider the following options: • roster the “casuals” to preclude the “firm advance commitment” referred to in the Workpac cases • enable casuals to convert to permanent employment, using the model casual conversion clause in modern awards as a guide • make contingency for unpaid leave claims from casuals. In this respect, employers should make it expressly clear (in new contracts, pay slips or by other means) that the casual loading is paid to compensate for the absence of NES paid leave entitlements. This will improve an employer’s capacity to offset the loading against claimed leave payments relying on Fair Work Regulation 2.03A. Author: Charles Power - Partner Holding Redlich Email: Charles.power@holdingredlich.com

The Federal Government has indicated support for amending the National Employment Scheme to enable casuals to request conversion to permanent employment after 12 months of regular casual employment www.cranesandlifting.com.au

November 2020 CAL / 37

IN FOCUS / TELEMATICS

PARTNERS IN TELEMATICS Partnering with customers to tailor telematics solutions that suit their specific business needs, is what MTData does best. They have helped businesses across numerous industries to achieve greater outcomes for 20 years.

MTData provides end to end telematics solutions ensuring the customer receives the right solution for their specific business needs.

38 / CAL November 2020

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

AARON BALTHAZAAR IS GENERAL Manager of Certified Telematics for MTData. He has been in the fleet management and OEM vehicle manufacturing industries for seven years and with MTData for the last 18 months.

“MTData’s main point of difference is that all of our hardware used for certified telematics is Australian designed and manufactured. MTData provides end to end telematics solutions and we pride ourselves on ensuring the customer receives the right solution for their specific business needs. We have everything under the one roof including customer support, our own installer network

and an in-house development team that affords us high levels of flexibility and agility to cater for customer requirements.”

“Our products are made in Australia, for the Australian market.

We take a collaborative approach to identify the solutions that will help you to cover all compliance requirements and achieve your business goals,” said Balthazaar.

“We understand the difference that the Heavy Vehicle Access Management System (HVAMS) is making to our customers in Tasmania.” he said.

The Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA) as well as the Intelligent Access Program (IAP) are both certified telematics by Transport Certification Australia (TCA). Both of these are used by MTData customers across multiple industries.

Other states are examining issues relating to crane access and it appears the Tasmanian HVAMS may be an example to follow. Balthazaar explains

Aaron Balthazaar, General Manager of Certified Telematics for MTData.

experienced Project Managers remain your point of contact to streamline the implementation process. With the right system, data highlighting key crane performance metrics, can transform a business.” said Balthazaar.

“Being a local designer and

“We take a collaborative approach to identify the solutions that will help customers to cover all compliance requirements and achieve business goals.” the benefits crane companies will realise by partnering with MTData.

“We bring a wealth of experience so we can demonstrate the many benefits that telematics can bring to an operation. We are in constant conversation with the TCA and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) so as soon as there’s talk about new solutions, such as, Electronic Work Diaries, Road Infrastructure Management (RIM) or TMA, we are already on the front foot.” said Balthazaar.

“We can assist with everything, from certified telematics, right through to designing a system that covers all your compliance needs, unlocks growth potential and drives down costs. Our www.cranesandlifting.com.au

manufacturer, MTData has the flexibility to integrate our Hawk-Eye platform with many other systems and we can work directly with you or with a third-party system integrator.” he said.

Balthazaar explains more about the time it takes to implement a tailormade telematics system.

“If you’re notified that you need TMA, for example, by selecting products that are on the TCA list, the implementation process is quick and easy. We understand that the subject of telematics can be confusing, so we make the process simple while we work with you to achieve the best possible outcome. This flexible and consultative approach has served us well for 20 years,” he said.

November 2020 CAL / 39

IN FOCUS / HEAVY LIFT AND HAULAGE

MANAGING TURNKEY HEAVY LIFT AND HAULAGE SOLUTIONS Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift has been building a business capable of offering turnkey, heavy lift and haulage solutions for customers across numerous industry sectors. Malcom Smith, general manager of Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift, explains that for this to happen, the company has been investing in the right technology and people.

MALCOM SMITH HAS BEEN WITH TUTT Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift for 15 years and started in Melbourne as the state manager. At that time, he was the only engineer in the company. A promotion to the National Operations Manager role after four years, he was most recently promoted to General Manager.

“Seven years ago, we restructured the business and I moved to Western Australia. Part of the restructure enabled us to re-focus our efforts on turnkey solutions, particularly the engineering component of these solutions. One of the crucial objectives was to identify and bring Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift is focused on delivering end-toend solutions for our customers.

40 / CAL November 2020

the right people into the organisation.

We now have six permanent engineers working on safe work method statements, lift studies and transport studies for Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift, offering solution-based proposals for customers.

“Some of our engineers end up on site to help manage projects. Currently, we have an engineer permanently based on a mine site up in the north west of WA. We’ve just finished four key dual crane lifts on a significant iron ore site involving one of our Manitowoc MLC650VPCs and a Liebherr LR 1600-2. Two of our engineers worked in the client’s office for

four months in the lead up to the job, and then one went to site where he’s been for almost six months,” said Smith.

Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift offers tailored solutions to customers, says Smith. When he and his team are working on a project, the first step is to examine the equipment available to them within the business as well as what is available in the marketplace.

“We have the largest crawler in Australia, the Demag CC8800-1 which has just gone to work on a project in the south west of WA. Before that, it was working on a wind farm in WA, completing wind tower erections.

“Our fleet of cranes goes from the CC8800-1 down to our smallest crawler, a 90t HSC Sumitomo. We then have our tele-crawler range which includes the Link-Belt TCC-1400 (127t capacity), TCC-1100 (100t capacity), Sennebogen 683RHD (80t capacity and a Link-Belt TCC-500 which is a 50t capacity telecrawler.

“Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift has two wet hire operations in Darwin and Muswellbrook, and these are servicing maintenance contracts in the Hunter Valley and also in Darwin and the surrounds, particularly in the oil and gas sector. We also have a number of modular hydraulic jacking systems (mobile gantry systems) in the fleet, including two Enerpac SB 1100s which are 1100t capacity systems and feature multi directional travel.

“We also have a 60t gantry acquired recently. It’s a nice addition to the fleet and has been put to use lifting smaller www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Tutt Bryant’s second Manitowoc MLC650 700t capacity crawler is equipped with Variable Positioning Counterweight (VPC) and VPC-MAX.

modules and generators inside buildings.

This is quite specialised and niche, complementing our other assets and demonstrates our engineering capabilities in alternative methodologies.

“Our heavy transport business which includes Nicolas and Drake road-going trailers and our Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT) which are non-road going. We run Cometto SPMT but have just purchased 40 axle lines of Scheuerle for further onsite works,” said Smith.

From a construction perspective, Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift can offer turnkey solutions from cranes, heavy lifting, heavy transport to alternative methodologies. It also has the engineering expertise to manage the pre-engineering solutions, put together the detailed design and engineering documentation and then execute the job,” says Smith. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

“Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift employs experienced operators in our business, so we are able to provide both wet and dry hire. Recently, we’ve been crewing the cranes on mines sites in the north west of WA. One of our advantages is our operators are also qualified mechanics, so if the machine has a problem, our response time is immediate.

When you are in remote locations, minimising down time is key,” said Smith.

The Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift all terrain fleets in both Muswellbrook and Darwin are dominated by Groves, says Smith.

“Both operations run GMK 6300Ls and they have been very good cranes to the business. We also run GMK 4100L1s, GMK 5130s, a GMK 5150L and a GMK 5100. We get excellent back up and support from Grove especially from

WATM Cranes in WA and there are also good services in Darwin.

“A major benefit with the new cabins in both the Manitowoc crawlers and the Grove all terrains is the interchangeability of components. For example, if we are stuck for parts, we can take the joy sticks or any component out of the new Grove 4100L-1s and put them into the MLC650.

Another key part of the Group is Tutt Bryant Equipment, which is a leading national distributor of new and used equipment, representing top tier brands such as HSC Sumitomo, Kato, Bomag, Metso, Yanmar, Sumitomo, Gehl, Noram, Venieri and Combi Wear Parts.

“Tutt Bryant Equipment has an extensive network of warehouses and workshops across Australia, stocking a large range of spare parts for all of their products, including Kato and HSC Sumitomo cranes.

It is an added bonus that the person driving the crane is capable of fixing it, but they have to have the parts in the first place.

A great example of Tutt Bryant’s innovation and forward-thinking is the recent acquisition of a second MLC650VPC, which is a 700t capacity crawler crane from Manitowoc that is equipped with Variable Positioning Counterweight (VPC) and VPC-MAX. The flexibility of the machine is second to none explains Smith.

“With traditional superlift cranes, unless you have a wheeled car, you have to stack and de-stack the counterweight or connect and re-connect it for each individual lift. Generally, when you are conducting multiple lifts, the radius or the weight changes and this means the crane needs to be reconfigured with a different superlift configuration.

“The MLC650 automatically adjusts the radius of the counterweight on the rear of the crane. The counterweight on the upper rear of the crane is the counterweight which ends up being the superlift counterweight. It is automatically controlled by the LMI system and the operator needs to operate within the safety parameters of the crane.

The crane has the ability to slow the November 2020 CAL / 41

IN FOCUS / HEAVY LIFT AND HAULAGE operator down if he is going too fast.

There are a number of safety features within the crane including the control of the counterweight as it travels rearwards or forwards depending on whether the radius is increasing or decreasing. This is all computer controlled by the LMI system,” he said.

“This leaves the operator to concentrate on what he is doing and not worry about what the superlift needs to do. With traditional superlift cranes, the operator has to adjust their radius and winch pressures, and these are issues the operator is thinking about whilst performing the lift. Although it generally doesn’t happen, if the operator is preoccupied with other issues, it could lead to a safety incident. The MLC650 has some very good robust and solid safety features which allows the operator to concentrate on what he has to do, and that’s to lift, control and place the load,” said Smith.

Crawler cranes like the MLC650 are major investments for any organisation, but the return on investment is realised with the flexibility of the machine as it can be deployed to projects of various natures, says Smith.

“We started working the first

MLC650 in WA, lifting pipe spools for an offshore oil and gas project. We were in a fabrication yard picking these up, walking them out and loading them onto a barge. We lifted something like 80 pipes over a five-month period. Having the ability to pick and carry was key in this application and keeping the ground pressures low because of the need to balance between the front and back with the counterweights and the load.

“We then moved the crane to install bridge beams over a river for a new road and from there we completed one of the largest pedestrian bridges in the Southern Hemisphere here in Perth. From there we’ve completed some shutdown work and then made a big trip to Darwin and down to a uranium mine. We were able to travel and manage the job from Perth and then get the crane back to Karratha.

We had about 300t less in counterweights to transport as the components from the crane were lighter, so our mobilisation and de-mobilisation was more competitive, and we were able to pass these savings onto the customer, which secured the work,” he said.

There are multiple advantages to the crane says Smith. It has three different counterweight configurations and the

The MLC650 automatically adjusts the radius of the counterweight on the rear of the crane.

42 / CAL November 2020

VPC Max features a rear derrick or a boom out the back which is like a traditional superlift. It has the VPC which is like a travelling counterweight which travels on the crane upper carbody, meaning the rear derrick isn’t required. Technically, there are six configurations to the 700t crane in counterweight configurations, let alone the various boom configurations.

“With the new crane, we can talk about the specialised fields where we are able to engineer ‘customised solutions’. Our second MLC650 was recently acquired for a major project in Melbourne where it is required to be operating on temporary jetties which have been built out into the water. These temporary jetties are only big enough to pick up the tracks, but they don’t pick up the counterweight when you are travelling.

“If you are using a traditional superlift crane, you require something under the superlift tray at all times for rearwards stability. With the MLC650’s VPC, we are able to control the position of the counterweight and to ensure it is able to be supported in the event there was a rearward stability issue.

“I talk about rearward stability in the context of let’s say a sling was to break or a lifting lug was to tear out and the crane was to reduce its load really quickly, you can understand the load moment out the back with the superlift could potentially pull the crane over backwards. We can control the position of that, so it could be supported if there was a possible failure.

This became the optimum solution for the project,” said Smith.

“Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift is focused on delivering end-to-end solutions for our customers. We very much welcome enquiries at the very early stages of a project so we can fully apply our engineering capabilities and practical experiences to help formulate the best options for our customers.

Our value proposition extends to the detailed documentation, logistics, people, equipment and other aspects of execution to ensure successful completion of our scopes. We believe we are one of the leaders in terms of the service and equipment we offer, as well as the turnkey solutions we are able to engineer and implement for our customers,” said Smith. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

IN FOCUS / ACCESS EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS

For Preston Hire, there were obvious similarities between EWPs and the existing spider cranes in the fleet.

Customers are now offered a natural complement with cranes and EWP equipment working side by side.

ELEVATING THE ACCESS SECTOR The Preston Hire “SuperElevate” EWP fleet is designed for specialist access applications. It features products designed to fill gaps in the market with capabilities other equipment cannot match.

THE PRESTON HIRE PHILOSOPHY HAS always been to provide specialised hire equipment delivering unique capabilities and efficiencies to its customers. With an impressive fleet of mini crawlers, telescopic crawlers and their renowned SuperDeck retractable loading platforms, many are surprised to discover their impressive EWP category too - a range of specialised access gear that has been consistently growing for the past five years.

According to Maurizio Salza, Preston Hire’s head of sales, the Preston Hire “SuperElevate” EWP fleet is all about specialist access. “Our EWP fleet has been specifically chosen to fill gaps in the market with capabilities other equipment can’t offer. We are the brand for complex or unique access solutions whilst also being very capable to complete general access work too,” said Salza.

Preston Hire began purchasing access equipment in 2015 starting the EWP fleet with two Haulotte Opti 8, now known as the SuperElevate 8s. These machines were first seen at ASPAC in September 2015 and subsequently followed by an impressive visit to the Haulotte premises for a product demonstration. With the vision now

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

November 2020 CAL / 43

IN FOCUS / ACCESS EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS

The SuperElevate fleet has been specifically chosen to fill gaps in the market with capabilities other equipment can’t offer.

coming to life, two bi-levelling scissor lifts were then added to the fleet - Athena 630 and 850 models – which were seen as specialised products and a good fit to complement existing Preston Hire SuperCranes on site.

“Our commitment to providing specialised hire equipment largely comes from recognising regular site challenges and finding equipment that will provide solutions and extensive benefits to our customers. Our involvement in the EWP category has organically evolved with three clear phases to date,” said Salza.

“During the initial phase, we purchased scissor lifts for our own use.

We had a SuperDeck project which had a high floor ceiling, and therefore tall props, which we needed to safely install. It was a long-term project with a customer we worked closely with. The customer advised they would have other 44 / CAL November 2020

“Our commitment to providing specialised hire equipment largely comes from recognising regular site challenges and finding equipment that will provide solutions and extensive benefits to our customers. Our involvement in the EWP category has organically evolved with three clear phases to date,” uses for these machines throughout the project, so we included them in our hire package. We learned a lot about the range of applications the scissor lifts provided onsite and saw the potential for their inclusion in our fleet,” he said.

The concept of spider lifts and bi-levelling scissor lifts was very new in Australia five years ago, thus proving a good fit for our business model and demonstrating our innovative and forward-thinking approach to equipment selection, says Salza.

“There are some obvious similarities

these machines had with our existing spider cranes creating a natural complement to see cranes and EWP equipment working side by side.

The second phase in our EWP fleet development was highlighting to customers our ability to provide multiple machines for their needs. We would often see photos of a Preston Hire crane alongside another company’s access equipment. We set out to change this and have helped many customers reduce their hire equipment contact points by benefiting from our broader www.cranesandlifting.com.au

range,” explained Salza.

According to Salza, the third phase of the development saw Preston Hire become highly specialised in this equipment area with the launch of PrestonHire Rail. This coincided with the acquisition of a fleet of highly specialised Hi Rail EWP Boom lifts opening the doors to yet another industry sector to offer services to.

“This is a dedicated field with high barriers for entry; however, our ability to specialise within the business allowed this to be a natural next step in diversification, expanding our services to a broader customer base.”

“Work within the rail industry infrastructure consists largely of two types: new build, and maintenance works. Preston Hire has the ability to provide multiple pieces of equipment for these works beyond just our hi-rail machines. Our range allows us to provide cranes, trollies and rail-specific machines, greatly simplifying the process for customer,” he said.

Today, the EWP fleet totals approximately 60 units with roughly a 50 per cent split between Booms and Bilevelling lifts. Every unit within the fleet is no older than five years and features various brands including Bluelift spider booms, Platform Basket spider booms, hi-rail EWP boom lifts, Haulotte Opti 8 scissor lifts and Almac all terrain scissor lifts.

Although you will often see an elevated work platform in a support role wherever a crane is, the customer profile for Preston Hire’s SuperCranes and SuperElevate range isn’t always the same, says Salza.

“The requirements for crane and access equipment varies from job to job and from customer to customer. But, as I mentioned earlier, we identified many jobs which required both types of machinery. Our fleet capabilities have been carefully selected to complement each other and provide a complete solution,” he said.

All the machines in the fleet have been hand-picked to make them unique in their field. A range of the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

“As far as our equipment is concerned, quality and reliability has always been at the core of what Preston Hire stands for. For our EWP fleet, we ensure mandatory 90-day services and pre-hire and de-hire before and after every hire.” specialisations include: • Non-marking tracks; • Overall lighter weight machines making them suitable for suspended slab applications when compared to other booms or knuckles offered in the market; • Versatility of articulated boom; • The ability to work on steep gradients increasing grade ability and manoeuvrability; • Multiple power source options are available including diesel, petrol, lithium batteries and 240v; • Remote controls enabling use of the machine from the ground or basket; • Working below ground level is available for some machines; and • Removable baskets to enable access through tight areas and greater accessibility.

“As with all of our equipment, quality, reliability, maintenance, and service is essential,” says Salza. “As far as our equipment is concerned, quality and reliability has always been at the core of what Preston Hire stands

for. For our EWP fleet, we ensure mandatory 90-day services and pre-hire and de-hire before and after every hire.”

“Working closely with our servicing partner, SuperService, we employ a rigorous process before and after every hire of a EWP machine. This guarantees every machine is well maintained for longevity and provides us with the confidence that every customer receives a machine that is ready for hire. We recognise how competitive the standard EWP category is, so combining our specialist products with quality machinery that works every time is a huge and necessary priority that differentiates us from others,” he said.

“At Preston Hire, we are committed to putting the customer first,” said Salza. “It is amazing to see the range of applications our EWP fleet has benefited and the countless challenges we have provided solutions for. I’m constantly impressed by how far we can push these machines. I welcome any job, big or small, to put us to the test and learn first-hand why you can count on us.”

Preston Hire works within rail industry infrastructure, on both new build and maintenance providing cranes, trollies and rail-specific machines, simplifying the process for customers.

November 2020 CAL / 45

IN FOCUS / TRT AND TIDD

Ronco has many years of experience with pick and carry cranes, but never of the quality and class demonstrated by the TIDD and in this class of crane .

TIDD CRANE – THE SUPPORT STORY TRT recently announced the appointment of experienced equipment and crane distributor Ronco Group, as its new TIDD dealer for Western Australia.

TRT HAS APPOINTED A NEW TIDD CRANE dealer in Western Australia to support the growth of the TIDD Crane and the increasing number of TIDD Crane customers based in the state. The appointment of the new dealer also caters for customers that prefer both the local dealer relationship and a relationship with the OEM, Tidd Ross Todd Limited (TRT). Creating great relationships enables dialogue, ensuring the continuous improvement philosophy that underpins the TIDD Crane development, remains - and the focus on people, through safety, stays at the heart of it all. Safety also looks to be at the heart of the decisions now being made by Tier One operations.

NEW DEALER: NEW FOCUS FOR TIDD CRANE TRT has appointed Ronco Group PTY Ltd (Ronco) as the new TIDD Crane dealer for Western Australia. TRT will 46 / CAL November 2020

manage sales in South Australia with experienced service support from local service agents, RMB Service Group, maintaining TIDD Crane’s Australia wide support network.

“We are pleased to be working with Robert Smith and the team at Ronco,” says Bruce Carden, TRT’s director of sales and innovation. “This is a strategic decision to enable the continued growth of the TIDD Crane in WA, especially within the Mining and Infrastructure sectors, with a company that has experience with Pick and Carry Cranes, extensive industry knowledge unique to WA and a high standard of after sales support and service.”

Bruce adds, “As an OEM manufacturer, we want to ensure that TIDD Crane customers are supported and that they can still retain a relationship with TRT, the Crane OEM. Ronco are that collaborative and committed partner that we know will

deliver on this promise.”

Robert Smith, managing director of Ronco agrees, “We already have an extensive range of cranes and the TIDD just finishes the line up with outstanding quality, safety and commitment by the TRT team. So, to partner TRT with the Tidd product is a great opportunity.”

Based in Perth, Ronco support the Construction and Mining sectors with crane and equipment sales, service, repairs and parts. They have 12 factory trained crane technicians to support customers. Robert adds “The commitment of TRT to their customers and product support is unmatched. TRT are investing in sending a technician for a number of weeks, including quarantine, for hands on training where all other OEM’s are conducting video training through COVID.” TIDD CRANE SERVICE AND SUPPORT Service, parts and support is critical for www.cranesandlifting.com.au

all pick and carry cranes. The nature of their operation requires them to be active and working, with less downtime compared to their larger roadable counterparts. Any new TIDD PC28 owner needs to trust that a dealer and OEM will act then and there.

“We are proud of our focus on service and support for TIDD Crane customers, this has been part of the consistent feedback and messaging from the industry. We chose partners like Baden Davis Crane Connection in NSW and Ronco, that aligns to TRT’s expectation and own high level of service and support, as both an OEM manufacturer and support provider. Our dealers and service agents across Australia have stellar reputations for delivering great support to customers, going above and beyond, to keep operations moving,” says Bruce.

We ask Bruce what delivering great support means, “Great customer support is simple. It’s having technicians available and available where you need them, it’s having factory trained experienced technicians that can deliver on time and it’s ensuring that you have stock of OEM genuine parts readily available. Great support means that there are knowledgeable experts at the end of a phone to help trouble shoot and being available outside of business hours, because, let’s face it, in this industry, it’s not 8am to 5pm. We believe, it also includes access to the OEM at all times. It is what we expect of ourselves and of our dealers”.

Robert Smith agrees, “Ronco has always made service its main focus, we have built a business on understanding its value to customers. We offer services and equipment at fair prices and are always prepared to go that extra mile, wherever possible.

TIDD Crane owners can be assured that we are committed to the product, training our team of specialists and ensuring that customers have the best ownership experience possible.

If they are in a remote location, we offer phone support, we can dispatch a technician after consultation, or if www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Ronco Group was recently appointed the TIDD Crane dealer for WA.

required, dispatch our own low loader with experienced technician to assist recovery. We may even be able to provide a replacement crane to keep our TIDD customer’s business on the move.”

UNAPOLOGETIC FOCUS ON SAFETY “When we talk about the TIDD Crane, we always explain the fact that this is the safest pick and carry crane in Australia. We are proud to challenge the entrenched standards and pushing other OEM manufacturers to be thinking the same way. We [TRT] have never been afraid to lead from the front in the Transport, Mining and Construction sectors, some of our most recent technology advancements, like the ESS House and Platform trailers, show this as well” says Bruce.

Robert Carden, TRT’s technical director explains, “From the very first concept designs, safety has been the real focus, not only for TIDD, but for TRT product development as a whole.

This also means that we are focused on aligning with dealers and partners that share those same values, where we can collaborate, working with our growing number of TIDD crane customers as a team and meeting industry safety expectations, with good operation efficiencies, while not compromising on performance.”

The large mining and infrastructure operations are even more focused on the health and safety of their people. This is resulting in tangible business for TIDD Crane customers and a shift in focus to the wellbeing of people in our industry.

“Cranecorp Australia, located throughout WA, specialises in wet and dry crane hire services across the mining, energy and construction industries. They have added six new TIDD PC28 units to their fleet, which will be delivered from November 2020. The unparalleled safety features were key criteria in this decision, as the safety innovations were also the preference a number of their Tier ONE resource companies.”

Robert Carden continues, “In confined spaces, construction and infrastructure operations and underground mining, fall hazards are a high risk and all places where pick and carry cranes operate regularly.

TRT’s most recent innovation in safety is the certified FOPS (Falling Objects Protection System), while retaining the top view wide glass for increased load visibility. This works in tandem with the standard TIDD certified ROPS cabin, exclusive to TIDD pick and carry cranes.”

Robert Smith concludes, “I believe that the TIDD crane will become the pick and carry crane of choice for mining, construction, maintenance and hire companies through its enhanced safety features. TRT have put operator and site safety as a priority, as it should be.

Companies have an obligation to provide all workers with the safest environment possible, this includes in higher risk assets like Pick and Carry Cranes. Since becoming a Dealer in October, we have had a lot of enquiry from the market and with a demo model becoming available soon, we expect that unit sales will only continue to grow”.

November 2020 CAL / 47

IN FOCUS / LIEBHERR ROUGH TERRAIN

REINFORCING RESOURCES WITH LIEBHERR Norwest Crane Hire, a division of the Norwest Group, continues its strong business growth trajectory in 2020, bolstered by its long-standing relationship with Liebherr Australia.

NORWEST CRANE HIRE RECENTLY TOOK possession of two new Liebherr cranes, taking its total fleet of Liebherr cranes to 18, with the recent addition of a new LTM 1300-6.2 all terrain and LRT 1100-2.1 rough terrain.

Being the first LRT 1100-2.1 Liebherr rough terrain crane sold in Australia, Norwest immediately mobilized the crane to an existing customer site in the Pilbara, where it continues to deliver operational efficiencies and further expand Norwest’s capability across the Pilbara.

With its proven policy of top tier quality asset standardization across its fleet, to ensure the highest level of reliability and service delivery to its customers, Bernie Johnson, the Managing Director of Norwest Crane Hire, has remained loyal to the Liebherr product for over 20 years.

“Being the first to market in Australia with the new Liebherr LRT 1100-2.1 provides an exciting opportunity to Norwest Crane Hire, given the flexibility that this crane delivers,” said Johnson.

Liebherr has extended its mobile crane product range with an additional series of rough-terrain cranes in the 90t and 100t classes. They feature high

performance, safety and comfort.

During the design of the LRT 1100-2.1 rough-terrain crane, Liebherr engineers focused on one specific criterion – safety. For both the crane operator and surrounding area.

The standard VarioBase® variable support base also enhances safety. It enhances flexibility on site and also increases the crane’s lifting capacity.

The LRT 1100-2.1 has a telescopic boom with Liebherr’s time-tested telematic telescoping system for rough-terrain cranes, on which the various telescoping sections can be extended independently with a single cylinder and then pinned to the telescopic section above. This system is particularly simple and user-friendly, as excellent lifting capacities over the entire radius range can be achieved with just

Safety was a major focus for Liebherr engineers during the design of the new rough terrain.

48 / CAL November 2020

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

two telescoping modes, power or length.

High safety levels in every respect were the main priority for the design of the new rough terrain. The LRT 1100-2.1 features an outrigger monitoring system as standard. The support status, on tyres or outriggers, is detected automatically and saved to the crane controller.

The attachment of the ballast to the turntable and the installation of the optional double folding jib including its angle adjustment are also recorded and monitored.

The VarioBase® variable support base developed by Liebherr as standard on the new LRT cranes makes an important contribution to enhancing safety.

VarioBase® also provides greater performance and flexibility on site.

Safety is also enhanced by providing

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Norwest Crane Hire recently took delivery of the first LRT 1100-2.1, taking its total fleet of Liebherr cranes to 18.

greater comfort for the crane operator.

For example, the crane cabin is 220 mm wider than other standard cabins on the market. It can be tilted backwards to provide greater comfort when hoisting loads to great heights. Clear, selfexplanatory controls make the crane easy to handle.

The 100t LRT 1100-2.1 has a 50m telescopic boom with a “Telematik” telescoping system on which the various telescoping sections can be extended independently with a single cylinder and then pinned to the telescopic section above.

Fourteen tonnes of counterweights ensure high stability. The lifting capacity of the LRT 1100-2.1 is around 15 per cent higher than that of the 90t model which features 12t of counterweights.

The LRT 1090-2.1 features a 47m telescopic boom. Its telescoping system consists of a two-stage hydraulic cylinder with a rope extension mechanism.

The LTM 1300-6.2 features a 78m telescopic boom with a particularly high load capacity. With its telescopic boom extended, the LTM 1300-6.2 is ideal for erecting tower cranes. In addition to its

78 m telescopic boom a whole range of lattice jib systems are available which can equip the new crane for a wide range of applications.

The 12.5 m - 21 m double folding jib can be extended by two additional 7 m sections to a total of 35 m. The folding jib can be erected at an angle of 0°, 20° or 40° or as an option can be adjusted hydraulically between 0° and 40° while fully loaded. The 5.5 m foot section of the folding jib can be used as a heavyweight erection jib and provides a considerable load capacity of 58 t.

Norwest Crane Hire employ Liebherr trained mechanics to ensure the fleet is maintained to the highest standards and with a Liebherr standardised fleet, this has delivered operational efficiencies with experienced operators being VOC’d across the entire Norwest fleet.

With the youngest crane fleet across the Pilbara, a strong reputation for safety, positioning itself as the largest Pilbara based local crane employer and being a leader when it comes to indigenous employment, training and engagement, Norwest Crane Hire are ideally positioned for the future.

November 2020 CAL / 49

IN FOCUS / NEW GROVE ALL TERRAINS

Peter Li Calsi, Porter Cranes (pictured right), received the GMK3050-2 from TRT’s Robert Carden and said his company was excited to add the unit to its fleet.

GROVE GMK3050-2 HEADS TO NEW ZEALAND The first GMK 3050-2 in the Asia-Pacific region was recently delivered to Hamilton rental business, Porter Cranes.

RENTAL COMPANY PORTER CRANES HAS received the first Grove GMK3050-2 in Asia-Pacific, and the new model was delivered to the company’s yard in Hamilton, New Zealand by Manitowoc’s local dealer, TRT, which weighed and tested the unit ahead of putting it to work.

Peter Li Calsi, haulage and crane manager for Porter Cranes (pictured right), received the GMK3050-2 from TRT’s Robert Carden (pictured left) and said his company was excited to add the unit to its fleet.

“We have a long-standing 50 / CAL November 2020

relationship with TRT, and already own several other Manitowoc cranes, so we were confident taking this latest model,” he said. “One of its first jobs is erecting steel as part of a building upgrade at Waikeria Prison and it has been performing well.”

The new GMK3050-2, an update of Grove’s long-running three-axle offering, the GMK3050-1. It offers a 40 m main boom, fast operating speeds and a single counterweight configuration for ease of use. It’s engine and design have also been updated to meet the latest requirements of Euromot 5 (which also covers both

Tier 4 Final and Tier 3 regulations in the US and the rest of the world).

The three-axle, 50 t capacity GMK3050-2 is easily roadable at under 12 t per axle and has its counterweight permanently mounted, saving time and money for owners. With its compact design, fast-set up and ability to travel as a single package, the GMK3050-2 is a versatile and cost-effective addition to any crane rental fleet.

Other Manitowoc cranes in the Porter Cranes fleet include GMK4100 and GBT35 mobile cranes and a Manitowoc 12000-1 crawler crane. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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IN FOCUS / FRANNA IN THE US

FIRST US OPERATOR SHARES FRANNA EXPERIENCE

The first Franna AT 22 pick and carry crane left Conexpo when the show concluded and went to work on a large LNG project in southern US. Its operator quickly completed training and began to test the capabilities of the machine. He was forthcoming with his impressions of the Franna.

THE FRANNA AT 22 PICK AND CARRY crane made its Conexpo debut earlier this year and after the show concluded, the crane made its way to work at a large LNG project in southern US. This left-hand drive AT 22 is the first of its kind in North America and given that the Australian pick and carry concept is relatively unknown in the region, this would be a totally new experience for the

operator. When the crane arrived on site it didn’t take long for the first operator to complete training and begin to test the capabilities of the machine.

Here’s what the operator had to say: • The crane is very operator friendly, the LMI system is accurate with all operating information clear and easy to use.

• The cab set up is best in class. It has The articulating frame is surprisingly good in its ability to be manoeuvered into areas that were tighter than normal (pipe racks, laydown areas, etc).

52 / CAL November 2020

plenty of room and provides room for the rigger when moving from job to job, eliminating long walks or a second vehicle to transport the rigger.

• Daily inspections are very simple, with great access to the engine bay, drive shaft and articulation point.

• The automatic greaser is great and helps keep important parts lubricated that can often be neglected when cranes are busy.

• The Franna AT 22 capacity is very impressive. Loads being lifted as pick and carry are a breeze with a very good load chart. To be able to lift that much without outriggers is unbelievable.

• Not having outriggers makes transporting after picking extremely efficient to relocate material (Pipe, scaffolding, rebar, crane parts etc).

• The articulating frame is good in its ability to be maneuvered into areas that were tighter than normal (pipe racks, laydown areas etc).

• The Franna is number 1 when it comes to going from one job to the next with its build being based around a truck like design, made it easier and quicker than any other crane to stow away and head to the next task.

• When it comes to assembly and disassembly of crawler cranes, the Franna was an all-star. While staying well within the chart, it loaded boom sections, counterweights and other parts with efficiency and ease. The assembly/disassembly crews were very impressed.

For more information on Franna pick and carry cranes, visit www.terex.com/franna/ en-au. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

A NEW LEVEL OF SAFETY FOR THE FRANNA MAC 25-4 Franna recently announced that an emergency bridging key option is now available on new MAC 25-4 models and can be retrofitted to any MAC 25 model.

THINK SAFE. WORK SAFE. HOME SAFE. The Terex Zero Harm principles not only apply to Franna team members, but also to its customers and operators alike.

The new emergency bridging key option provides an additional layer of safety that compliments the existing safety measures of the Franna MAC 25-4.

“Building on the success of this technology with our AT 40, we are pleased to announce that an emergency bridging key option is now available for

the MAC 25. Given the high number of MAC 25 units currently in operation, we believe this safety offering will make a real difference to the crane industry in Australia,” Mark Lock, Franna sales director explains.

The emergency bridging key is located outside of the cabin and has been designed to maintain operational flexibility. Site safety is enhanced through the provision of a removable key which can be held by authorised site personnel,

The emergency bridging key feature is available for all new Franna MAC 25-4 models or as retrofit to any MAC 25 models with a Dynamic LMI in place.

providing greater control of site lifting practices.

The emergency bridging key provides: • Visual and audible warnings; • A removable external key as a provision for overriding operational failure; and • Minimised speed of crane movements while activated.

The emergency bridging key feature is available for all new Franna MAC 25-4 models or as retrofit to any MAC 25 models with a Dynamic LMI in place.

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IN FOCUS / TOWER CRANES

FIRST POTAIN MCH 175A IN MELBOURNE WORKS AMIDST SPACE CONSTRAINTS The topless luffing jib crane is the first in Australia and was immediately set to work on a new residential development in the fashionable Melbourne district of Prahan. Several of the Potain MCH 175A’s unique features made it a perfect choice for this congested urban job site.

THE FASHIONABLE MELBOURNE SUBURB of Prahan is known for its stylish bars, eateries, late-night clubs and more, making it one of the most popular locations in the Victorian state capital.

But one thing it doesn’t have a lot of is space, with this long-time hot spot packed with hip cafes, specialty boutiques and the legendary music store, Greville Records.

So, when contractor Ironside approached Clark Cranes to select a tower crane for the Marque multi-story residential project in the district, getting the crane up in the air and keeping it from overswinging surrounding developments were two of the first

talking points.

“When we saw how limited the space was and the close proximity of the adjoining buildings on the Marque project, we knew the MCH 175A was the best option for Ironside,” said Michael Clark, director, Clark Cranes. “This is actually our first Potain crane and we bought it precisely for this type of project, so it’s a perfect fit. I even went to

When Clark Cranes team saw how limited the space was and the close proximity of the adjoining buildings on the Marque project, they knew the MCH 175A was the best option.

54 / CAL November 2020

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

the Manitowoc factory in Zhangjiagang, China, to look at the facility before we made the investment, and I was very impressed with what I saw. The build and the quality of the crane are excellent.”

On the Marque residential development, the MCH 175A worked with a 30 m jib and was originally erected at a 38.9m working height in the building’s lift shaft. The telescoping cage was installed and then the crane was raised by two masts to a final height of 44.9 m. The space was anchored at 22.4m above the

The MCH 175A worked with a 30m jib and was originally erected at a 38.9m working height in the building’s lift shaft. The telescoping cage was installed and then the crane was raised by two masts to a final height of 44.9m.

“When we saw how limited the space was and the close proximity of the adjoining buildings on the Marque project, we knew the MCH 175A was the best option for Ironside.” base inside the lift shaft, which allowed the telescoping cage to be removed and the crane completed the project at this height. It handled a variety of materials during construction, including formwork, rebar and precast sections and was dismantled in April of this year as the project entered its final stages.

On the Marque project, the crane’s flexibility in assembly and compact design really stood out, as Andrew Gray, sales manager, Manitowoc Cranes, Australia, explained.

“On the Marque project, the crane’s fixed counterweights and counterjib allowed it to be erected at a lower height,” he said. “Other cranes might have a pivoting counterjib meaning on these types of projects they have to be assembled at a greater height which adds time and expense and causes headaches for the contractor in terms of managing clearance. Also, the reduced parking radius of the MCH 175A when not in use ensured there was no encroachment over adjoining buildings.”

The MCH 175A has a maximum capacity of 10t; maximum radius of 55 m; and maximum tip capacity of 1.5 www.cranesandlifting.com.au

t. One of the MCH 175A’s standout features is its VVH hydraulic luffing technology for raising and lowering the jib. This innovative feature moves the jib from horizontal to 87° in less than two minutes, for faster work on site. The design also eliminates the need for luffing ropes, which saves on assembly time.

To further reduce on-site assembly time, the crane’s hydraulics are preconnected at the factory, allowing contractors to get to work faster, while the unique hydraulic cylinder that powers the luffing motion offers lower energy consumption than conventional luffing jib cranes. This means it requires

a smaller generator, lowering costs for owners.

The Marque project is one of a number of projects that contractor Ironside is managing in and around the Melbourne area. This nine-story building will consist of 43 apartments, one floor of office space and two retail spaces when it opens in September 2020.

Clark Cranes is one of the leading tower crane rental companies in Melbourne, with over 30 years of industry experience. It also has a sister company, Associated Cranes, which specializes in mobile crane rental and which operates two Grove all-terrain cranes, a GMK5220 and a GMK5130-1.

November 2020 CAL / 55

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IN FOCUS / TADANO ALL TERRAIN

TADANO ALL TERRAIN PASSES XTREME TEST A new Tadano all terrain model, the ATF-120-5.1, was delivered to a Gladstone engineering business, and after two days of training, went to straight to work. It passed with flying colours.

GLADSTONE BASED XTREME ENGINEERING recently took delivery of a Tadano ATF-120-5.1. The crane is the first of the model delivered in Australia and the first brand new crane put into Xtreme’s operation. Scott Harrington, Xtreme’s general manager and owner explains the reasons behind the purchase.

“The fact that we decided on the ATF-120-5.1 was no mere chance, as we already have a Tadano TR250E and a GT550E in our fleet and are extremely happy with the reliability of the cranes.

That’s why we trust the brand, not to mention Tadano’s exceptional customer service and product support,” said Harrington.

Xtreme Engineering specialises in heavy fabrication, maintenance, shutdowns and break downs across various industry sectors including oil, gas, petrochemical, coal, alumina and cement throughout Queensland.

Xtreme Engineering employ 100plus employees and run seven cranes including the three Tadano slew cranes, the others being Frannas. “We are mainly a heavy fabrication business and we bought the cranes to compliment that type of work,” said Harrington.

Harrington’s relationship with Tadano was initially facilitated by a long-term crane and rigging company, Eagle Cranes and Rigging. At the time, it was being run by Kane Davidson and Bill Wuertz.

“We were using their business for our lifts and they introduced me to Tadano before they were bought out

by ALE. They told me Tadano products were great, but it’s the backup, training, service and support which stands them www.cranesandlifting.com.au

apart. They were right, you can’t beat them,” said Harrington.

Xtreme took delivery of its first Tadano two years ago, this was a used

TR-250E 25t rough terrain. The second crane, a used truck mount GT-550E was delivered six months later and the ATF120–5.1 a few weeks later.

The ATF-120-5.1 is extremely manoeuvrable and with a narrow width, it is capable of managing tight tolerances on site.

November 2020 CAL / 57

IN FOCUS / TADANO ALL TERRAIN

“As I was told from the beginning, the service and support from Tadano has been exceptional, I have been genuinely impressed with the attitude of the Tadano team. They are really knowledgeable and down to earth guys,” said Harrington.

“Their training and hand over processes are faultless and when there is an issue with the machine, the level of support is unbelievable. They will pull out all the stops to get someone here if we can’t fix it over the phone, or get it rectified by getting parts to us as quickly as possible. The knowledge of Tadano products, right across the team, is top class,” he said.

Jason Perry, Tadano’s sales manager QLD/NT/PNG explains more about Tadano’s approach to product support.

“Scott already had the two Tadanos, he liked the product and he was happy with the way they had been performing for his business. He was very transparent and said he’d short listed two products,”

Xtreme Engineering recently took delivery of a Tadano ATF-120-5.1, the first of the model delivered in Australia.

58 / CAL November 2020

Scott Harrington (left) with experienced crane operator Bob Sneek.

said Perry.

“We got talking and he confirmed he’d been happy with the performance of the Tadano products and he’d also heard positive reports about our service department and our product support.

Although it was down to a choice between two suppliers, he said it was a fairly simple decision for him to make.

“He had a job lined up for the crane almost straight away and asked if there was a chance of having the crane delivered before the job was due to start.

I said we could. We booked it in, got it painted, got it pre delivered and up to Gladstone straight away. It made the job and sat on site for two weeks solid.

He was really happy that we were able to get this done for him with short notice,” he said.

According to Perry it is standard practice for Tadano to send members of the product support team for the delivery of the crane.

“With a crane like this, our product support team will conduct two days training. In this instance, the guys had other work in the area and with the crane going straight to site after the training, they were able to go out with the crane and support the operators. With it being the first job and the operators only just completing training, they were able to help with the set up and run the

operators through the processes. They didn’t have any problems; they were there as backup in case of an issue,” he said.

The first job was a demolition project and after this was completed the crane was moved to another site. This is where the crane hit some issues says Perry.

“Scott’s team had a bit of an issue with the crane. It wasn’t a break down problem, it was something they hadn’t done with the DPF Burn which meant the crane couldn’t operate. Scott called me at 10am that morning and explained the problem, and we had a technician on a plane and there by 3pm. It was all sorted by 7pm. The crane was back at work first thing the next morning and there was no down time, which was a good outcome for Scott and his team.

It demonstrated how our product support does what it is designed to do,” said Perry.

According to Harrington, the second site was a ‘lump sum project’ on one of the local alumina refineries where it was helping to replace a new duct system into the main stack. This job was a serious test for the manoeuvrability of the ATF-120-5.1.

“There were some incredibly tight tolerances with the site. We could get the crane into position in one of two ways.

One option included major earthworks www.cranesandlifting.com.au

and engineering of the site which would take time and cost money. The second option, which we chose, was only possible because of the manoeuvrability and the narrow width, of the crane. We were able to squeeze it into position with 50mm of clearance between the boiler and the large transformers,” said Harrington.

“The machine was up at about 18m and the duct weighed just over 7t. We’ve been putting the crane through its paces pretty much from the moment we took delivery of the crane and it’s performance has been exceptional,” he said.

Bob Sneek is one of Xtreme’s leading crane operators with over 40 years’ experience in the crane industry. He has worked and operated cranes for various businesses throughout Queensland and Papua New Guinea over this time.

“I have a long history of operating

Tadano cranes dating right back to the original 50t truck mounts with Bramble Cranes. I’ve seen all the changes in the technology right through to operating the current all terrain cranes.

“I know Tadano machines well, having operated them over such a long time. I’ve been impressed with the rapid amount of change in the machines and I’m amazed at the lifts they can perform as a result of the new technology they feature. I’m very excited to take operation of this particular machine as it is the first in Australia,” he said.

Harrington goes on to discuss more benefits he is realising with the ATF-120-5.1.

“Even with a long main boom of 60m, the crane is light enough to travel with the hook block installed.

From our perspective, that makes it an extraordinary machine when it comes to

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roadworthiness,” he said.

Harrington further explained how the new crane will benefit their business in the short and long term.

“The ATF-120-5.1 is a cost saver to us because we don’t have to bring in a subcontractor to get the job done. This means that we’ll be able to get new major customers and tap into new kinds of business, especially since we have the only ATF-120-5.1 in Australia and are in a position to offer exclusive solutions.

This crane makes us more attractive to the bigger clients because we can do the whole job,” he said.

“We have already used the crane for the wharf demolition project and replacing pipes at the alumina refinery and we are looking at deploying the crane to put together a port control centre for ship loading operations,” said Harrington.

IN FOCUS / USED CRANES

CONNECTING CUSTOMERS WITH CRANES

The Crane Connection has the ability to buy different brands of cranes and hold them in stock says Anthony Davis.

Bringing high-quality, used cranes from around the world is a service The Baden Davis Crane Connection specialises in. Utilising their years of experience, the Crane Connection team has delivered hundreds of cranes to happy customers.

THE BADEN DAVIS CRANE CONNECTION has been selling new and used cranes for a decade. Partner and director, Anthony Davis, explains the history behind the business and how he found himself in the “crane game”.

“I started with Gerhard Baden and GM Baden in 1997. I knew nothing about cranes and on my first day in the job, Gerhard handed me an operator’s manual for a Liebherr 1060-1; he had a crane set up in the yard and he told me to learn how to operate it. So, I sat in the crane, read the manual and worked out how to operate it. You could say I was literally thrown in at the deep end,” said Davis.

“When I started there were 19 Liebherrs in Australia. Over the years, we obviously got a lot more machines into the market and when the business sold in 2007, both Ben and I were part of the sale. I stayed on for six months before 60 / CAL November 2020

moving to Manitowoc where I worked until 2010. I really enjoyed my time with the team there and it was a good company to work for.

“Ben stayed on for another six months then left and started Ben Baden Services. This business grew quickly.

He was doing insurance work as well as servicing cranes and customers were asking him to fire back-up again. The opportunity to become the Link Belt agent and distributor presented itself, and Ben and I decided to start the Baden Davis Crane Connection,” said Davis.

Used cranes were also a focus for the business and more opportunities presented along the way, says Davis.

“We were appointed the Link Belt distributor, but we were also selling used cranes, particularly Liebherr, because we knew them so well. In 2014 we became the agent for TIDD articulated pick and

carry cranes, and in 2020 a sub-dealer for Kobelco through TRT. Used cranes were approximately 50 per cent of cranes sales at GM Baden, says Davis.

“Used Liebherr cranes were important to the business. Not everyone was attuned to buying all terrain cranes; they were focused on Japanese truck cranes and didn’t fully understand the benefits of European-manufactured all terrains.

Slowly we educated the market, and as the Liebherr agent, getting used Liebherr cranes into the market was part of this process,” he said.

“Liebherr were trading in used models and we were requesting certain models with accessories. They would find them and send them over and we’d carry them in stock. It’s a little different now as we have to buy our stock and we do this with popular models, but often www.cranesandlifting.com.au

customers will ask us to source a specific crane for them. We do that and bring it in pre-sold.

“Today, we have customers asking for different brands and we will bring in what they want. One benefit of using the Crane Connection is the ability to buy and keep cranes in stock without needing a sale for them. We try and carry a couple of cranes at all times. If a customer rings, generally speaking they want the crane instantly; they don’t want to wait four months until it arrives. You need to have stock on the ground and be confident it’s the right product for the market,” said Davis.

Ninety-five per cent of the used cranes bought and sold by The Crane Connection come from overseas, says Davis.

“Because we have been doing this for so long, we have a large network of international suppliers who will find the right crane for us to bring in. Our contacts are mainly based in Germany and function as ‘spotters’.

“We also have a company that conduct a thorough inspection on each crane. These companies are the equivalent of CraneSafe Inspectors and they prepare and send us a detailed report on the condition of the machine before we purchase it.

According to Davis, there are a number of processes a used crane needs to go through before it can be delivered to the customer. Quarantine is the first.

There are strict procedures around picking a up crane from the wharf that has a quarantine notice and bringing it to the yard. When the crane arrives at the wash bay, it receives a comprehensive and detailed wash-down. An AQIS inspector then arrives to inspect and clear the crane.

“To get the crane on a boat we have to organise all the import permits. We have built our own Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) -approved wash bay, which allows the crane to come straight to us. It’s in our control the entire time. We can quarantine it, get it cleaned, get it cleared, and have it registered and prepared for delivery.

“We carry out an initial Crane Safe inspection and any repairs required. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

With 80 per cent of the cranes we sell, the customer wants the crane painted in their colours, so we paint it – also in house. We also register the crane for our customers.

“Sometimes we bring in cranes on spec, and sometimes customers request a certain make model and vintage. In this instance we’ll source that crane and bring it in for them. Depending on the local availability of a particular crane and their budget, we’ve had customers ask us to bring in older cranes,” said Davis.

“A few years ago, we had a run bringing in a number of Demag city cranes because there were none available on the local market. These varied greatly in age; a couple of late model units and a couple of older 2005 models.

“We also brought in a 300t Grove all terrain for Valley Cranes. That was a major job. It came from New Zealand and we manufactured and fitted a dolly.

We painted it and gave it a 10-year inspection. The majority of cranes we buy come out of Germany, but we’ve brought cranes out of Spain, Italy, and France, and we currently have one on the water from England,” said Davis.

A customer has a number of options when weighing up how to land a used crane in Australia, and the savings can be significant compared to the purchase of a new crane, says Davis.

“If you are bringing in a late model crane, you can be saving between 20 and 30 per cent compared to a new crane.

Availability is also a major issue. We have customers who can’t wait for a new crane or they can’t afford the extra for it. We carry a wide stock and have the ability to trade in cranes of different brands because we are independent,” he said.

“Depending on the trade-in, we may decide to refurbish the crane or, because we’ve got such a good network of customers, we can typically find a home for whatever brand, make, or model it happens to be,” said Davis.

The exchange rate can also have an impact, says Davis.

“If the Australian dollar is strong against the Euro, customers will tend to buy new because it’s cheaper. But if the exchange rate is down, as it is

now, then used becomes more costeffective because the price of new cranes skyrockets,” he said.

The Baden David Crane Connection is also a member of the Motor Traders Association and has an authorise motor dealer’s licence which provides a number of advantages.

“Quite often a customer will find it easier to get finance for the crane if they are buying through a dealer compared through private treaty. There is a guarantee of title from a dealer as opposed to one crane owner purchasing from another. This makes is it easier for finance companies to help clients,” said Davis.

“Also, if a customer wants to buy a crane from overseas there might be occasions when they have difficulty obtaining approval from their finance company. This is normally because the crane is not in the country and the payment can only be made by a Letter of Credit. We have the ability to buy these cranes on behalf of the customer and take away all these issues.

“Customers say to us, ‘Can you buy this crane and bring it in for us?’ Because we have the ability to pay for their crane, we can. They leave a deposit and we bring it in for them,” said Davis.

Assuming there are no problems, it will take approximately four months to land and deliver a used crane. The main advantage dealing with Baden Davis Crane Connection is that everything is done in-house, says Davis.

“We source the crane overseas, we fund it, and we bring it in. We quarantine and wash it. We service and repair it and we get it CraneSafe-approved. We paint it in-house and register it for the customer.

Even the major OEMs can’t make this claim. They might have a paint shop, but they rely on contract painters. We are the only ones who have everything in-house, all the time,” said Davis.

“Plus, you always have the advantage of dealing with a family business instead of a huge multi-national corporate, where you are only ever a number. We always encourage customers to drop in anytime, meet our team and we’ll make you a cuppa,” said Davis.

November 2020 CAL / 61

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IN FOCUS / GLEASON CRANES

SAUNDERS INTERNATIONAL WELCOMES NEW ZOOMLION Major manufacturer of concrete pre-cast bridge components takes delivery of its second Zoomlion crawler.

SAUNDERS INTERNATIONAL LTD (SND) is an ASX – listed company providing construction, maintenance and engineering services to the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors.

Saunders International has a 65 years heritage firmly entrenched in the manufacture and supply of large steel tanks to the major petrochemical companies for the storage of diesel and petroleum products.

Three and a half years ago, as part of its diversification strategy, the company acquired Civilbuild, another family owned business, and formed Saunders Civilbuild. Civilbuild had been operating in and around the Newcastle area for

45 years when Saunders International acquired the business.

The core business of Saunders Civilbuild’s Redhead facility, located south of Newcastle in NSW, is the precast manufacture of pre-stressed bridge components including Planks, Super Tees and specialty precast. This accounts for approximately 50 per cent of the Saunders Civilbuild business. The other half is a construction business specialising in local government bridge construction.

According to Jonathon Bromilow, General Manager of Saunders Civilbuild, the Redhead yard manufactures pre-stressed planks which adhere to standard Roads and Maritime Services

The first Zoomlion crawler serviced the yard extremely well and its performance and low lifecycle cost were major reasons behind the purchase of the new crawler. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

(RMS) designs.

“Our long line mould is 75m in length and capable of casting 6 planks per day depending on the design length.

For typical RMS design Super Tees, we have two moulds ranging in depths from 1m to 1.8m in depth. Depending on the length, we can produce up to three Super T’s per day to a design length exceeding 38 metres.

“Our core business in the precast yard is the supply of products for tier one infrastructure projects. We have supplied over one thousand products for the WestConnex project which is now complete, and we have supplied a similar number to the Sydney Metro project.

We are currently fulfilling orders for the Barangaroo, Marrickville and Chatswood stations. We are also producing precast sections including bridge and pier segments for the Parramatta Light Rail project” he said.

Many of the crane hire companies involved in these projects will be lifting Saunders Civilbuild products into position, not necessarily realising Saudners are the manufacturer.

“We have good relationships with a number of the larger crane companies including Borger Cranes, who complete a lot of the installs for the construction side of our business,” he said According to Bromilow, the cranes in the yard are designed to service the moulds and precast products. The yard features three large pin jib crawlers including two 80t Kobelcos. The yard also operates a 50t Kobelco, 50tGrove, and a 20t Franna.

“We have recently procured a new ZCC750H-1, a 75t capacity Zoomlion pin jib crawler. We had been happily November 2020 CAL / 63

IN FOCUS / GLEASON CRANES

operating a Zoomlion crawler for the past 10 years and traded this in for the latest model. The old crane had performed well over the years, with relatively good reliability and low running cost. The new ZCC750H was delivered early September to our yard and is in the early stages of commissioning.

Features of the Zoomlion ZCC750H-1 include: • A lifting capacity of 75t.

• Main boom length: 13-52m; consisting of 6.5m main boom pivot section, 6.5m main boom head, and main boom intermediate sections of 3m, 6m and 9m as well as tip boom.

• Fixed jib length: 7-19m; Consisting

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of 3.5m fixed jib pivot section, 3.5m fixed jib head and 4m fixed jib intermediate sections.

High work efficiency.

A series-connected multiple valvecontrolled hydraulic system is applied, so all simultaneous movements can be achieved, and no deceleration will occur during the switching of crane movements.

The single rope speed on the outmost layer of hoisting winch 1 is 129m/min.

To improve lifting efficiency, hoisting winch 1 with free-fall function is available for an option.

Operator’s cab – Spacious and fullclosed cab is equipped with safety

Jonathon Bromilow, general manager of Saunders Civilbuild, with the new Zoomlion.

64 / CAL November 2020

glass, adjustable seat, intermittent wiper and window water injector.

• Control boxes – The control boxes on both side of the cab are installed with various electrical switches, emergency stop button, etc. They can be adjusted with the operator’s seat.

• Safety devices – Many safety devices, mechanical, electronic or hydraulic, are fitted on the crane to ensure safe operation of crane.

• Load moment limiter – The load moment limiter can automatically detect main boom angle and lifting load, and provide feedback of these data to the operator according to the actual lifting situation.

• When the normal operating range of the crane is exceeded, the load moment limiter will send out an alarm and limit the current movement.

• 8.0-inch LCD screen can show the following data: moment ratio, main boom angle, main boom length, working radius, actual load, and permissible lifting load, etc.

• Hoisting limiter – Device to prevent any specified upper limitation of the load lifting attachment from being exceeded If the load hook comes into contact with hoisting limit switch weight during its upward movement, the hoisting limit switch will be triggered, the buzzer will sound, the crane movement “lift the load” will be switched off.

“Our first Zoomlion crawler serviced the yard extremely well and it’s performance and low life cycle cost was the reason we replaced it with the new machine. In our opinion, the Zoomlion crawler is a good performance crane that meets our requirements,” said Bromilow.

“We ensure maintenance of our equipment is done periodically as per OEM’s recommendations, and we didn’t have any major issues with the old Zoomlion. Our yard is close to the coast, so weathering corrosion is our main issue. In addition to regular maintenance, keeping the paint up to them is a priority for our maintenance and care programs.”

The previous Zoomlion was one of www.cranesandlifting.com.au

the first pin jib crawlers of its type to be brought into the country by the supplier over 10 years ago.

“Gleason Cranes brought the first crane into the country and they have supported us with the purchase of the new Zoomlion. To put this deal together, we’ve been working with Chris Logan and his team for the last six months.

COVID didn’t help and it put the brakes on things for a while, but the import went very smoothly, it was here on time and commissioning has gone really well.

“Before purchasing the new crane, we obviously conducted our due diligence and found the purchase price was very competitive for this class of crane compared to other brands. Having had the first Zoomlion for over 10 years, and with it servicing the business very well during this time, we were more than happy to purchase a second,” said Bromilow.

®

“For our operation, we are typically using a 21m jib length setup, and don’t regularly extend past this arrangement.

We are lifting close to the machine and the Zoomlion has always performed as it should. The crew enjoy operating the Zoomlion, and it’s always good to get a new machine in the yard. The guys are looking forward to putting it through its paces,” he said.

According to Bromilow, spare parts are extremely easy to obtain.

“Any running gear, new shoes or rollers can be easily imported direct from China and have also recently imported tracks and rollersfor our Kobelco. Keeping the older cranes up to speed through regular maintenance and servicing is very cost effective, once you know where to obtain the spare parts,” he said.

“The servicing of the cranes is managed by our in-house mechanic who

also looks after the fleet of construction equipment which operates in the construction business,” said Bromilow.

“We’re pleased to have the new Zoomlion in the yard and we are grateful for the professional service provided to us by team at Gleason Cranes.”

Gleason Cranes have been buying, selling and servicing cranes in AustraliaNew Zealand and Islands since the early ‘70s. Chris Logan has been in the crane business for a long time.

“We’ve been bringing in cranes from Zoomlion for over 10 years. We have an excellent relationship with the factory, and they are a professional company to deal with. They also offer finance on their equipment. If a customer is interested, we can provide finance as part of the crane’s package. Zoomlion exclusively finances its own product, nobody else’s,” said Logan.

CR-250RV 25T CITYRANGE CRANE All New Model

HIGHEST LIFTING CAPACITY

L : 9,195mm W : 2,395mm H : 3,495mm

GENUINE 25 TONNE CHART

23,795kg

HYDRAULIC TELESCOPING AND LUFFING FLY

25t x 2.8m (6.7m Boom)

LARGEST CITY CRANE IN THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET

6.7 ≈ 29.0m (6 sections)

5.3m, 8.2m (2 sections) 7˚ ≈ 60˚ 6.0m (5 sections) 54km/h MS-2300 1.0m 2 positions (high/low)

brisbane | sydney | melbourne adelaide | perth For all sales enquiries:

Peter Lawgall

Peter.Lawgall@tuttbryant.com.au

0411 256 388

tuttbryant.com.au

1300 658 888

IN FOCUS / ACCESS EQUIPMENT

ACCESS CRAWLER EQUIPMENT TRACKING FOR GROWTH The AlmaCrawler range of Athena, self-levelling tracked scissor lifts and Jibbi tracked boom lifts are making serious inroads in the access equipment market following their introduction four-anda-half years ago.

ITALIAN DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED, AlmaCrawler tracked access equipment, including Athena tracked scissor lifts and Jibbi tracked boom lifts, was first introduced to the Australian market almost five years ago. In this time, the scissor lift range has earned a reputation for operating safely in complex, specialised areas of the construction sector, especially on uneven, sensitive terrains where accessibility is a real challenge. According to Bob Mules, general manager for Almac-Pacific, the new range of crawler booms and ‘assist’ crawler mobile platforms will add to the brand’s growing reputation.

Mules is well known to the construction sector, having spent more than 35 years in the hire and access equipment industries.

“I started in this business straight out of school, working for Wreckair Hire in Brisbane in 1984. In 1987, I moved to Sydney to further both my work and rugby league careers, at the Western Suburbs Magpies. It turned out I was better at the former. I left Wreckair in early 1997 to become an accredited Workcover trainer and assessor, issuing of High-Risk licences for work platforms, forklifts and others,” he said.

After 18 months Mules went to work for Gillespie Cranes, and together with Chris Wilson they looked after a fleet of 120 booms and scissors.

“At the time, Fox Studios was in full production and we were fortunate enough to work on such films as Babe, Mission Impossible, and The Matrix.

The work included set construction, managing the lighting, and assisting the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The Bi-Levelling, Self-Levelling multiloader platform is ideal for operations in tight areas with very little tolerance.

art department. We were either in the studios or out onsite, so it was a really interesting and challenging project to work on as no two days were the same,” said Mules.

In 2001 Mules was approached by Haulotte when they first entered the market and was the NSW State Manager for four years. In August of 2005 he moved to JLG as the state manager for NSW and within two years he became the national sales manager. From January 2010 until the end of 2019, Mules was the general manager for Australia and New Zealand.

“JLG was a great company to work for; great product and great people. The role involved a lot of hours away from home and plenty of travel. My wife and I discussed this; the kids were growing up and we agreed it was time to find

the next adventure. I spent a month on the beach at the end of 2019, then the opportunity from AlmaCrawler presented early in 2020 and I thought I’d explore it,” he said.

Mules flew to Italy and spent a week with the owners of AlmaCrawler examining the operation and the manufacturing facilities.

“The quality of the product and their approach to the design, assembly and manufacturing processes impressed me most. The visit was invigorating, and I was excited about the opportunity and the challenges it presented. I could see a real position for this product in the market.

“The Athena tracked scissor lifts and Jibbi boom lifts are still viewed as specialised products locally, but there isn’t another product on the market that enables you to work on a 20° November 2020 CAL / 67

IN FOCUS / ACCESS EQUIPMENT

angle laterally or longitudinally, with the Athena scissor lifts, or 15° with the new Jibbi tracked boom range. The AlmaCrawler technology means the equipment, and weight-bearing points, are light, making working at height safer and easier than it has been before.

“You often see weird and wonderful things in the industry, with people jacking up equipment where they shouldn’t be, and putting in place ‘solutions’ to try and get a machine level.

The patented AlmaCrawler Bi-Levelling technology does this automatically,” said Mules.

It took a while for the sector to understand and realise what the product does, says Mules.

“We still have a long way to go in terms of product awareness and education. After almost five years, construction companies are seeing the features and benefits of the range, and how it improves safety and increases productivity and efficiency on the construction site.

“These products don’t only work on inclines up to 20° or 15°; in the case of the Jibbi, they will actually self-level as they are operating, allowing you to continue driving. Previously you needed machines with outriggers, and once they are set, you are limited to the working envelope in that position. Now, with the Athenas and our Jibbi boom range, you can continue to drive when you are elevated increasinng both productivity and efficiencies. But as I’ve said, the most important issue is operator safely when they are at heights,” said Mules.

The Bi-Levelling technology is patented and is the only product on the market with this technology. The Athena range includes models with working heights from 8m to 14m, says Mules.

“The Bi-Levelling technology allows the equipment to self-level back to zero degrees when it is being driven. If you are driving up an incline or on uneven ground and the machine moves of kilter by 1°, it will stop. The operator reactivates the drive control which brings the level back to zero and the machine will continue. Every time you move 1° 68 / CAL November 2020

Bob Mules, general manager Almac-Pacific and Pat Richards, business development manager, United Access Solutions.

out of kilter, it re-levels you back to zero,” said Mules.

“We also have a Bi-Levelling, SelfLevelling multi-loader platform in the range. I know a couple of the specialist crane companies have these platforms; they’re ideal when operating in tight areas with very little tolerance. We have a 6t option with a self-loading crane, and a 2.5t option. These machines can carry beams, glass or whatever it is you are putting up or taking down. There is a remote-control option on the multiloaders while the scissor lifts, and the booms come with a long curly cord cable. If the operator is in a confined area or loading the machine onto a truck, he doesn’t have to be on board. He can operate the machine remotely up to 3m away,” said Mules.

“Twelve months ago, we launched the first of our Jibbi boom lifts which features a 12m boom. In November, we will have the first of the 16m range in the country. That’s a 16m working height which gives you reach of up to 8.5m. I think the 16m will sit right in the pocket for a lot of the rental and

construction companies, and we will be releasing 20m and 24m models in late 2021/22. AlmaCrawler has some exciting expansion plans and we are working hard to achieve these,” said Mules.

The Jibbis include anti-crush technology, which works with ultrasonic sensors, says Mules.

“The Jibbi anti-crush, Anti Collision Detection System will detect an obstacle at 1m or 1.5m (a distance you can pre-set) and the machine will stop. The operator has to override the system to continue. The system is designed to stop you getting into a crush position with the boom and this technology is also being included on our scissor lift range,” he said.

“The AlmaCrawler range is obviously different to anything else on the market and although it is capable of ‘straightforward’ access work, it is designed for specialist work. When the working surface is uneven and access is difficult, nothing else on the market can match the range’s ability to traverse difficult terrain. Preston Hire have a fleet of Athena scissor lifts and Kennards Hire www.cranesandlifting.com.au

have the largest number of models from the HE series. Many rental companies have Athenas in their fleets with Coates Hire having the largest Jibbi fleet. The Jibbi boom range will allow these specialist hire companies to offer their customers with more specialised access solutions,” he said.

AlmaCrawler has a dealer network through United Forklift and Access Solutions, a national rental company with operations in each of the states, says Mules.

“United Forklift and Access Solutions were appointed AlmacPacific’s dealer back in 2018 and have invested heavily in the product, in spare parts holding and in training their dedicated sales team. This dedicated sales team is on the ground in each state and have been trained in all aspects of the product,” said Mules.

“United Forklift and Access Solutions also has a trained service team who support the product, either through their national network of workshops or their extensive field service team. United carry stock in almost every state in Australia and their commitment to the AlmaCrawler product sees our partnership continue to go from strength to strength. United look after the end user/retail market as well as rental companies, outside of the national rentals companies.

“We use Youngman Richardson (YRCO) to sell and support our product in New Zealand. YRCO has been our dealer since mid 2019 and its team has done a great job in promoting and supporting our products over this period. YRCO has a dedicated sales team for the AlmaCrawler product, and this team has been trained in all aspects of our products. YRCO also hold a vast range of spare parts and boast a trained service team, both workshop and field based, operating from their branches in Auckland and Christchurch,” said Mules.

“We recently set up a factory in Pakenham, Victoria, which enables us to bring stock into Australia. This means our dealers get what they need in terms of access to stock, and we are able to cater to demand from the major national rental companies we deal directly with,” he said.

Next door to the new facility in Pakenham is a company called Swift Equipment. They are the parts dealer for the AlmaCrawler range. They hold a vast range of our parts in stock, particularly fast and medium moving parts.

“As we bring more products into the marketplace, we will bring more parts to support these and at some stage we will set up a parts department ourselves. From a service and support point of view, United Forklifts and Access Solutions look after the machines by including service packages with the machines they sell. Access Service Australia are based in Brisbane with facilities around the country; they look after the Kennards range and support us when needed,” said Mules.

“As we grow, we will certainly look at adding a degree of service to our offering. When we all get through the current restrictions and we can see the ‘new normal’, we will certainly examine what is required in terms of service and support for the AlmaCrawler range, to ensure we are meeting our customer’s expectations,” he said. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Watch short video

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

November 2020 CAL / 69

IN FOCUS / KATO CITY CRANE

LARGEST CITY CRANE ON THE MARKET RELEASED Tutt Bryant Equipment recently announced the long-awaited Australian release of the Kato CR250Rv, 25t capacity city crane.

FEATURING SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT changes to meet Australian requirements (Including EN13000), the new CR-250Rv is expected to turn heads on its arrival in the Australian workplace says Peter Lawgall, business development manager for Cranes at Tutt Bryant Equipment.

“As the largest city crane available in the Australian market, the CR-250Rv will take the Kato city crane range to a whole new level. The focus with this new model is on strength, technology, safety, speed of operation and ease of operation in small spaces,” said Lawgall.

“The CR-250Rv is the flagship of the Kato city crane range, complementing the CR-200Rf and the CR-130Rf. Going from 13t, 20t and now to 25t capacity, this latest addition will increase Kato’s dominance of the city crane market,” he said.

The newly released crane is supported with a full Kato factory warranty and national support through Tutt Bryant Equipment’s extensive service and spare parts network.

The CR-250Rv features a new boom and jib, “EJIB” which is designed for deployment in very narrow spaces.

It is the first CR model mobile crane equipped with the EJIB which is based on the Kato 4S concept. The 4S concept stands for: 1. Slant Boom 2. Safety 3. Speedy

GENERAL SPECIFICATION FOR THE KATO CR-250RV INCLUDE: Maximum lifting capacity: 25t x 2.8m Secondly, Boom length: 6.7m – 29.0m (six sections) Jib length: 5.3m ~ 8.2m (two sections, hydraulic telescoping & luffing) Engine: Cummins B6.7 (EU Stage5) Overall Length: 9.195m Overall Width: 2.395m Overall Height: 3.495m Gross Vehicle Weight: 23,795kg Front Axle Weight: 11,895kg Finally, Rear Axle Weight: 11,900kg 70 / CAL November 2020

4. Small Space Two of the crane’s biggest features are the EJIB mechanism and a hydraulic luffing and telescoping fly which takes a single operator 10 minutes to “swing”.

Ordinarily you are looking at two workers for a great deal longer to swing a standard luffing fly because everything is manual. Set up time is 10 minutes for a single operator.

NEW FULLY HYDRAULIC FLY JIB The Kato Super Luffing Fly Jib has only previously been available on the 35t city crane (Japanese domestic model). It is now fitted as standard on the CR-250Rv bringing the maximum rated lifting height, boom plus jib, to 38.4m. The fly jib hydraulically telescopes from 5.3m to 8.2m and can be mounted within a 5.7m area from the slew centre. It is fully powered and can telescope and offset under 100 per cent load.

ERGONOMIC CAB The cab impresses with an all-round excellent field of view and provides outstanding operator comfort due to the hydro-pneumatic suspension. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The CR-250Rv is the flagship of the Kato city crane range, complementing the CR-200Rf and the CR-130Rf.

Furthermore, it has a built-in IC tag providing high-level security, therefore reducing the risk of crane theft.

According to Lawgall, there are a number of important safety features included on the CR-250Rv. “The Kato Automatic Crane System is (ACS) is an automatic safety device feature that instantly responds to any direct changes in various operating configurations. It has a range of limiting functions that increase safety during operation. With its high-intensity colour LCD, the new ACS makes operations easier as it provides illustrated key switches, enabling quick identification of their functions for each operation,” he said.

The Kato CR-250Rv has a number of advanced safety features that enhance safety during provide an even safer driving and/or crane operation, thereby minimising the risk of incidents. These include: 1. The surround view camera: which displays a real-time birds-eye view to the operator ensuring an all around (360 degree) view for safer traveling and crane operation. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

2. Human detect assist system: which assists the operator by detecting people near the crane that are not visible to the operator.

3. Anti-lock braking system (ABS): The CR-250Rv is equipped with ABS which further enhances braking power and significantly reduces braking distances especially on slippery surfaces.

TOUCH SCREEN (COR) DISPLAY – DATA LOGGER This is a coloured display showing various types information including: 1. Fuel consumption 2. Operations time, etc.

“The touch screen display, data logger also provides a range of functions which include the ECO switch which saves fuel by adjusting for optimum work engine speed during crane operation. During non-operation, the hydraulic pump outlet and fuel consumption are also greatly reduced thanks to the Auto-Minimum-Control adoption,” said Lawgall.

“The screen is massive giving the operator terrific all-round vision of the

site. In my opinion this crane really is the next level for the city class cranes, as most models haven’t changed in such a long time. The CR-250Rv really is a quantum leap forward in terms of operator confidence, comfort and safety,” he said.

OPTIONAL FEATURES The two positional offset Searcher Hook is a breakthrough feature for inserting operations. This feature performs best where the height is limited including applications featuring warehouses, balconies and soffits.

Other optional features include: anemometer, tyre pressure monitoring system, door visor, lunch table, resin/ aluminium outrigger plate and storage, and remote-control camera cleaner.

“The CR-250Rv is a gamechanger because it’s the first 25t city class crane to be exported out of Japan. This is a completely new model engineered from the ground up, not just an upgraded chart from a smaller model. The 25t model fits nicely in between Kato’s existing CR-200Rf (20t capacity) and larger all terrains,” said Lawgall.

Peter Lawgall, Tutt Bryant, business development manager for Cranes.

November 2020 CAL / 71

IN FOCUS / INSURANCE FOR THE CRANE SECTOR

IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU ARE LIFTING When crane hire companies are faced with the prospect of lifting expensive loads it is important for them to comply with the correct and required levels of insurance to manage the project.

Crane hire companies lifting expensive loads must always comply with the correct and required levels of insurance to manage the project.

72 / CAL November 2020

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

CRANE HIRE COMPANIES ARE OFTEN approached to conduct lifts which are out of the ordinary. In some instances, this can involve lifting extremely sensitive weaponry for the Defence Forces or expensive medical machinery.

In some cases, they have no idea what they are lifting.

George Grasso, global chief services officer for Underwriting Agencies of Australia (UAA), discusses the importance of understanding the nature and value of what you are lifting and the pitfalls if you don’t.

When a crane hire company is faced with the prospect of lifting expensive loads such as weaponry or important and valuable parts of a warship for the Defence Forces, it is important for them to comply with the correct and required levels of insurance to manage the project, says Grasso.

“Crane hire companies can find themselves in unique situations when it comes to these types of lifts, and as an underwriter, UAA wants to know about the types of tasks they are expected to execute, especially when they are moving and lifting loads such weaponry or explosives and any type of sensitive work in and around an airport and hospitals, for example,” he said.

“UAA wants to know about these types of exposures because, depending on the level and depth of severity of the exposures, we will determine whether we are prepared to cover it or not. To make these decisions, we need to understand more about the tasks facing the client,” said Grasso.

UAA also recognises clients will find themselves in unique situations where the details of what they are lifting is confidential. and they don’t actually know what they are lifting, says Grasso.

“We also understand there might be a confidentiality agreement and the crane hire business doesn’t actually know what they are lifting. The most important element of this scenario is the contract they have signed. We’ve said it many times, it all comes back to the detail in the contract a client agrees to.

“Whether the contract is with the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Defence Forces, a Government Authority an airport, whoever it is, if the crane hire business is not going to be told what they are lifting and they are being advised what to lift and how to lift it, then any responsibility or any issue that occurs thereafter should be the responsibility of the Principle Contractor. That is how the contract should be drawn,” said Grasso.

“This way, it makes insurance brokers and underwriters like UAA more comfortable that the entity engaging the services of the crane hire business is taking the responsibility for the lift.

“In the scenario where something goes wrong, each case is examined, managed and reviewed on its own merits.”

In this instance, the major contractor engages the crane hire company, our client. The client then comes to UAA and says this is what we are lifting. We will ask to see the contract agreement between the client and the principle contractor and then decide if we are going to cover them for the work,” he said.

Grasso goes on to explain what happens if something goes wrong with a lift.

“In the scenario where something goes wrong, each case is examined, managed and reviewed on its own merits. There would need to be an investigation on what happened and where the responsibility lies. All of these factors need to be determined before indemnity can be considered,” he said.

Grasso also explains the importance for a crane hire business to ensure it has the right levels of insurance when it comes to conducting ‘every-day lifts’, which might put the crane close to its maximum capacities.

“There are a lot of items that clients lift including air conditioning units for example, which fall under our General Lifting of Goods Cover. We provide automatic cover for this in their policy.

UAA generally cover goods up to a value

of $250,000 automatically.

“If they are planning to lift anything more expensive such as an MRI scanning machine or other medical equipment for example, they certainly need to inform their broker so the broker can inform UAA. We then analyse the associated risks and we generally charge a bit more to cover the more expensive item.

“There is obviously an extra cost to get the additional cover, but this can make a huge difference when you are lifting more expensive items with values above the Sub Limit of the policy,” said Grasso.

It is a similar scenario when a crane hire business is lifting historic artifacts which could include priceless and irreplaceable vintage war planes, or cranes are moving expensive camera equipment around a film set,” says Grasso.

“It’s the same principle. We need to know what the value of the equipment or item being lifted. We then determine the appropriate risk and then the appropriate a premium. Generally speaking, crane hire businesses forward these costs onto their client as part of the cost for the lift,” he said.

Grasso explains what happens in a scenario where a crane hire business thinks they are automatically covered for a lift, they don’t approach their broker for specific cover, and something goes wrong and there is an incident.

“In this scenario it will depend who their insurance company is of course. But it may impact on indemnity being granted or indemnity might be limited to the Sub Limit of their insurance policy. For example, if the sub limit of their policy is $250,000 and the item is worth $1 million, and the loss is a total loss of the $1m, indemnity may only be for the Sub Limit of $250,000.

“The remainder of the value will have to be borne by the crane hire business or there could be a liability stoush between the crane hire business and their client. It can get very costly if you are not properly and fully covered for these types of lifts or you could end up in a costly legal battle.

All this can be avoided by consulting with your insurance broker to triple check you are covered,” said Grasso.

November 2020 CAL / 73

IN FOCUS / NEW LIEBHERR ALL TERRAIN

The LTM 1120-4.1 can extend its telescopic boom to up to 66m which means it reaches the same level of many 200t mobile cranes on the market.

LIEBHERR LAUNCHES STRONGEST FOUR-AXLE ALL-TERRAIN EVER BUILT Maximum lifting capacity on four axles – Liebherr unveiled the new LTM 1120-4.1. during ConExpo using the slogan “There’s nothing more on four.” It is the most powerful four-axle allterrain 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, the LTM 1120-4.1 is on a par with 200t class cranes as its 66 m telescopic boom is the longest ever to be installed on a fouraxle mobile crane. Liebherr will start deliveries in January 2021.

MAXIMUM LIFTING CAPACITY AND BOOM LENGTH Delivering maximum performance on a four-axle mobile crane is a concept which has been traditional at Liebherr for decades. For example, when the current 74 / CAL November 2020

LTM 1100-4.2 was launched in 2009, it set new standards in the four-axle class with a lifting capacity of 10.2t on 60m telescopic boom. The new 120t crane has added 18 percent to this value at the same length. What is more, the LTM 1120-4.1 can extend its telescopic boom to up to 66m, an additional 10 percent.

This means it reaches the same level of many 200t mobile cranes on the market.

“Liebherr has a very strong heritage in this class of crane and the new LTM 1120-4.1 continues this tradition, it’s a brilliant crane and will be a ‘game changer’ for us. The boom lengths and the lifting capacities are exceptional for a

four-axle crane,” said Andrew Esquilant, Liebherr Australia’s GM, Mobile and Crawler Cranes.

“The crane was launched to the North American market during ConExpo and it generated a lot of interest. We had a number of Australian crane businesses visit the Liebherr stand to look at the crane and we have sold close to 20 units so far. The first unit will be delivered in January 2021 and we’ll have more to say about its performance, once the customer has taken delivery,” he said.

The new LTM 1120-4.1 delivers outstanding lifting capacity values, particularly with the boom fully raised. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Its lifting capacity of 9t on the 66m telescopic boom makes it ideal for erecting tower cranes and radio masts.

Lattice extensions enables the new 120t crane to achieve hook heights of up to 94m and radii of up to 64 m. For this a 7m lattice boom extension is installed as well as a 35 10.8 to 19 m double folding jib, which, as an option, can also be hydraulically adjusted between 0° and 40°. A 2m erection jib and a runner, which can be swung to the side, round off the equipment list.

449 bhp and torque of 2,335 Nm provides the LTM 1120-4.1 with all the power it needs. The engine satisfies the new stage V emissions directive and can also be built to comply with the regulations which apply in countries outside of Europe, for example Tier 4 for the USA or stage III for low regulated countries.

The ZF-TraXon gearbox is used to transmit the power to the crane’s axles.

The ECOdrive has proven its value over several years – it delivers enhanced

drive properties which both save fuel and reduce noise. Hillstart Aid makes starting on gradients easier.

ECOmode for crane the operations is now standard on Liebherr mobile cranes with a load-sensing control system – the crane controller calculates the perfect engine speed for the working speed selected using the control lever to avoid unnecessarily high engine speeds.

That also saves fuel and makes the engine quieter.

GREAT ECONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY The new LTM 1120-4.1 can tackle jobs which normally would require a five-axle crane, eliminating all the logistics work needed for the larger model. Because a four-axle crane delivers benefits in terms of licensing and route permits, it can tackle jobs faster and with greater flexibility. The design of a four-axle crane also enables it to work where there is insufficient space for larger cranes. On constricted sites, in particular, Liebherr’s VarioBallast® and VarioBase® innovations deliver enhanced performance, flexibility and safety for this new crane model.

VarioBallast® on the LTM 1120-4.1 enables the crane to operate with a ballast radius of 12.6 or 3.83 or 4.77 m.

The ballast radius can be reduced by 940 mm quickly and easily using standard, mechanically adjustable ballasting cylinders when site conditions get tight.

The large ballast radius delivers higher performance and often also cost benefits by reducing ballast transport as many crane jobs can be completed using the system with fewer counterweights.

The maximum of 31t of ballast is distributed so variably that in addition to the 12t axle load version, uniform axle loads of 13.5, 14.5 and 16.5 t can also be achieved. That means benefits driving on construction site and in countries where higher axle loads are permitted.

ECODRIVE AND ECOMODE REDUCE FUEL CONSUMPTION AND NOISE EMISSIONS A six-cylinder Liebherr diesel engine in the undercarriage, which develops 330 kW / www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The LTM 1120-4.1 was launched to the North American market during ConExpo.

November 2020 CAL / 75

IN FOCUS / ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SOFTWARE

CLOUD SOLUTION MAKE COLLECTIONS EASY Finding an easy solution to manage invoicing and collections shouldn’t be hard.

It’s not, according to financial solutions provider Esker.

OVERDUE INVOICES, 90-DAY PAYMENTS, managing cash flow – keeping the many sides of an enterprise going is key to running a successful crane, lifting or industrial equipment business.

Keeping financials in order can be a cumbersome task, especially when chasing down late payments, and trying to keep on top of a company’s own outgoings.

Eric Maisonhaute is the director of Accounts Receivable solutions at Esker Australia, a company that offers cloud solutions to digitise and automate orderto-cash and procure-to-pay processes. He is well aware of the pitfalls and strains that can be put on companies as they try to keep ahead of the game when it comes to balancing the books.

Esker’s portfolio of Cloud accounts receivable solutions can streamline processes to make collections easy to understand and complete. What sort of features does it offer?

“There is a solution that automates the delivery of customer invoices, proof of delivery and so on,” said Maisonhaute.

“It automates the delivery of documents out of any ERP system in any format via any channel. This includes the printing of invoices to be delivered via postal mail, thanks to our local printing facility. It can also format a document according to the preferred mode of reception by the end customer i.e. paper, fax, email, e-invoicing, EDI, etc.

“Of course, delivering invoices is critical. Typically, invoices need to be processed by the end customer. Esker can assist with this process with its Accounts Payable automation solution. This is followed by the payment process by the customer. On the supplier side, then both 76 / CAL November 2020

cash collection and cash reconciliation are critical. It would make the process straight forward and effective if not for discounts, disputes, and claims. That is why Esker proposes different solutions to address the various aspects of the AR process.”

In terms of the collections process, Esker offers a comprehensive collections management solution. It assists all steps of the collections process and automates the sending accounts statements or statement reminders.

“You can easily segment your customers and have different collections strategies for different groups of customers” said Maisonhaute. “We know you have your good, timely payers, but you might also have slow payers, bad payers and so on. You might want to

largest crane hire company based in WA. “They love the fact they now get all the replies from customers centralised in one place and do not have to set calendar reminders, it now automatically pops up in their to-list,” said Maisonhaute.

“The solution also includes internal collaboration tools to create tasks and internally collaborate with other departments. For instance, a customer might request a proof of delivery docket or claim a discount. This means it is speeding up the process of answering and helping customers and, like for our customer Temperature Equipment Control Corp. resolve dispute 88 per cent faster.”

The solution includes a self-service capability. This allows a company’s

“The system allows customers to become self-sufficient because they can go and access their invoices, download their statements online as a pdf, and can query any issues with an invoice.” adopt different collection strategies.

“With this solution you can set up your own rules such as when payment reminders will be emailed to customers with overdue invoices.

Based on these rules, the solution creates a personalised to-do list for each AR officer or collector. So, every day, collectors can focus their activities on engaging with customers and discuss payment issues, reasons for late or overdue payments, negotiate payment plans, etc.

This automation has saved two to three hours per week for the AR team at one of Esker’s customers, Australia’s

customers to interact with the same solution in a self-service mode. As the customer receives its accounts statement, or a payment reminder, the accounts payable officer can click on a link in the email that takes her/him to the customer portal. This enables customers to become self-sufficient because they can go and access their invoices, download their statements online as a pdf, and can query any issues with an invoice.

“They have access to all of their invoices and accounts statements online,” said Maisonhaute. “They can then select the invoices and pay online, and they can also organise a payment by credit card or www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The Esker system allows companies to do away with paper invoicing and allows all transactions to happen on the cloud.

bank transfer. This is helping companies collect their cash in different ways and helping your customers pay quicker by offering online payment capabilities.

LinPepCo, a Pepsi-Cola franchisee, managed to get 69 per cent of its customers on AutoPay with our solution, where invoices are automatically paid on the due date.”

“For customers who continue to pay you directly from their bank account, their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) triggers the process of EFT transfer and so on,” he said. “This is where our Cash Application Solution helps with the reconciliation of those payments. You have the payments coming into your bank account, so we ingest the bank statement first to understand what payments you have received.”

On the other hand, you might have received a remittance advice, so the solution can process it by extracting the data out of the document.

“Usually we have your list of open invoices and credits. Between those three documents – the bank statement, the remittance advice and the open invoices and credits – Esker’s AI logic automatically determines which invoices have been paid, and in what amounts and so on,” said Maisonhaute. “This removes the tedious manual tasks of allocating www.cranesandlifting.com.au

payments in the ERP. It clearly automates the cash allocation process and your team can focus on exceptions.”

Maisonhaute said the solution is intuitive and provides dashboards. There are several dashboards that provide real time information about the status of customers, divisions or companies, ageing balances, KPIs such as DSO and CEI. These metrics are essential to measure the efficiency of the collections process and the productivity of the collectors.

This helped our customer Prolift-Toyota Material Handling to decrease their DSO by seven days and achieve a 60 per cent reduction in past due payment.

“When you log into our collections management solution you access a dashboard with your to-do list for the day – what calls you have to make, etc,” he said. “Maybe your credit manager decided that, for example, you have to follow the 90-plus day invoices, or invoices that are closed or are critical in terms of receiving a payment. That’ll be organised in the to-do list. You don’t have to waste time prioritising and deciding what they have to do, which is typically the case when you don’t have an automation solution.”

Setting up the solution only take a few weeks. Esker consultants work with the AR team throughout the process.

And once it is up and running, the time

savings and ease of use will be noticeable to a company’s bottom line, according to Maisonhaute. Job satisfaction in the AR team also increases as most tedious tasks have been automated.

“We typically start with a kick-off with the team setting up the project and a timeline of the tasks,” he said. “Then we run the implementation activities. It is important to note that at the beginning the IT team needs to be involved for the data integration with the ERP. Then the business teams and the operations teams are involved to validate the configurations.

Then there is a testing phase, and end user training, and finally the planning for the switch to production and going live.”

Esker proposes a simple subscription pricing model for its solutions. For Collections Management the subscription fee is based on the number of transactions and invoices. For the Cash Application the subscription fee is based on the number of payments. Esker also takes the security of its clients very seriously.

“Also, back-up service is included,” he said. “All our solutions are in the cloud. Every year Esker needs to renew its various certifications. We have large customers in various industries running our cloud solutions. We have a chief of security and of data privacy – we take it very seriously.”

The subscription fee also includes technical support and it comes with a customer experience program.

“We have a program called First Year @ Esker. This program is like a personal fitness coach for your AR processes and AR teams. From the time our customers go live, we follow them and have regular interactions with them with calls and ad-hoc training sessions throughout the year to make sure users can fully exploit the capability of the solution and that the company achieves the highest ROI,” said Maisonhaute. “We coach end users and provide best practices to drive a long lasting and effective process change.

We want the user experience with our solution to be fantastic, and that is why we have such a high level of satisfaction from end users and a very high level of retention of customers.”

November 2020 CAL / 77

IN FOCUS / DIGITISATION OF HEAVY LIFT AND HAULAGE

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGITISATION IN THE HEAVY LIFT AND HAULAGE SECTOR Managing complex orders, including numerous combinations of transport services, assembly and lifting services become automated processes following the implementation of the E.P.O.S. deployment, planning and organisation system.

EQUIPMENT PLANNING AND ORGANISATION Software (E.P.O.S.) is the deployment, planning and organisation system designed by Matusch GmbH, one of the leading software providers in the heavy lift heavy haulage industry. It is designed to digitise businesses by automating processes and procedures and eliminating the need for paper-based systems.

E.P.O.S. features a graphic scheduling plan as the central working tool. From this central plan, movements relating to equipment such as cranes, transport vehicles, haulage units, and support staff such as drivers and fitters are controlled.

The E.P.O.S. system has the ability to manage the generation of partial invoices for situations where a job or project has not been completed and is still open. The subsequent administration of these open items and the transfer of the information relating to them into financial accounting systems is automatically supported

by E.P.O.S. E.P.O.S. is also designed to manage complex orders which can include numerous combinations of transport services, assembly and lifting services.

The ability for E.P.O.S. to assist with the project management. This ability to handle multiple tasks illustrates the powerful and contemporary nature of the software solution says Christian Matusch, managing director of Matusch Gmbh, developer of E.P.O.S. “In addition to these many features, there are various evaluation options available which are designed to manage and control the flow of information within the system. Matusch GmbH is a flexible software developer and we are able to respond quickly to the demands 78 / CAL November 2020

Images and documents can be linked to a quote, onsite-inspection, customer or job assignment and automatically stored in the Integrated Document Management System (iDMS).

placed on the heavy lift and heavy haulage sector. As industries continue to change, we will development our E.P.O.S system to include more functionality and features, to enable our customers to respond to these changes,” he said.

Increasingly, customers are realising the benefits of the E.P.O.S. Online application with many using the application to drive orders and performance records and eliminate the need for paperwork, says Matusch.

“The Online application order data interface generates data directly from

E.P.O.S. out to tablets, iPad, tablets or PCs of outside staff which can include drivers, crane operators etc. Job-related documentation can be sent directly from the office to the online application and through to the relevant driver working on the relevant project (for example).

“The driver can also send documents and images (damage images, photos of accompanying documents etc.) which relate to the order. Drivers record their working hours and break times etc. and this information is available in E.P.O.S. HR management are then able to access this data and enter it directly into the payroll systems. The data entered by the driver can be compared with the data collected from the onboard telematics system for control purposes,” he said.

E.P.O.S. enables the customer to confirm the service has been provided or the order completed with a digital signature on the performance record featured in the online application. The digitally signed performance records are automatically sent to the customer by email. The working hours recorded on site are acknowledged by the customer and, in real time, E.P.O.S. makes these available which leads to leads to the automatic generation of the invoice.

The permanent availability of information is becoming increasingly important to the heavy lift and haulage sector, says Matusch “Matusch has developed a suite of apps for E.P.O.S. which allows the scheduled assignments to be displayed on smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. These additional online functions and mobile apps have been developed to increase the flexibility and efficiency of www.cranesandlifting.com.au

E.P.O.S. is also designed to manage complex orders which can include numerous combinations of transport services, assembly and lifting services.

the system for our users,” he said.

“For example, an app is available designed to capture images and data following site visits. Another is currently being programmed for the mobile recording and processing of equipment rental contracts including work platforms and construction equipment machinery, to name but a couple. We have also developed an app for service technicians,” he said.

Future-proof, flexible and functional software in the heavy-duty industry is an important pillar to ensure the company’s success, says Matusch.

“The optimal economic implementation of orders is an enormously important topic in the heavyduty lifting and haulage industry. Small incremental improvements in capturing more data and detail relating to jobs and tasks, can result in enormous increases in earnings over an entire financial year.

“Our business has grown steadily over the last 25 years, as a result of the industry know-how delivered by Matusch. Our experience and in-depth knowledge of the heavy lift and haulage sector forms the basis for further developments to E.P.O.S. “The increasing number of new installations or businesses replacing existing software programs with E.P.O.S

confirm we are on the right development path. Our work and customer service philosophy and the professional advice we provide during the installation and introductory period has proved to be of major benefit to customers.

Our user-related training and support services also ensures a quick and smooth introduction to the E.P.O.S. system for all our customers,” said Matusch.

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IN FOCUS / TIDD PICK AND CARRY CRANE

Anthony Davis from Baden Davis Crane Connection delivers the TIDD to Adam and Wayne Pickles.

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS W.A. Pickles is a third-generation, family-owned business and 2020 sees the Pickles family celebrate 60 years in business. Father-and-son team, Wayne and Adam discuss the heritage of the family business and the reasons behind the purchase of the latest crane in their fleet, a TIDD PC28.

WAYNE’S FATHER, WILLIAM PICKLES started the business, which was initially focused on transport in and around the Albury Wodonga region.

“He started in the transport business and it soon became apparent to him there was a significant business opportunity with the various builders and projects in the area, and he needed a crane. That’s how we got started. Today, we are still in both cranes and transport,” said Wayne.

The crane business started with a K5, which is still in the yard, and a Granville which was a back ender, says Wayne.

“We used these cranes to service various builders and projects around 80 / CAL November 2020

town. We then went on to purchase an old Aisles Forge which came down from Coffs Harbour and a Southwell out of Camden. We then bought a Coles and in time, we moved on to bigger things,” he said.

Wayne was a round 14 when he joined the business.

“My father was keen for me to keep on with my education. I was in and out of school and working in the business for a while. It was a seven day a week business then, and it still is today.

“We were building the fleet as we went, and as new technology emerged and cranes got bigger and better and more roadable, we moved with the new

technology. We’ve had a few pin-jibs along the way including an old Minor pin-jib. These were a lot of hard work.

You were working the outriggers by hand and jacking the crane up level. We naturally progressed to hydraulic cranes as the rest of the market did,” he said.

As the capacity of the cranes increased throughout the 70s and 80s the business found itself working on larger scale projects, says Wayne.

“We were working on the construction of large factories and the large paper mill which was built locally. We were also busy with bridge construction. The placing of bridge beams was big business for a long period www.cranesandlifting.com.au

of time. We were working in a 200km radius of our yard then, but it’s back to around a 100km radius because there are a number of crane companies in this region with similar technology,” he said.

As the business has grown, the Albury premises expanded to accommodate the increasing size of the fleet, says Adam.

“Initially we couldn’t buy the yard directly next door, so we bought the one over from us first and then the one in the middle as time progressed. With the bigger cranes, we like the Liebherr product where we operate a 100t Liebherr all terrain. We’ve also got a fairly new 60t three axle with the VarioBase.

We also operate a 55t Tadano truck mounted. The Tadanos have been a really good crane to us. We’ve had four or five Tadanos over a long period of time and they have all been terrific performers,” he said.

Pickles fleet. Adam explains the thinking behind the purchase.

“As we see it, one of the key benefits is the roadability of the TIDD, but they’ve also included a lot of new technology which we believe advances their pick carry range.

“The boom has a lowered centre of gravity and the width of the crane has been reduced. It’s amazing how flexible the machine is and how easily we can get the TIDD into factories where space is limited, and tolerances are extremely tight. We think the TIDD is extremely well-built machine.

The TIDD PC28 features improved operational function designed to help operators work more efficiently and comfortably on construction sites and also on the road. Increased lift capacity and greater manoeuvrability, in smaller work areas, are key benefits of the new

“As we see it, one of the key benefits is the roadability of the TIDD, but they’ve also included a lot of new technology which we believe advances their pick carry range.

“We’ve tried to buy the cranes new as we go and everything in the fleet today, was purchased new. We’ve always had good relationships with the crane OEMs we deal with,” said Adam.

“We bought the 100t Liebherr from Anthony Davis just before GM Baden closed as the distributor for Liebherr.

We’ve always found the team really lovely to deal with. If they were still going with the brand, we wouldn’t need to deal with anyone else. That’s why we still deal with Anthony,” he said.

Adam found himself in the family business at a similar age to his father.

There seems to be a common story in the crane industry that sons (particularly) and daughters, find themselves working in the family business because, if they didn’t, they would never see their fathers.

“That’s a fairly accurate statement,” said Adam.

The TIDD PC28 was recently added to the pick and carry element of the www.cranesandlifting.com.au

crane. The TIDD PC28 is constructed using the highest quality components with safety a major focus with every element of its design.

Safety features include the Dynamic LMI with a deadlock switch inside the cabin and the LMI bridging switch outside the cabin. Slew Safe is an optional safety addition for the TIDD PC28.

Slew Safe is designed to prevent rollovers and works with a number of features including audible alarms, LMI warnings and power steering is restricted to 15 per cent to reduce further slewing.

Slew Safe cannot be over-ridden but will operate normally in the safe direction.

The TIDD PC28 has also been designed with operator comfort in mind.

Many of the key features have been designed based on industry feedback during the TIDD PC28’s development.

These features include: • European standard automotive finish;

• Shortest forward projection in its class; • An outstanding turning radius, articulating 44° on either side; • 2.3t roadable counterweight; • Mercedes Benz DM906 six-cylinder, turbo charged intercooled 205kW diesel engine; • 6.12-18.65 high-tensile boom; • Allison 3000 series automatic transmission, 6 speeds forward; • Kessler high-speed planetary axles with diff lock on front axle; • Meritor transfer case; • Two stage engine and exhaust brake; • 410 litre tank with locking cap; • Automatically activated emergency hydraulic steering; • Duel line airbrakes on all wheels with ABS; • Pneumatically released spring applied emergency/park brake on all wheels; • Ergonomic ROPs cabin; • 150kg rated suspension seats; and • 3 point integrated safety belts.

The optional features include: • Slew Safe; • Traction air tyre pressure management – maintaining 130 PSI at all times; • 1.1t superlift counterweight.

The new 18.65m high tensile full power boom features a 75 per cent stationary chart for the heavy lifts and 66 per cent pick and carry chart. The boom’s telescope Sections 1 and 2 are fully synchronised and provide hook compensation. Telescope Section 3 is independently operated with its own hydraulic cylinder.

The TIDD PC28 features a 28t maximum lift on the lug and 27.6t on the hook block, delivering lifting capacities for improved efficiency and greater lift options and setting a new benchmark in the industry.

“The backup and support from Anthony and his team is second to none.

They are always on the phone following up, asking how the crane is performing.

They are checking on us the whole time which is what you need when you invest large sums of money in cranes. They are good people and extremely professional,” said Adam.

November 2020 CAL / 81

WORKING AT HEIGHT ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

FALL PROTECTION IN CONSTRUCTION If you are required to work from height, you are required to manage the risk of a fall, and a fall prevention system is recommended because this will assist in limiting or removing the risk of an incident. The Working at Heights Association offers its advice on managing fall protection.

SAFE WORK NSW, IN THEIR DOCUMENT on ww.safework.nsw.gov.au indicate that in 2010-11, 7730 serious injuries were lodged due to falls from height. This means that 21 employees each day lodged a claim for a falls-related injury that required one or more weeks off work and males accounted for threequarters of the falls-related claims.

Safe Work Australia in their document “Construction Industry Profile”, which may be found on www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au have shown that the number of workers in the construction industry has grown by 33 per cent over the last 11 years.

Within the construction industry, 76 per cent of workers were classed as employees and were covered by workers’ compensation schemes and there have been significant reductions in the numbers and rates of injuries and fatalities in this industry over the last ten years or more.

In 2013–14 the construction industry again accounted for 9 per cent of the workforce but accounted for 12 per cent of work-related fatalities. Around 12 600 workers’ compensation claims are accepted from the construction industry each year for injuries and diseases involving one or more weeks off work.

This equates to 35 serious claims each day. In 2012–13, the construction industry had the 4th highest incidence rate of serious claims per 1000 employees and 5th highest fatality rate per 100, 000 workers in 2013–14.

Year-to-date 2020 as of October 8th there have been 121 Australians killed at work, not all in falls from height though the incidence of falls from height account for some 35 per cent of injuries and death in construction and mining, though it is interesting to note 82 / CAL November 2020

Working in Restraint & Work Positioning is normally recommended and commonly used when working at height.

that construction is not the worst as transport, postal and warehousing head the list with 38 per cent of the deaths in industry, whilst Safe Work NSW list falls from trucks/vehicles as high risk.

Cranes are an important part of the various elements that make up the construction industry. Managers and PCBUs of the construction industry recognise that operating cranes is complex and can be dangerous requiring workers to have the necessary skills and capabilities to carry out their work safely.

Every year there are injuries and deaths from work involving cranes: • Between 2003 to 2015, 47 workers were killed in incidents involving cranes.

• On average there are around 240 serious injury claims every year.

• The most common causes of injuries are muscular stress while handling objects (21 per cent, being hit by moving objects (16 per cent), falls from a height (11 per cent), being trapped between stationary and moving objects (8 per cent) and being hit by falling objects (7 per cent).

• The most common types of injuries are trauma to joints, ligaments muscles and tendons (41 per cent), wounds, lacerations, amputations and internal organ damage (27 per cent) and fractures (19 per cent).

• The most common occupations involving crane incidents are machine and stationary plant drivers (29 per cent), automotive engineering and trades workers (19 per cent) and construction and mining labourers (12 per cent).

Falls from cranes certainly are not the major cause of injury or death which goes a long way to recognise the effort that the crane operators’ supervisors and managers prepare, train and counsel their workers to work safely at height.

Over the last 10 years or more, there have been significant reductions in the numbers and rates of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry though it still remains a high-risk industry where falls are a major cause of death and serious injury due to the type of work. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

The focus of this article is to offer advice on managing fall protection, if you are required to work from height you are required to manage the risk of a fall, a fall prevention system is recommended as this will assist in limiting or removing the risk of a fall incident.

Fall protection PPE is normally only used when other methods designed to remove the risk such as temporary work platforms, guardrails and scaffolding solutions cannot be used to protect the worker.

Working in Restraint & Work Positioning is normally recommended and commonly used when working at height, this means to position a worker and adjust the lanyard length in such a way as to remove the immediate risk of a fall.

For further information on Height Safety, understanding the variations of equipment use and to help understand and plan to eliminate the risks see web site www.waha.org.au.

Work positioning can be “Working in Restraint” when working in a horizontal plane or ‘Working in Suspension” when working in a vertical orientation. Either way, work positioning is intended to reduce the risk of a fall by limiting a person’s ability to get into a place where they can fall, as there are physical barriers or equipment that can be implemented to achieve this aim.

Fall protection PPE is normally only used when other methods designed to remove the risk cannot be used to protect the worker. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

Crane operators, supervisors and managers prepare train and counsel their workers to work safely at height.

When we need to work near an edge or on a structure offering limited security of some type, the worker often finds it necessary to use two hands to hold tools or components being assembled/ disassembled or repaired. The fall arrest lanyard is a common element of the PPE used in fall arrest. It can be used as a tool to provide support whilst working on areas of risk by supporting the worker who can lean into the lanyard whilst working, therefore providing restraint and body support.

The predominant methodology of achieving shock-absorption properties is the use of sacrificial ‘tear webbing’ as a component of a total lanyard assembly.

In such applications where a person uses the lanyard in ‘restraint technique or as tool of support’, the device will not deploy. This means that anyone can easily ‘lean’ into a lanyard and place their full body weight against the device at its full or adjusted length and there will be no effect on the lanyard.

The lanyard is designed to resist static energy up to approximately 200kg. A force of 200kg or greater is usually only applied to a lanyard should the worker fall providing a dynamic force in excess, at which point the device starts to deploy.

Despite this equipment being designed for the most extreme circumstances, there are additional work methods that, due to its ability to support a static load of up to 200kg, can be employed to ensure people are as safe as they can be when working at height.

Such work methods include: 1. Working in restraint – this means

operating equipment in a way that prevents a person from being exposed to a fall arrest risk.

2. Working in restraint with the worker leaning into the lanyard often adjustable in length to provide support whilst using two hands to carry out His/her work 3. Utilising Secondary Systems – sound work practice in both fall arrest and rope access demands that you should always have a primary means of access and a secondary, redundant system that acts as a back-up in the event the primary means fails.

It is important to note that training forms a vital part of all height safety work in terms of managing risks as well as knowing how to use the equipment as well as set up a safe system of work.

Like any tool, it is most effective when the user knows how to operate it properly, so it can achieve its intended purpose.

This point is especially true when that tool is an element of a fall protection system, since misuse of that equipment can lead to a serious injury or fatality, and costly damage to the equipment itself.

Fall protection has historically been a subject of much concern by Safe Work and others and falls are often leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. Employers can, however, take steps to reduce fall injuries and fatalities by understanding how to properly design, implement and use fall protection systems.

For further information see web site www. waha.org.au or call Richard Millar Mobile 0477 788 04 E Mail ceo@waha.org.au November 2020 CAL / 83

IN FOCUS / A1A SOFTWARE

3D LIFT PLAN SHINES IN TRICKY WHITE HOUSE PROJECT 1A Software’s 3D lift planning feature provide ground-bearing calculations assisting the lift planner with a tricky lifting project at the White House.

MATTHEW BRADY, ASSISTANT OPERATIONS manager and lift planner for Extreme Steel Crane & Rigging, used of 3D Lift Plan to calculate ground-bearing pressures for a job at the White House.

The project, replacing limestone steps on the South Portico at 100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., presented multiple challenges, so Brady wanted to make sure he used the best tools recognized throughout the industry.

“3DLiftPlan is the industry standard for lift planning and cranes,” he said.

Accurate crane placement was essential for this job. “There are a lot of underground facilities and utilities around the White House, so calculating ground-bearing pressures was critical to the project.” He says 3D Lift Plan was “absolutely helpful” in calculating ground-bearing pressures on the delicate job. “We require ground-bearing calculations to be included on all

documents when we send them to the general contractor,” said Brady of his employer Extreme Steel Crane & Rigging, and sister company, Warrenton, Va.based Extreme Steel. “But on this project, we had to make sure we weren’t going to break any lines or structures under the ground. It’s not something they tell you is there, so our calculations had to give us an allowance of 2,000 lbs. per square foot. We could plug in crane weights, counterweights, and load weights, all calculated out to make sure we were under 2,000 lbs. per square foot. The 3D Lift Plan calculation feature is very easy to use, and it allowed us to change matting configurations to decrease the ground bearing pressure weights.”

The team used 4’x10’x8” oak mats with ¾” steel plate transition pads to stabilise the crane.

Brady’s attention to detail didn’t stop there. With 3D Lift Plan, he was able A1A Software 3D Lift Plan helps calculate ground-bearing pressures for White House lift.

84 / CAL November 2020

to use images to apply textures to the shapes he could build in the program.

Without the software program, he would have had to “build everything out as I would with CAD. The problem with CAD is you can’t get specific pictures because the software doesn’t have the crane’s info.”

In fact, the software program allowed Brady to import ground textures from aerial photographs and use the program’s Scale Tool to accurately scale images of the White House into the program. “We built everything in 3D Lift Plan,” he recalls. Everything had to be perfectly drawn out to dimension so that everyone involved knew exactly where the crane was going to be located for egress by the presidential team.”

“When the President came in and out of the White House, we had to stop the project,” recalls Brady.

As staff lift planner at Extreme Steel Crane & Rigging, Brady has performed 847 (925 as of 1/13/2020) jobs since 2015. “I use 3D Lift Plan every day to do the documentation because, for most of these jobs, anything involving cranes has to be approved, checked, and the math absolutely correct, or else the general contractor has a potential insurance nightmare on their hands,” he says. But he says another big benefit of using the A1A software program is the access to specific load charts showing the exact setting and outrigger load.

“That’s fantastic to give to the general contractor so they know the crane’s exact swing angle at the highest capacity pick. They can determine where the crane is going to be stressed the most during the job.”

For his work, Brady was a finalist in the 2018 Lift Plan of the Year competition. www.cranesandlifting.com.au

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LEVEL ACCESS

3

NEW GMK3060L • Capacity: 60 t • Main boom: 48 m • Maximum jib: 15 m (0°-40° luff) • Maximum tip height: 65 m • Engine: Cummins QSL9-C350 Manitowoc Australia Tel: 02 8822 4000; infoANZ@Manitowoc.com www.manitowoc.com Western & South Australia WATM Crane Sales & Service Tel: 13WATM (13 92 86); info@watm.com.au Queensland TRT Australia Tel: 07 3890 8800 trt@trtaust.com.au

New Zealand TRT NZ Tel: +64 7 849 4839 trt@trt.co.nz

LIFT OF THE MONTH PLEASE SEND YOUR LIFT OF THE MONTH ENTRIES TO SIMON.GOULD@PRIMECREATIVE.COM.AU

WHO: Borger Cranes.

WHERE: Parramatta River.

WHAT: Installing pre-cast beams and planks for the new Parramatta Boardwalk.

CRANE: LTM1500. 500t capacity. 165t of counterweight – 16.1m main boom – 77m Luffing fly (configuration of lift in photo supplied is only 63m) DETAILS OF THE LIFT: 9t beams at 84m radius.

WHO: Capital Cranes.

WHERE: Canberra.

CRANE: Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 with VarioBase.

LIFT: Storm water retrenchment tank.

WEIGHT: 13t on the hook.

LIFT DIFFICULTIES: Incredibly tight tolerances to get the crane onsite. The lift was only possible with the use of VarioBase system.

WHERE: Ryman Healthcare - East Burwood.

WHO: Premier Cranes.

CRANE: LTM1250.

LIFT: Jib removal of Wolffkran W7532.

COUNTERWEIGHT: 88t.

CHART RADIUS: 30m.

WHO: Queensland Crane Hire and Rigging.

WHERE: Obi Obi QLD. CRANES: 3 X 25t Super Lift Frannas and Terex AC 40-2L 40 t all terrain.

LIFT: Bridge weighing 11,500kg.

DIFFICULTIES: A remote location above a pristine small river that flowed from a waterfall higher in the mountains. The client did not want machinery, EWP or the like to enter the creek area.

WHO: Russell Transport.

WHERE: Tully Sugar Mill in Tully NQ. LIFT: 1. A generator 2. A steam turbine 3. A condenser. Three lifts spread over two visits and over seven weeks.

WEIGHT: Generator 52t. Turbine 68t.

Condenser 40t.

Lifts had to be performed inside an old boiler shop with very limited access and space. A precision job starting with the assembly of the Lift & Lock System to the installation of the last item, the condenser.

WHO: Wheeler Cranes and Xhire Valley Cranes.

WHERE: CTB Industries – Kooragang inland – Newcastle.

CRANES: 250t Liebherr LTM 1250.6-1 – 300t Grove GMK 6300.

LIFT: KLOKAN – Longliner Fishing Vessel weighing 106t – Australian Built by CTB. LIFT SUPERVISOR: Peter Beveridge – Wheeler Cranes.

86 / CAL November 2020

www.cranesandlifting.com.au

YELLO Equipment is your trusted dealer of industrial equipment.

Our commitment to sell reliable, affordable and highly efficient machinery will ensure we help li� profits and add significant value to your business.

P: 1300 093 556 W: YELLOEQUIPMENT.COM

EMERGENCY BRIDGING KEY

ENHANCING OPERATIONAL SAFETY

THINK SAFE. WORK SAFE. HOME SAFE. The Terex Zero Harm principles not only apply to Franna team members, but also to customers and operators alike. The Franna emergency bridging key provides an additional layer of safety that compliments the existing safety features of each crane.

The emergency bridging key has been designed to maintain operational flexibility, while providing an additional safety interlock. Site safety is enhanced through the provision of a removable key which can be held by authorised site personnel, providing greater control of site lifting practices.

THE EMERGENCY BRIDGING KEY PROVIDES: ⊲

Visual and audible warnings

⊲

A removable external key as a provision for overriding operational failure

⊲

Minimised speed of crane movements while activated

The emergency bridging key feature is available for new Franna AT 40 & MAC 25-4 cranes or as retrofit to any MAC 25‘s with existing Dynamic LMI in place.

www.terex.com/franna