Elite - elevating safety standards

Workplace safety is increasingly seen as a top priority. On a job site, there are many safety precautions that workers must follow to ensure that they and their fellow workmates stay safe at all times. There are, however, dangers in every aspect of pipeline construction that cannot be completelyeliminated.

Traditionally, pipes are loaded and unloaded from trucks using slings and spreader bars. This can present a number of hazards, from the effects of weather and elemental interference to the delicate process of pipe slinging. In the interests of efficiency and safety, the use of vacuum pipe lifters is now becoming more and more common on job sites when loading, unloading and stringing pipes - not only in Australia, but around the world.

In early 2008, a test was conducted onsite in Brisbane to determine how long it would take to load one truckload of pipe, consisting of five pieces of 762 mm pipe at lengths of24 m. The first test consisted of sb: operators, slings and spreader bars. "fhe truck was unloaded in approximately 18 minutes.

A Schoenbeck EliTE Vacuum Lifter was then employed using one operator and the driver of the transporter. The vacuum lifter took only 13 minutes to complete the same job. In addition, the test was the operator"s first time using the EliTE vacuum lifter. F"uether time suvings could be had with a trained and skilled operator, making for a safer, fuster and more efficient method for loading and unloading pipe.

The EliTE comes with a warning system that greatly reduces operationul risk. The warning system includes both lights and sirens that initiate when an unwanted reduction in vacuum pressure or engine fuilure occurs; a mechanism that ensures maximum safety prior to any incident.

In the unforeseen instance of an engine failure, the vacuum pipe lifter has the ability to hold suction on the pipe for a significant amount of time. A controlled test was completed atAnode Engineering"s Brisbane base in 2007, where the engine was cut on an Eli"fE vacuum lifter to test its ability to continue to hold the pipe. The vacuum held the pipe for more than 40 hours before the test was concluded.

The success und safety of vacuum lifters goes hund in hand with the operationnl and maintenance training courses that should be provided to any operator using the pipe lifter upon commissioning and installation. Anode Engineering performs a training course with all EliTE sales and rentals, which includes operator training, all pre-checks and safety procedures, as well as maintenance practices.

EliTE Vacuum Lifters are required to meet Austnllian load standards and CE conformity testing, thus strengthening
safe practices in the workplace.