| Often in
the crane and hoist lifting business, customers are
faced with a need for a safety latch for their crane
hook, yet the safety of the
latch itself becomes an issue in the
lifting application.
In some cases, being
able to install a safety latch
can be a problem. Many older hoist hooks were
never forged with a pivot position for a safety latch.
On really large hooks
it can be prohibitive to use a
conventional spring return latch due to the amount of force
required to open the latch. This
can become dangerous when the operator is trying to hold
open the latch while removing or
rigging a large heavy bail into the hook.
This is a perfect way to pinch fingers – ouch!
Blood blisters, or worse! |
Another
typical lifting situation is where the operator has to hook
into a remote, distant or hot (bail) load that makes getting
up to the hook and getting a spring actuated latch open
impossible.
All of these problems are solved with Engineered Lifting
Systems' new Gravity Safety Latches.
To your
right is a picture of a home built safety latch (# 1) on a
large capacity crane hook which is no longer providing the
desired safety protection.
The second photo down shows another home built safety latch
(# 2) in need of improvement.
The new Engineered Lifting Systems Gravity Safety Latch was
quickly installed to replace home made safety latch # 1.
Note that, as the name implies, the latch closes by gravity
and does not use a spring. The default position of the
latch is closed - no spring required.
In the open position photo, you can see the latch locked in
the open position for a remote hook up, pinned open to allow
the operator the freedom to use both hands on the bail in
the event it is heavy or cumbersome or if he or she cannot
reach the bail.
In the last photo you see how the operator opens the latch
using the handle located at the rear of the hook. This
keeps the operator's hands away from any pinch points that
might occur due to rigging or removing a large or heavy bail
from the hook. The operator hooks up and the gravity
design will automatically close to safely secure the load to
the hook.
Lifting
hook safety is a very important part of crane and hoist
safety and is often overlooked because of the lack of
productive alternatives to spring actuated latches.
But not any more!
If you need a durable, reliable safety latch and are faced
with some or all of the issues described above, just call
Engineered Lifting Systems for help.
OSHA says that hoisting
hooks shall be fitted with a latch to
bridge the throat opening to prevent the
accidental release of slings or attachments.
Hooks without latches may be used in
special applications where the latch would
interfere with the proper use of the hook,
providing that (1) the use of the hook is
restricted to the application for which it is
approved, and (2) in questionable cases,
concurrence is obtained from the appropriate
safety organization.
With Engineered Lifting
Systems Gravity Safety latch you can have the required latch
and also an open hook when needed.
For more information or
assistance with your safety latch
requirements, please contact Eric
Brown.
|
Home built
safety latch # 1
Home built safety latch # 2
Engineered Lifting's Gravity Latch
Gravity Latch locked open with a pin
Gravity Latch is easy to open by hand |
