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Safety Advice – Lifting Materials at Height

 

Goods Cages & Crane Forks Cages

Back to FAQ

Following a recent near-miss incident on a site involving a set of Crane Forks and a Safety Restraint Net, where the load became unsecured and was dropped, the following information has been put together by Conquip Engineering Group.

It gives guidance to Health & Safety professionals, Crane Operators, Crane Supervisors, Lifting professionals and Site Managers, as we believe more needs to be done in the industry to make site managers and those responsible for lifting operations aware of the risks of using Restraint Nets rather than safer alternatives.

The details are part of the proactive measures that we take to help our variety of customers working on infrastructure, groundworks, built environment and housing development projects, to ensure that their equipment and site practices comply with HSE requirements.

For more on this, read ‘3 steps to take – our guide to equipment safety, usage & compliance’.

Risks to be Aware of Using Crane Forks with Restraint Nets

1. Inadequate Containment of Materials
Restraint nets are not provided to support the lift of a heavy or awkward load; they are to restrain the load from moving. Nets can sag or deform and materials can shift, tear through, or fall out of the net, especially if poorly loaded, the pallet is damaged or imbalanced, or get caught on something such as scaffolding.

2. Non-Compliance with Lifting Regulations
In the UK under LOLER, lifting attachments must be engineered for the task, have current LOLER report in place and product tagged and be used according to manufacturer guidelines.

3. Risk of Load Movement and Drop
Without rigid sides (such as a cage), the load can slide or topple during transit and if the restraint net fails or detaches, the entire load could fall, causing severe injury or fatality below.

4. False Sense of Security
Nets can create the illusion of safety, leading operatives to assume the load is secured when it’s not fully restrained and may cause more infrequent load and rigging checks.

5. Lack of Engineering Certification
Crane Forks and a net must be an approved, compliant lifting method on any particular site.

Safer Alternatives: Crane Forks Cage or Goods Cage

We wanted to highlight best practice which a number of Tier 1 contractors have already recommend. This is for the use of a compliant Crane Forks Cage – or in some cases a suitably-compliant, suitability-sized Goods Cage – for lifting materials securely at height.

What is a Crane Forks Cage?
A Crane Forks Cage is a fail-safe method for moving and lifting blocks and bricks around site. The concept was designed with leading UK contractors and lifting personnel, following near misses and accidents. Often chosen over a Crane Forks with Safety Restraint Net.

Crane Forks Cage Testing    Annotated Crane Forks Cage

  • Large internal area specifically designed for common-sized pallets.
  • Ramped access allows the cage to be unloaded by a pallet truck and anywhere at height.
  • Robust latch mechanism on the gate door prevents the door from opening in error.
  • Technical user guide easily available from the manufacturer, which includes full specification (WLL, dimensions etc) as well as pre-use, in-use, cleaning and maintenance information.

What is a Goods Cage?
A Goods Cage or XXL Lifting Cage is a safe and convenient method of transporting materials to and from high or low locations on site. A suitably-compliant, suitably-sized Goods Cage could also be used instead of a Crane Forks and Safety Restraint Net, with many of our cages sized for common-sized pallets. Available in a range of sizes, with gate or ramp access variations, it is popular on many sites compared to other lifting methods, due to the load being contained within the cage, reducing the number of lift plans, improving site safety and complying with necessary lifting regulations.

XXL Lifting Cage   

  • Internal lifting points prevent damage during use, increasing longevity, ensuring compliance, and saving repair and replacement costs.
  • Ramped versions offer easy loading and unloading with pallet trucks.
  • Mesh sides on some cages provide extra visibility but still keeps materials secure.
  • Technical user guides easily available and here from the manufacturer, which includes full specification (WLL, dimensions etc) as well as pre-use, in-use, cleaning and maintenance information.

Contact us for questions and advice…

Our knowledgeable, friendly teams are on standby every day to help. Contact us today.