Advantage Industrial Machinery Relocators Incorporated (A I M) was hired to complete the sliding of an electric fan motor, employing the rental and use of the Hydra-Slide™ System from Lifting Gear Hire (LGH).
THE SITUATION
As rain fell from the sky and thunder echoed in the clouds, John Williams, Lead Foreman of A I M Relocators, knew his project wouldn’t go as smoothly as they planned.
Hydra-Slide
In order to reduce emissions and cut down on air pollution at the Oologah Oklahoma Power Plant, a new electrically-powered booster fan on the scrubbing system would have to be installed. A I M Relocators was hired to complete the elevation and sliding of a 60,000 lb electric booster fan motor so that it could be installed atop the system to operate the fan. John and his crew had to place the motor onto a special trailer which would then be backed into place. The trailer would then be raised. The crew would assemble the rails and the jacking system atop the pedestal and then carefully slide the motor off the trailer and onto the pedestal which was created to hold the motor. It all seemed to be going well until…
THE CHALLENGE
Several challenges presented themselves in the course of the project to slide the large electric booster fan motor. What made the slide very challenging was the fact that the slide had to be accomplished fourteen feet above the ground. That was the height of the pedestal that the booster fan motor would rest upon. They had to raise the trailer and then crib up the motor off the trailer to allow them to put the rails in place and slide it off the trailer onto the stand, all while elevated fourteen feet above the ground. Another issue was the weather. In fact, the heavy rain fall that John and his team experienced shattered Oklahoma records. Lightening was seen repeatedly and every time it came within ten miles of the job-site, the crew was forced to stop working until the all clear was given by the safety official responsible for monitoring the weather. “Lightening shut us down on multiple occasions,” John admitted. “We can’t work in those conditions due to the danger involved. Overall, our delays were safety oriented. A lot of the times we had to stop what we were doing one way and start doing it another way for safety reasons. For instance, we were using cable extensions on our fall protection, which is a six foot steel cable that allows you to hook up and give you more length on your fall protection. They’re quite common in the industry. So, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. The issue was that the cable was six feet long and your lanyard was six feet long, which gives you a total of twelve feet, so there existed a potential for getting hurt if you were to fall.” The contractor attached yo-yo’s to their structure to allow the crew greater mobility all the while remaining as safe as possible. Things were looking great…
THE SOLUTION
John and his team found appropriate solutions to their issues without hindering the cost effectiveness of their budget or the timing of their schedule.
Hydra-Slide™
Unfortunately, you can’t stop the weather. The lightning strikes were creating a hazard that the team had to address. John slid the motor onto the platform into a safe position, secured the motor, and shut down for the day. To make up for lost time, they began working as soon as it was light enough to do so safely. They resumed the slide, successfully completed the task at hand, and finished the job on time. The major deliberation they had to preemptively consider was choosing the right company for the equipment. For jobs such as these, using the right equipment could make or break a productive job. “We chose Lifting Gear Hire,” John stated. “We’ve used LGH quite a bit in the past. Whenever we needed something that’s bigger than what we normally stock, we contact Lifting Gear. They have become our “go-to guys” for lifting equipment. Their equipment is always safe, clean, and well maintained.” Aside from choosing the right company for their equipment needs, they also needed to get the right piece to solve their sliding challenge and that equipment came in the form of the Hydra-Slide™ HT-500 System. “There really wasn’t any other choice,” John added. “There are different styles of the same equipment, different brands, but we liked the way the Hydra-Slide operates over the others. For this particular scenario, we realized the best option was the Hydra-Slide. Others use cables and stuff and they’re more involved. The Hydra-Slide is safer, simpler, and easier to use. We were able to maintain much better control over the motor throughout the entire project thanks to the equipment from Lifting Gear Hire.”
THE RESULTS
Despite lousy weather conditions and the logistics of safety, John and his crew managed to stay within their time allotment and the customer was very pleased with their results. Ultimately, A I M Relocators was satisfied with the slide, the customer was satisfied with the results, and everything was accomplished safely and securely. “Everything went just fine,” John concluded. “We would like to have finished quicker, however there was no way to accomplish that project any faster and in a safe manner. Thankfully, the Hydra-Slide worked great. With projects like this, you need the best equipment possible to ensure the job gets done safely and in a timely fashion. With that, there’s definitely more to LGH than just their quality equipment. If I ever have a question, I can always call and get the information I need. The folks at LGH always go the extra mile and the Hydra-Slide itself is very useful. We could see the slide being used in a lot of applications – mechanical, electrical generators, power plants etc. Anywhere you find large machines that are fifty thousand pounds or larger the Hydra-Slide would be a valuable tool. We have every intention of using Lifting Gear Hire in the future.”
Equipment Used: – Hydra-Slide™ System
ABOUT LGH
Lifting Gear Hire is the largest single organization in North America devoted exclusively to the provision of lifting and moving equipment for rent. LGH holds a comprehensive inventory for hoisting, rigging, jacking, pulling, material handling, and safety equipment. Rental equipment is available from over 20 locations throughout North America, and LGH customers are supported by local Rental Representatives.
About Advantage Industrial Machinery Relocators, Inc.
When you want to ease the burden of equipment and machinery relocation, there’s only one company that you should call. Advantage Industrial Machinery Relocators, Inc(A I M Relocators) is comprised of a team of professional operators, riggers and truck drivers with the experience and service to handle your most valuable equipment and machinery. We are the people to trust with your turn key relocation project.Specializing in the relocation of manufacturing machinery in Oklahoma, Advantage Industrial Machinery Relocators, Inc (A I M Relocators) understands the specific needs of its customers.
