SubscribeNottinghamshire County Council has tackled the safety of tree workers by innovating a dedicated arborists' access platform in collaboration with vehicle-mount specialist, Versalift.
The machine features a 2.0 cubic metres steel roller shutter locker for storage of lightweight signs, personal protective equipment, harnesses, brushes, signs, cones and barriers.
It is also designed to tow a Vermeer chipper unit and ducts chippings into a 3 cubic metres (1.5 tonnes) capacity on-board storage cage with hydraulic tipping.
Versalift's tree work unit is equipped with an ET38NF telescopic platform offering 14.2m working height and 7.3m horizontal outreach.
It has been mounted on a 7.5 tonnes Isuzu flat bed truck previously used by Nottingham County Council's highways department for ‘hot box’ reinstatement work.
Consideration had to be given to overall payload needs, including the range of equipment to be stored in the locker, the weight of the chippings cage when full and the towing weight of the chipper machine. Versalift platform engineering is known for giving good margins of spare payload for non-standard equipment.
Versalift Engineering Manager, Bryn Barker, said: “Loads have to be carefully distributed to ensure there is no overloading on the front or rear axles. We also moved the position of the vehicle stabilisers to suit load configurations.”
The machine also has auxiliary remote control from ground level on a ‘wander lead’, a chainsaw protection bar on the basket, and on-board first aid and hand wash facilities. It has a rear-facing CCTV camera for reversing safety and high visibility features including 4 front strobes, 4 rear strobes, lights on the platform and multiple striping.
Viewing the machine at its launch, David Butter, HM inspector of health and safety with the HSE, said: “The unknown quantity for a tree climber is the strength of the branch. Nottinghamshire County Council’s solution removes the risks associated with this unknown variable.
Other features like the chainsaw bar and chippings box add value to the unit. We haven’t seen anything else like it yet for the industry.”
16 Jan 2006
