If a customer insists you can get the lorry down and around their drive, just ask “if your dustman gets down there, I can do that…”
They’ll splutter and grudgingly tell you he can’t and that they have to pull the bin to the road.
andrew.s:
Saaamon:
Bairdy:
Oh, and watch for overhead phone lines!!Think its like 500quid if you pull one down, thats what i was told anyway.
just coil it up and leave at the bottom of pole-you’d be unlucky if you got caught,unless someone grasses you up lol.
bit more important are overhead electricity lines,much more prominent in rural areas-try to avoid going too near these at all costs for obvious reasons!!
The guy who taught me the ropes said if you knock one down its really important to own up straight away because some people have panic buttons connected to the phone line. Firm i worked for were ok about damage providing you were genuinely bothered about it, if you didnt care they’d sack you after a couple of times.
If you see a cable hanging down, report it to someone and site staff just incase they’re waiting for a tipper/hiab driver to blame it on.
Thanks for the replies, this has become a good thread!
I had a drop on thursday when I came within about 1m of a power line! Not seen them so low before, thought they were telegraph wires until I focused on it properly, realised it was too thick for a telegraph wire, then noticed there were more than usual wires above my head. These power lines were below the telegraph!! I recall from hiab training I was told to keep 6m away from power… these might not have been 6m off the ground!!
I backed off quick!!!
Someone mentioned using rope on bricks. I wouldn’t know what to do/how to tie a rope.
I see flat beds with only blocks on with a net over them… what do these achieve?
Good idea about using pallet wrap on bricks and blocks. Whenever a get a pallet I check the wrapping and often put I’ll put an extra couple of tight turn round the top and secure the end with sticky tape to stop the wind unravelling it.
I strap most things that come above the sides, but never bulk bags. Even today I saw a flatbed artic full of these, with only a strap around the back. Pallets of bags of board finish etc I find very stable and when wrapped well (see above) I probably won’t strap if only going around the corner/staying below 30mph. These pallets come delivered on a curtain side with no wrap on!
I grab bags, but not always. Not sure what my criteria is here but is can save tripping up over the rest of load walk across the back of the wagon.
I seen (but not used) grabs with extra bits of mesh between the grab fingers to aid this.
I like remotes. Being able to position yourself for the best view, they can save a lot of to-ing and fro-ing and you can rotate a load (when not on grab) when setting it down. My favourite is a Palfinger (or playstation as I call it) with 2 axis controls.
The one I used was only 2 stick for a hook. It’s great being able to accurate control all 4 axis at once.
A few times agencies have asked me if I have a remote certificate!! I find this a bit daft as remotes are safer and easier to use in my opnion. I have no certificate but I have experience. By the same token why not ask for a grab certificate? … there’s a bit to learn after being trained on a hook only, which I have done so by having ago and watching load and crane carefully.
dancompression:
A few times agencies have asked me if I have a remote certificate!! I find this a bit daft as remotes are safer and easier to use in my opnion. I have no certificate but I have experience. By the same token why not ask for a grab certificate? … there’s a bit to learn after being trained on a hook only, which I have done so by having ago and watching load and crane carefully.
My Troll ‘O’ Meter has started buzzing, but !
You can only be trained to operate a certain piece of equipment, if that piece of equipment is a HIAB fitted with a brick grab then it is totally differant to the very same HIAB but fitted with a clam grab.
There isn’t a legal requirement (as such) to be trained or to possess a certain certificate to operate any piece of machinery, the legal requirement is to be . . . . . !
No trolling, This is genuine mate.
It’s the kind of idea someone who’s job it is to find ways of avoiding insurance pay outs (what they would call H&S) and not done seen the job would come with.
How different would the insurance payouts be if anyone that thinks they can drive a lorry was just handed the keys and told to get on with it, as they do this the lorry has 30 different items on it to be delivered to 10 different sites at these 10 different sites there are 10 different scenarios including overhead power lines, trees, drains,walls,cars, children,buses,ambulances, etc etc.
Is ti still ok to just chuck the driver the keys to a remote controlled crane with no training? and simply say get on with it drive !!!.
Im pretty sure training and certification is definately to avoid insurance payouts.
As for the different attachments each of these ususally requires different training, I was trained to use a hook and slings and alsoa brick grab.
If they added a beam grab I wouldnt attempt to use it unless I was trained, would you?
What is the legal status of these HIAB certificates?
Who is the organisation who gives them out, monitor the quality of training and take the exams.
To which (European) standard are they?
To be honest I’m not very well informed regarding HIAB’s and the law.
I use to do overhead gantry’s on motorways in Holland, and the whole training you got was somebody showing you how it was done, and training yourself on a free saturday trying to put a nail on a rope into a beer bottle neck (gives you good eye-hand control) with the crane.
Find a good crane and HIAB driver always worth to watch.
caledoniandream:
What is the legal status of these HIAB certificates?
Who is the organisation who gives them out, monitor the quality of training and take the exams.
To which (European) standard are they?
To be honest I’m not very well informed regarding HIAB’s and the law.I use to do overhead gantry’s on motorways in Holland, and the whole training you got was somebody showing you how it was done, and training yourself on a free saturday trying to put a nail on a rope into a beer bottle neck (gives you good eye-hand control) with the crane.
Find a good crane and HIAB driver always worth to watch.
Hiab instructors hat on
Have a nose around here allmi.org/
that should answer most of your questions , as an Instructor I had to do a initial 5 day instructors course and then I’m assesed once a year while running a course , but the instructor qualification only lasts for 5 years then you have to renew it
Andy if I read it right, there is no legislation?
With all respect for your work, it’s not official recognised, but set up by the importers and manufacturers?
I had expect that there would be a recognised Governement and by law supported organisation was.
But non the less, keep up the good work, better some training than none at all.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
Just going back to the do’s and dont’s, watch out for the BT covers if you park on the pavement. One of our lads put his front wheel on one and pop it went. They are only 2 inches thick, down to the axle he went. It wasnt the £500 recovery bill the gaffer was miffed at but the £5000 bill from BT. Bits of broken concrete fell in the hole severing the fibre optic cable taking out phone lines to hundreds of homes !!
jammymutt:
Is ti still ok to just chuck the driver the keys to a remote controlled crane with no training? and simply say get on with it drive !!!.
To a HIAB experienced (but without remote) I’d say it’s not much of a leap.
My first use of a remote came about when I was sent to a job by agency for a client who’s asked for a HIAB driver. As always when I first encounter a particular vehicle, I familiarise myself with the controls by trying them all before I leave the yard. In this sense it was no different to familiarising myself with a non remote vehicle.