SAFETY
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DON'T UPRATE YOUR REAMS • Jacking beams of 1.0 tonne capacity, used by MoT testing stations for checking the suspension of vehicles and recently prohibited by the Department of Transport from testing those of 2, 000kg gross laden weight or more, are not suitable for uprating to take these heavier loads, warns the Garage Equipment Association.
In a letter to the Department's Vehicle Inspectorate, the Association draws attention to 'a disturbing development' whereby there have been attempts to uprate 1.0 or 1.25 tonne capacity beams to 1.5 tonnes. "The view of GEA member companies involved in the design and manufacture of these beams is that this practice is unsafe and probably illegal within Section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work Act," says the Association.
The GEA says that lifting equipment designed with adequate safety margins can be expected to withstand far greater loads under a simple proof test, but, in a professional workshop environment, the situation is not so straight forward. Side loading, twisting and shock loads can apply pected stress beyond that for which the manufacturer has provided in order to arrive at a Safe Working Load. it says.
For further information contact Geoffrey Cockle on 01-235 7000.