Is this as bad as they imply?

[BigClive]

An article regarding the use of access units to support wires where they cross a road. But is it really as bad as they imply?

http://www.vertikal.net/en/news/story/14184/

[Pootnaigle]

Ummmmmmmm Once we had a contractor usin some really old equipment that did leave a truck supportin the wire across a hwy crossing. They didnt realize or consider that the Hydraulics tended to leak down over time. We had to get those folks out there to start the truck and raise the boom back to its original position several times. Needless to say they got reamed for it on Monday morning. Left unchecked it could have been a major accident.

[bren guzzi]

Yeah its V V Bad.

Dunno whay they use else where. BUT when stringing transmision lines. We always use a "sky craddle". It is the only way we are allowed to cross motorways.

As ya know hoists are only for lifting people. Nothing else.

Dunno wether you've seen a sky cradle Clive. ?
We had arround 10 in the national grid.

[stulittle]

As far as I can remember from my last IPAF course, operating over traffic is an absolute no,no anyway.

I've seen scaffolding built under 132KV down here to allow nets over the highway during insulator changes, but not to hold the conductors.


Stu

[BigClive]

I've seen hammock type things strung across motorways to prevent cables dropping down.

Don't you guys get me started on IPAF. Right now I've a very low opinion of them, assisted by the apparent need to "renew" my card which will cost me 200 quid minimum to sit through a very patronising Powerpoint presentation given by someone who doesn't actually drive the things for a living.

Apparently the certification isn't even formally endorsed by HSE and is nothing more than a private enterprise.

[stulittle]

I've been offered a LANTRA mewp course for about £45 as my IPAF is about to expire. I'm thinking that as long as it's certified then that will do so I can "prove competence"

[bren guzzi]

What we used was an articulated truck. We would go out at night with the motorway police. The sky cradles were parked in the hard shoulder and conned off. The cradle has extending booms that come out at 30%. When the road is closed the truck swings the craddle across the road to the central reservation directly under the line.both ends are then jacked up so as they will be high enough for artics to go under. Then they are guyed down to one ton blocks.

They resemble a crane jib ( steel trestle). With out riggers on so if a wire did fall or become slack when pulling new conductor with old. Some times the winch and tensioner can get out of sync. It can't fall on the motorway. I will see if I can find a picture somewhere. 9

Ps ... IPAF my @rse. Money making scam.

[BigClive]

I've been offered a LANTRA mewp course for about £45 as my IPAF is about to expire. I'm thinking that as long as it's certified then that will do so I can "prove competence"

Does it have a similar expiry date on it? Or is it longer lasting than the IPAF card. Is the £45 a standard course fee?

That's an odd bag of courses that Lantra organisation supports. Initially it looks like they're aimed at the agricultural industry, then it goes on to street lighting and traffic signals.

[BigClive]

Yeah, IPAF, PASMA, CSCS and even the JIB grade cards all with expiry dates so you have to keep paying them protection money to be allowed to continue working.

[stulittle]

Does it have a similar expiry date on it? Or is it longer lasting than the IPAF card. Is the £45 a standard course fee?

That's an odd bag of courses that Lantra organisation supports. Initially it looks like they're aimed at the agricultural industry, then it goes on to street lighting and traffic signals.

Clive,

Lantra is mainly agricultural I believe but has moved into other areas. Most of my living is made on Agricultural sites or high structures, but as we've got loads of OH distribution I guess that makes me part lineman

Stu