Experts in the Sales, Hire and Service of lifting, Winching, Jacking and Load Securing products to a wide range of markets and industries

Experts in the Sales, Service and Hire of a wide range of Lifting, Jacking and Materials Handling products to the rail industry.

Arbil 4x4 is dedicated to bringing you the best brands, best quality and best technical support to give you maximum off roading enjoyment.

 

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Essential Off-Roading Equipment

May 13th, 2011

If you love thrills and excitement then why not try off-roading? It’s a sure fire way to have fun and get your adrenalin pumping.

If you already own your off-road vehicle, then here’s a guide to the essential equipment you’ll need to turn your off-roading dreams into a reality.

Liftrax:

What are they?

Liftrax are made from specially designed reinforced fabric and are strong enough to support a four tonne vehicle using the pneumatic power of trapped air. They’re lightweight and compact enough to roll up into a small bag.

This inflatable drive on device will get you out of a tight spot when stuck in mud, sand or other difficult to negotiate terrain.

Hi-Lift Jacks:

What are they?

This is a rugged and highly versatile Jack that puts you in command of any situation where you need lifting, pulling, winching or clamping. It’s lightweight and easy to manage, but still maintains incredible lifting power.

Post Popper:

What are they?

This tool is designed to quickly remove posts manually. It attaches to any type of post in seconds and pulls them straight from the ground without bending them.

WARN Lights:

What are they?

These rugged and powerful lights are great for night driving and will light your way back to the pavement after an exciting day off-roading. You can get flood lights, spot lights and driving lights.

Optima Batteries:

What are they?

Optima batteries come in red top and yellow top varieties. The red top have the power to start demanding vehicles quickly when they need it most. The yellow top provides power for special vehicles with winches, engine heaters, larger audio systems and other applications that demand ultimate energy.

 

Safari Snorkels:

What are they?

These innovative inventions fit neatly over your exhaust and enable you to drive in wild water, sandstorms and heavy snow and rain. They help your 4×4 to keep going in the toughest of environments. They’re durable, stable and deliver a continuous cooler supply of air fro maximum performance.

Tow Ropes and Tree Strops:

What are they?

Tow ropes and tree strops will help get you out of any sticky situation. If you’re driving with others then tow ropes can be used to pull you out of a tight spot, or if you’re relying on yourself then tree strops can be utilised to get you unstuck.

So why not start equipping yourself today with all the essentials and before you know it you could be flying along the tough terrains of the UK in your very own fully kitted out 4X4.

 

How Rail Maintenance Increases Train Safety

May 13th, 2011

The train industry is growing rapidly as people and goods are transported further afield. Due to the volume of train traffic safety on the rails has increased as there has been a greater demand for high quality rail services.

Railway contractors have had their jobs made easier by the introduction of new safety tools and precautions such as railway safety kits, better access to stations and upgraded design of both trains and tracks. Advances in construction have also added to the safety of modern railways.

Developing the fabrication and safety system in place during railway construction has helped to ensure that rail workers and passengers are kept safe. Signals are an essential part of keeping the tracks safe. Accurate computerised signal kits are installed in all stations to ensure that safety is maintained. The efficiency of signals is constantly monitored and upgraded to ensure the best possible service.

Railways can be very dangerous places, particularly as a workplace. Workers who perform maintenance and repairs are working at high risk and are exposed to the possibility of injury and even death. This is why all track maintenance and repair must be carried out and planned extremely carefully.

Construction workers on railway sites must be very carefully monitored. All contingencies must be planned for and safety precautions and action plans if the worst should happen must be in place.

Climbing systems play a major role in repair works which involves the use of ladders. All construction and maintenance staff should be fully trained to certificate level and should ensure that they are wearing all the correct safety equipment such as hard hats, reflective clothing and steel capped boots. Staff should also be aware of all safety procedures and what to do should there be an accident.

The safety of any contractors is incredibly important and should be the foremost consideration of rail network owners. In addition network owners must be aware of their legal obligations with regards to track maintenance and the qualifications and level of knowledge that anyone working on the tracks should have. If these laws are not complied with it could lead to legal action.

The security and safety of passengers and goods should be the foremost consideration of any rail company in order to prevent accidents such as derailment. Railway owners are obligated to ensure that their passengers are being kept safe and maintenance engineers carry out regular checks on railway tracks, sleepers, signalling equipment, station entrances and exits and the trains themselves.

 

A Guide To Hoists

May 13th, 2011

If you are hiring or purchasing safety equipment there are several types of hoist that you can choose from.

Read this quick handy guide to learn more about hoists and discover which is the right one for you.

1 Hand Chain Hoists

Hand Chain Hoists are modern and lightweight and can lift a range of weights from 500kg right up to 50 tonnes. The standard heights of lift include 3m, 6m, 12m and 18m. Hand Chain Hoists are lightweight and easy to handle and generally come equipped with grade 80-100 alloy load chain.

2 Lever Hoists

Lever Hoists are operated by a lever handle and are able to lift in all angled positions including upside down. They can be used for lifting, pulling, lashing or tensioning. They have an excellent strength to weight ratio and work well in most environments including extreme weather conditions.

3 Electric Chain Hoists

Electric Chain hoists vary depending on the capacity and voltage required. They are also available to suit various heights and weights or to be utilised above or below ground. They include heavy duty motors, adjustable brakes, emergency stop button and case hardened zinc plated chain.

4 Air Chain Hoists

Air chain hoists are available to suit different capacities and height of lift. They can also be purchased for above or below ground use and to be suitable for different lengths of pendant control. The standard height of lift includes 3m, 6m, 12m, 15m and 18m. This hoist has an excellent strength to weight ratio and is not susceptible to contamination, humidity or aggressive ingress.

5 Power Operated Wire Rope Hoists

These hoists are portable and powerful. In particular the Minifor range has a self -gripping system which provides grip on the wire in proportion to the weight of the load. This means that the wire is perfectly aligned to the pulley system. The length of the wire rope is also unlimited.

6 Scaffold Hoist

Scaffold hoists have a lightweight and compact design and feature automatic upper and lower limit switches. They have a dynamic and mechanical brake and top clamp assembly that is usable on all standard scaffold poles. They also feature an optional swing arm jib which fits directly to standard vertical scaffold poles.

7 Builders Hoists (Trestle Hoists)

Trestle Hoists feature a top limit switch and a three button pendant control. They have a low noise level and a robust heavy duty motor which make them ideal for continuous work.

 

Fall Protection Safety

April 21st, 2011

Falls are a leading cause of deaths in the workplace but can always be avoided if all the correct safety precautions are taken.

Whilst the majority of falls occur in the construction industry, they do occur in other workplaces where people have been known to fall off roofs, ladders, through openings in floors or walls and from scaffolds.

If there is any possibility of your staff being exposed to the possibility of a dangerous or fatal fall then you need to provide training.

There are various health and safety procedures which must be followed with regards to supplying hand rails and guard rails and the wearing of hard hats, harnesses and other safety equipment.

A comprehensive training programme will teach you and your staff all about the correct health and safety procedures and equipment you need to utilise. It will also ensure all equipment is used correctly and any avoidable dangers are avoided.

Fall Protection Training should include:

Recognising Potential Workplace Hazards.

If you are responsible for safety in your workplace then you should carefully inspect all working areas and take note of any potential hazards. After deciding on potential risks you should try to minimise them as much as possible.

Fall Protection Training

All employees who use gall protection equipment should receive extensive training, Ensure that your staff understand how to use all safety equipment and have practiced using it. If your staff are using harnesses, Lanyards and other equipment they should receive training that qualifies them to inspect their equipment before they begin work. Training will also introduce them to working at height, which can be a very different experience from working at ground level.

Any fall protection training should also inform your staff about CE standards and test requirements and give staff an overview of legislation, regulations and codes of practice surrounding fall protection safety.

As well as the official training you and your staff should have, you need to encourage them to use their common sense and develop a strong sense of safety. It’s often when we let our guards down that accidents happen so encourage your staff to keep vigilant and always be aware of their own safety and the safety of those around them.

 

Rail Equipment – Hydraulic Jacks

April 21st, 2011

Hydraulic Jacks are used in railway maintenance for lifting rail carriages and rails. Hydraulic Jacks need to be checked and tested regularly to ensure that they adhere to all safety conditions and are working to the best of their ability. If you use hydraulic jacks in rail maintenance you need to ensure that they are tested and inspected and that all results are officially recorded.

Inspection

During inspection the jack is inspected for any physical damage such as missing, broken or fractured parts and also for any oil leaks.

If the external appearance of the jack appears to be damaged then it is stripped down and carefully examined internally.

The lifting and lowering mechanism is checked and the hydraulic oil level is measured. If there is a problem that can be fixed repairs are carried out and the jack is then re checked.

Testing

Hydraulic Jacks need to be regularly and rigorously tested. During the testing process the jack is operated to its full extension and receives 25% more pressure than what is considered a safe working load.

This load is maintained for 15 minutes, after which time the release valve is activated and the jack is lowered and carefully inspected again.

This process is then repeated at half extension. If an overload valve is fitted this is then reset at between 5% and 10% over the safe working load and the jack re-tested at its safe working load as outlined above.

A load of 1% of the Jacks safe working load is then applied to ensure the jack fully retracts from its maximum to minimum height within an acceptable time frame.

When working within the railway industry safety is of the upmost importance. Hydraulic Jacks and other maintenance equipment should be very carefully checked under agreed conditions on a regular basis.

Those carrying out safety checks should be well trained and fully qualified and all results should be carefully recorded to ensure that there is a clear record of any safety issues which may arise during checking.

Hydraulic Jacks are an important part of railway maintenance and ensuring that all hydraulic jacks used meet safety requirements is an essential part of maintaining safe railways.

 

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