Hoist & Winch designs bespoke electric winch system for ‘wet room’

Among many notable recent successes, Hoist & Winch Ltd has come to the assistance of a large UK plant rental company with a very specific request. The company wanted a bespoke electric-powered winch lifting system to raise and lower large vinyl-type sheets in a purpose-built ‘wet area’. With no challenge too demanding, Hoist & Winch stepped up to the task.

At the heart of the Hoist & Winch system are four floor-mounted Yale RPE 400V three-phase winches offering 150kg swl (safe working load) and 20 Pfaff roof-mounted diverter pulleys coupled to four 12m long tubular spreader beams. Each winch raises and lowers one of the 12 m long spreader beams which attach to the vinyl sheet via load-bearing karabiner clips. Each vinyl sheet weighs approximately 60kg.

The customer can operate all four winches individually via their own wall-mounted, low-voltage pendant controls, allowing the lifting of a single vinyl sheet as required at any time. The innovative winch system raises the vinyl sheets safely and in a level position. This capability permits easy drying of the vinyl sheets after pressure washing, a process that removes any unwanted residual substances from the most recent hire job.

Each winch sits in purpose-manufactured mounting frames secured to the floor using four Hilti expansion anchors. The frame design allows orientation of the winch rope pay out at 90° to the first diverter pulley.

The room in which the washing, lifting, drying and lowering of vinyl sheets takes place is a purpose-built and enclosed ‘wet area’ with a cambered floor and drainage around the perimeter to support the removal of excess water during cleaning. Hoist & Winch Ltd provided PVC weather covers for the winch control panels to ensure safety at all times.

Ultimately, the system designed by Hoist & Winch Ltd significantly improves the whole operation to facilitate a quicker and far less labour-intensive turnaround of the vinyl sheets during busy periods of hire.

The scope of supply for Hoist & Winch Ltd included all pre-installation survey work to ensure correct the alignment and positioning of each winch, diverter pulley and all associated equipment, including top and bottom hook geared limit switches. The company also provided installation (using electric scissor lifts for working at height) over a seven-day period and subsequent commissioning. Further responsibilities included all wiring and load testing of the whole system. Once complete, Hoist & Winch Ltd issued a LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) ‘Thorough Examination’ report.

To ensure smooth handover, Hoist & Winch Ltd undertook comprehensive operator training covering: overview of the winch units and main components; operating controls and features; periodic checks and lubrication; annual inspection, service and certification requirements; and practical operation by each operator.

Hoist & Winch Ltd Director Andy Allen says: “This project set out a number of important stipulations to which we had to respond comprehensively and efficiently. A successful outcome that meets with the project’s ambitions, delivered on-time and on-budget, is our primary aim. Once again our professional and experienced team of engineers here at Hoist & Winch Ltd came up with a safe, reliable, high-performance solution to the satisfaction of our valued customer.”

Visit www.hoistandwinch.co.uk for further information and to view recent case studies.