It is rare today for a commercial vehicle to be delivered without additional body building or conversion work. At the most basic level this could be ply lining for delivery vans while at the other extreme the interior could be kitted out as a mobile showroom, office or workshop to support some highly specialised application. More often than not the reality falls somewhere between the two and a popular option is to install racking or load handling equipment that makes it simpler and safer for staff to work.
Accidents and injuries related to manual handling still represent one of the biggest causes of lost worktime in the UK, according to the HSE. Avoiding risk by changing the work process is always preferable but not always possible. In any case operators have legal obligations and a duty of care which means they should provide suitable load handling equipment for their employees. This legislation has driven the uptake of such equipment in recent years but enlightened organisations now realise there are also efficiency, productivity and economic benefits. With no need to lift or handle loads employees remain productive, without fatigue and alert throughout the day. Diversity is also promoted as work no longer involves "heavy lifting". Innovations can simplify and shorten tasks.
With its comprehensive range of vehicle mounted cranes and platform lifts, Penny Hydraulics (www.pennyhydraulics.com) has worked with organisations across the public and private sectors to provide innovative solutions for their load handling applications. The company's well-known SwingLift crane range includes models with maximum working loads from 100 to 2000kg. These can be installed on almost any commercial vehicle from car derived vans upwards. Recent innovations include the new FV995 hydraulic crane with maximum working load of 995kg which negates the requirement for costly and complicated interlocking support legs. The vehicle platform lift range includes the SideLift, ideal for kerbside deliveries, the StepLift and Easyloader tail lift and the LoadLift which handles directly in and out of the load space, all with maximum working loads up to 500kg. Innovations this year include up-rated versions to provide this higher handling capacity, compact designs and weight saving measures to ensure maximum payload. Across the range, options and bespoke designs ensure operators can specify equipment uniquely suited to their specific requirement and application.
All of the company's products are designed and manufactured in the UK for robust and reliable performance without unduly affecting a vehicle's load carrying capacity. Penny Hydraulics offers comprehensive support including consultation, design, manufacture, installation, training and maintenance from its head office and through a nationwide network of service engineers.