And that is exactly what INNOTECH did, together with IMAK Anlagenbau GmbH. Since 1997 IMAK has specialised in fields of activity such as machine engineering and installation, relocation of equipment, steelwork, servicing of paper machinery, bearing maintenance, etc. For regular maintenance and inspection tasks on a floating crane, the company required safe all-round access right to the tip of the crane, in order to prevent the user from falling into the water or onto the deck of the boat.
Discontinuous sections create a particular challenge
The ladder on the side of the floating crane is folded into regular sections, and this repeatedly interrupts the safety system. This means that the fall protection system can be positioned only in sections. In addition, the construction has no attachment points, and they cannot be mounted directly on the ladder because of its flexible folding function. An appropriate fall protection system has to ensure that secured access to the boom arm can be provided regardless of its inclination.
Development of a suitable rail system
Because the boom of the floating crane is generally inclined horizontally at the bottom, and then increasingly steeply further upwards, a special rail system with a TAURUS Allround slider was installed. Thanks to the integrated centrifugal brakes, the cable feed is blocked in the event of a fall, and so the fall height is very small. The floating crane can therefore be accessed safely and flexibly at any inclination, whether horizontal, sloping, or vertical - and the horizontal and vertical levels are thus connected.
The benefits of this special solution at a glance
- While working on the floating crane, the users are optimally secured in every section, regardless of the boom’s inclination
- The Allround slider protects not only vertically and horizontally, but also at intermediate angles
- Thanks to the slender structure of the rails and the positioning next to the walkway, it was possible to find a solution for the cramped situation
- The special sliding block connection does not constrain/impair the expansion of aluminium and steel bases, which can take place without restriction
