Ever have someone say, “Hey, it’s not my first rodeo?” Once you have some experience with bucket trucks and digger derricks you know there are some things worth “bringing to the rodeo” to keep everyone safe, like outrigger pads. We were doing a little research on the web and came across some new reasons why we think DICA outrigger pads are the best and discovered that DICA outrigger pads are actually used in a rodeo. Not the kind with horses and bulls, but the annual International Lineman’s Rodeo. DICA has been the official outrigger pad for the Lineman’s Rodeo for many years. … [Read more...]
Outrigger Safety Setup Checklist
Yeah .. so the UEP Guys are a week early, just a part of what we deliver with our PROMPT, Responsive Service. Public service announcement first ... this is NOT the weekend to set your clocks ahead, that is next weekend and only for those you impacted! But with Spring right around the corner, complete with making the ground soft with melting snow and rain aplenty, the timing seemed perfect to blog about bucket truck safety. Poor ground conditions are a leading cause of crane and aerial equipment tip-overs. In fact, 50% of crane and aerial equipment incidents occur because of … [Read more...]
Aerial Lift Safety 101
Tree care companies use aerial lift machines to get into safe, stable positions to make chain saw cuts aloft. The newer units have many updated options to choose from, but one thing hasn’t changed – the importance of operating these machines properly and safely. Allow us to give you some helpful safety tips for operating your aerial lift. You may have heard some of these before, but a refresher course never hurts. Here’s the Safety 101 part … A simple safety and function check should take place prior to aerial lift operation, to include an inspection for loose pieces/parts, cracked or … [Read more...]
Outrigger Pads … Small, but Mighty!
Bucket trucks and cranes are equipped with outriggers to ensure stability when the truck is being used. Outriggers act as balances to keep the machines from leaning too much to one side or the other; they lift the entire truck off the ground – tires and all. If that sounds unbelievable to you, you may want to read our blog titled Bucket Truck Hydraulics. Large hydraulic truck cranes are used to lift heavy loads so it’s necessary that the truck be stable during the lifting operation. Even though the crane’s tires are large and wide, they are not enough. Functional outriggers are critical for … [Read more...]