Creativity

The MEGALIFT team was called upon to use its flair and creativity to devise a solution for a problem involving a tanker of dangerous chemicals. The tanker, which had become bonded to its trailer, needed to be moved to a safe place for disposal.

The chemicals were extremely flammable, and as such the whole building had to be cocooned to create a safety bubble. This created difficulties in lifting the vessel. Health and safety officers in charge of the area would not sanction the removal of any of the protective cocoon during the lifting of the vessel; this greatly reduced the options open the engineers.

The MEGALFT team was brought in to assist with the safe removal of the vessel and initially carried an engineering study and risk assessment. From this they created a novel solution to the problem.

The MEGALIFT tracks were laid, travelling from outside the protective sheeting through and up to the vessel. The MEGALIFT jacking legs were erected on the tracks outside the protective sheeting. 12 metre lifting beams were fitted to the MEGALIFT system creating two long arms with which to lift the vessel. To counter balance the weight of the vessel during lifting, 20t of ballast was attached to the rear of the system.

It was agreed that the vessel needed to be lifted at several points while monitoring the load, to ensure the integrity of the vessel and the safe handling of the chemicals. Several slings were therefore passed around the body of the vessel. At each lifting point a Load Shackle was attached enabling the loading to be monitored accurately.

The MEGALIFT system was moved along its tracking until the slings could be attached to the lifting beams by means of lever hoists. The vessel was then removed from the building by reversing the MEGALIFT system along its tracks. Plastic sheeting was placed over the vessel as it emerged to protect it from the elements.

Everyone was extremely pleased that the potentially dangerous vessel had been removed safely thanks to the care and creativity applied by the MEGALIFT team.