Reid lifting provides safe solution for accessing flood defences

When Bam Nuttall Ltd completed new flood defence work for the Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium and Environment Agency at Huckers Bow, near Weston Super Mare on the Bristol Channel, UK, it had to install the maintenance and inspection ladder without loops because there is a risk that loops could be damaged by debris around the tidal outfall.

Bam Nuttal approached Reid Lifting distributor, Safety First Lifting, for advice on the simplest and safest way for engineers to access the ladder to inspect the defences and the tidal outlet flap valve and Safety First recommended a Reid double winched T-Davit. This is an easy to maintain, non-permanent solution which provided the level of fall protection required.

Reid’s sales manager joined Safety First Lifting to demonstrate the system to the engineers on site. Bam Nuttall liked the fact that the aluminium T-Davit was lightweight and portable enough to be stored locally and assembled quickly and easily on site by one person. The company also liked the fact that the socket for the T-Davit was flush and unobtrusive on the concrete footpath next to the safety handrail.

The Reid double winched T-Davit is specially designed for fall protection applications, including confined space entry. It is suitable for use by a single user and comes with a double shackle head for attaching a wide range of fall arrest devices.

For Huckers Bow, Safety First Lifting specified a custom designed model manufactured in Reid’s Chepstow factory with a 2m high, 28kg column and a 1.6m radius beam arm. The lifting height ranges from 1954mm to 2495mm and the personnel lifting capacity is 150kg, easily meeting the requirements laid down by Bam Nuttall.

The EN795: 2012 certified Reid T-Davit comes with a range of winch bracket options and a sheave at both ends of the beam for attaching either a rope or cable. Because it is manufactured in marine grade aluminium, it can withstand years of heavy weather exposure without rusting.

Steve Marshall, managing director of Safety First Lifting, said, “Bam Nuttall had originally looked at safety harnesses to access the ladder, but we were able to demonstrate just how much easier the Reid T-Davit was to use and store. It is extremely user-friendly and will give decades of trouble-free use.”

The Huckers Bow flood defence protects around 300 houses, park homes and caravans from the risk of flooding.