Beam hoists beat theatre parking ban – that deserves an ovation!
Hird Lifting has designed, delivered, and tested three beam hoist systems used by contractors renovating one of London’s most famous theatres.
The lifting equipment was needed because space around the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith was so limited that there was no space for materials to be stored at ground floor level.
That meant building materials and equipment had to be delivered just in time, then lifted off the ground to upper floor work areas within minutes of arrival.
Hird Lifting, part of Hird Group, was commissioned by the project’s scaffolding contractor to design, supply, and test three beam hoist systems so the rapid-lift process could work.
Heavy duty electric power travel hoists
Two two-tonne, and one three-tonne heavy duty electric power travel hoists, along with the beams, were supplied by Hird Lifting, ready to be installed by the scaffolders.
Hird Lifting Manager James Carr said: “The hoists were dual-speed, with a creep speed for fine positioning, and installed to take materials and equipment to three different levels on the site.
“The two two-tonne beam hoists were installed on one side of the building. One reached a lower landing, the other lifted to a higher level.
“The three-tonne beam hoist was installed around the corner, on the south side of the theatre, where it could lift loads up to a height of 20 metres, and carry them along a 15-metre runway beam.
“It was needed because the flooring on that side of the building was too fragile to allow loads to be lifted and transported through the building in the conventional way.”
Hird carries out LOLER testing
Hird Lifting also LOLER-tested the three beam hoists on behalf of the scaffolding company to give it, and the main contractor, assurance that the equipment could handle the load weights expected of them.
James Carr said: “Our clients are very pleased and impressed with the beam hoists. They have asked us to relocate one of them to lift to a higher level, something that can easily be done because of the simplicity of the lifting equipment.
“This project demonstrated that we do not just supply lifting equipment for sale and for hire. We can deliver complete lifting solutions for a wide range of construction and refurbishment projects.”