Man riding cages are often the most flexible and safest way to move personnel, their tools, and associated materials around a construction site.
Also known as man riding baskets, man riding cages offer cost-effective solutions for accessing locations either at height or in sunken chambers.
Hird Lifting can supply man riding cages – which are also known as access cages – for hire or for sale of all types, with competitive rates for long-term hire.
Crane or forklift
Man riding baskets can either be lifted with a crane, or with a forklift truck or telehandler.
There are many uses for man riding cages, including:
- Inspection or repair of large structures
- Lifting personnel, tools and materials to work locations at height
- Moving personnel from one at height location to another
- Gaining access to large below-ground chambers, such as rail ventilation shafts
- Emergency recovery of personnel from difficult-to-reach locations
Hird Lifting Manager James Carr said: “Hird is well-known as a supplier of advanced powered access equipment and cranes for working at height.
“However, we also supply a comprehensive range of man riding cages of all sizes and types, because we see their value as a highly effective low-cost solution.
“Where there is a tower crane on a work site, using a man riding basket to gain access to high structures is often quicker and more cost effective than using cherry pickers and scissor lifter.
“Also, on taller structures, man riding cages are the only sensible solution because of the extreme heights involved.”
Different types
Hird Lifting can supply for hire or for sale man riding cages of different sizes:
- 1-person man riding cage – often used to access confined areas at height, such as spaces between buildings
- 2-person man riding cage – a popular choice where personnel need to support each other when working at height (pictured right)
- 4-person man riding cage – often used as a personnel transporter, or where two personnel work with heavy tools or a stock of materials
- Stretcher cages – for rescuing injured or ill personnel.
Hird Lifting can also supply specialist man riding baskets, such as one designed to give easy access to areas under roof soffits.
James Carr said: “We supply a lot of glazing installers, and they value the use of man riding cages that allows them to get underneath roof lines.
“With ever larger sections of structural glass being fitted to modern high-rise buildings, this is essential. It’s also one of the reasons they are known as access cages.
“Man riding cages allow their teams to work quickly, flexibly and safely to fit glazing that would otherwise be highly challenging without this working at height solution.”
Stretcher cages
Hird Lifting also supplies stretcher man riding cages, which are designed to take a stretcher and patient, fully horizontally, along with an emergency professional to provide medical aid, if needed, while in transit.
James Carr said: “Many contractors will require a stretcher man riding cage to be kept on large construction sites, especially where tower cranes are deployed.
“We offer excellent hire rates for stretcher man riding cages, because we realise the over-riding aim is not to ever have to use them.”
Man riding cages (or baskets) are designed to be highly safe, and very robust to ensure personnel are protected at all times.
Hird Lifting sources its man riding cages from leading UK supplier Conquip, and Eichinger, a German manufacturer, with a global reputation for design, reliability and safety.
Safety critical
The man riding baskets have captive four-leg top chains for attaching to crane hooks. They also have forklift pockets to allow them to be lifted with a forklift truck or telehandler.
Most models have a solid roof to protect from collision and object falls. Personnel are protected from falling by being harnessed to a safety rail which forms part of the man riding basket’s tough steel cage.
Many also have a tool tray on the front of the cage for safe storage and easy access to equipment.
James Carr said: “Safety and service is of paramount concern to us. All our man riding cages are LOLER tested every six months. If the equipment is out on hire we will come to site to carry out the test free of charge.
“Man riding cages are a very flexible, inexpensive option for moving personnel to work places at height, and we can meet all requirements for their use.”
For more information about man riding cage hire from Hird Lifting, call 0203 1742551 or email [email protected]
