The Challenge:
For an electrical utility company, employee safety is the highest priority. The company conducts testing on the insulation inserts for cherry picker truck baskets. This equipment ensures line workers repairing overhead power lines are shielded from potential electrical shock. However, the manual nature of this testing process created a significant physical burden. The insulation layers can measure up to 42" tall and 60" wide, and they weigh as much as 120 pounds. Previously, employees had to manually lift these heavy baskets, walk up steps, and hoist them into a water basin for high-voltage testing. This repetitive, strenuous labor posed a high risk of musculoskeletal injury, especially for a workforce where the average operator age is 55. After a staff member suffered a painful hernia injury, the company realized immediate ergonomic intervention was mandatory.
The Solution:
The company required a versatile lifting system capable of covering the entire testing area while fitting within confined space constraints that ruled out forklifts. A basic chain fall was also rejected due to the safety hazard posed by a dangling chain near the high-voltage testing tank. The solution was the installation of a Gorbel 500-pound capacity Free Standing Work Station Crane. Unlike traditional bridge cranes, these systems utilize a lightweight, enclosed track design that provides effortless movement and precise load positioning. This design makes them suitable for ergonomics and safety-sensitive environments. To fully service the unique geometry of the workspace, the system was configured as two perpendicular bridge crane systems that share common support columns.
The Execution:
The installation involved bolting the free-standing structure directly to the facility floor. This approach eliminated the need for complex, load-bearing overhead modifications. The system's low-profile steel track allowed for integration despite overhead door clearance limitations, which constrained the height on one side of the room to 8 feet 6 inches. To ensure maximum lift capacity, the perpendicular system was designed with a floor-to-trolley clevis height of 10 feet 2 inches at the basin area. Workers can now easily guide the crane bridge and trolley to position the heavy baskets with precision. This action eliminates swaying and reduces physical push-pull forces to a fraction of the original requirement.
The Result:
The implementation of the Gorbel crane achieved the primary goal. One person can now perform tasks that previously required two or three employees. Beyond the immediate labor-saving benefits, the objective of eliminating the risk of injury was fully achieved. The workers, who previously faced daily physical strain, have adapted quickly to the ergonomic solution. Many note that their daily operations have become safer and easier.