DICA Outrigger Pads, Guthrie Center, Iowa, has introduced the ZeroLift Pad Rack, a crane accessory that eliminates the need for crane operators to lift and carry outrigger pads. The rack also makes transporting pads on a job site simple and safe.
The ZeroLift Pad Rack has a carrying capacity of 1,000 lbs. and adjusts to fit pad sizes to 48”x60”. Made of high-strength steel, the Pad Rack installs easily on the front or rear of rough-terrain cranes. A single hitch point allows the pad rack to fold up and out of the way when not in use. Mounted correctly, the pad rack has minimal effect on crane ground clearance and its 60-lb. weight does not affect a crane's lifting capacity. The ZeroLift Pad Rack can also hold other equipment, such as tool boxes, if needed.
Crane operators often haul outrigger pads on and off the fenders and decks of RT cranes, leading to unintentional damage of the crane. Lifting outrigger pads in this manner also exposes operators to potential back, foot, and hand injuries, as RT crane fenders and decks are typically more than 5 ft. off the ground.
“The ZeroLift Pad Rack provides a reliable and convenient method to store outrigger pads. It can virtually eliminate lifting injuries because outrigger pads are stored at an easy-to-access height where they can be slid instead of lifted,” said Kris Koberg, CEO of DICA.
Koberg further noted, “Crane owners understandably value any product that helps protect their EMR rating.” Insurance companies use the Experience Modification Rate (EMR) to gauge both cost of past injuries and future risk.
DICA offers more than 50 models of engineered outrigger pads that help employers with proper crane setup. Many of these models can be transported with the new ZeroLift Pad Rack, which DICA introduced to the crane rental industry at the SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop, Sept. 24-26, 2014 in Dallas, Texas.
According to Kerry Koberg, Global Sales Director for DICA, “Crane owners were intrigued by the simplicity and safety benefits ZeroLift can provide to their crews. The ZeroLift Pad Rack can really help pay for itself by protecting operators from injuries and limiting insurance claims.”
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
