Geda to secure crane operators on La Pepa bridge
26 March 2012
Operators of the Comansa crane being used on the La Pepa bridge construction in Cadiz, Spain, have easy and safe access to their cab via a Geda 2 PK crane operator lift.
The crane is installed on one of the 180 metre bridge pylons and with it the German made Geda 2 PK. It was installed by long-standing Spanish partner, Turbo Iber, which also rented the rack and pinion lift to the construction company onsite.
The La Pepa bridge will link Cádiz, on a promontory, to Puerto Real on the Spanish mainland. The existing bridge can no longer cope with the volume of traffic, which is around 40,000 vehicles a day. The new suspension bridge is expected to greatly alleviate the traffic congestion in the region. It should halve the transit time between town and port.
With an overall length of more than 3 km, La Pepa will be the longest bridge in Spain. The longest anchoring cable is 540 m.
The Geda crane-operator lift is used to quickly transport personnel to high worksites. It eliminates the risk and fatigue from climbing and the workplace is reached safely and quickly irrespective of the weather conditions, the mnanufacturer said.
The Geda 2 PK is designed to transport two people, with a payload of 200 kg. This also means that material required for maintenance can be carried at the same time. Lift speed is 25 metres a minute and the maximum transportation height of the lift is 120 m. Greater heights are possible on request.
The cage has an entry ramp, so that access to the crane is completely safe. When opening the cage door, the small ramp with side protection, folds down and, together with the access barrier, forms secure access to the crane.
Geda said, "While it is already obligatory to use crane operator lifts in different Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands, there is no uniform European regulation. Because more and more companies realise how many advantages the use of a crane operator lift has, the Geda 2 PK is becoming more popular."
The lift can also be used to safely recover an injured or ill crane operator without needing a helicopter.
The lift is designed to be easy to assemble and is operated from the control panel in the cage with an additional option to control it externally.
The Geda 2 PK is designed for use with all types of cranes from all manufacturers.
The bridge is expected to be complete in time to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution. The Constitution came into effect on the Saint Joseph's day - in Spanish "Pepa" after whom the bridge is named.
