Limpet L5 awarded for innovation

The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association’s inaugural Product Innovation Award has gone to Limpet Technology for its Limpet L5. The award was announced at the LiftEx 2012 exhibition in Coventry on 29 November.

The Limpet L5 is a portable unit that provides climb assistance to workers who need to access high structures and measures 658 x 506 x 403 mm and weighs 65 kg. It gives a constant tight rope from above, meaning that fall prevention is built-in and slips are arrested within 10 mm, the company said. The Limpet’s controls can also be used to simultaneously lower two people to the ground, which is useful in a medical emergency at height.

Geoff Holden, chief executive of the LEEA, said, “The judges were unanimous in their admiration for the Limpet L5, which demonstrates that greater efficiency and improved safety can go hand in hand. Working at height is a major challenge for the lifting industry and there is no doubt that the Limpet L5 will prove an invaluable asset for many people working in the field.”

John Jones, managing director at LTM, said, “We have only been marketing the Limpet L5 for a matter of months and the response has been extremely positive. It is particularly useful in applications that put a real strain on workers in terms of climbing, such as stage rigging and wind turbine maintenance. This award underlines what a major step forward the Limpet represents in terms of both speed and safety.”

The L5 operates from a 220/240 V AC, 16 A, 50/60Hz single phase power supply and is suitable for users weighing 40 kg to 140 kg. It is fully compliant with the HSE ’08 Type Test and is distributed in the UK by Lift Turn Move Limited (LTM).