One of the risks to the workforce with drilling rigs was the weight of the percussion hammers. The heaviest weighs 124kg with the drill bits attached and is in excess of the maximum permitted for manual handling.
The main dangers that are present with this operation are injuries to the back and trapped fingers. To overcome this, a hammer lifting device was conceived. Through using chains and masts, the driller is able to guide the hammer from the safety of his cab.
The hammer is left on the floor with the plant tracked up and the mast is positioned above the hammer. The adaptors are attached to the rotation motor tube adaptor and hammer top, the chain is then connected to the rotation motor lift eye and passed through the dust collector pot and guide rings and finally attached to the top of the adaptor hammer adaptor lifting eye. The operator then returns to the cab so there is now no one in the lift area.
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