Lever hoist insight: Automatic locking

The LB series is suitable for heavy traction, lifting and tensioning applications under rough conditions and is used in overhead line engineering and other industries.

This hoist with the safety lock has a load capacity of up to 9,000kg, a sheet steel housing, and a nickel-plated load chain with chain freewheel shifting. Kito says it is light, while in overhead line construction, for example, cables can be tensioned and lifted, or metal components can be clamped and secured. The safety lock is activated automatically and Kito claims the hoist can hold the load stably in any event.

Harald Hormann is a safety specialist at German infrastructure services business Omexom Hochspannung. Hormann manages occupational safety for transformation, transmission, high-voltage, overhead power lines, and substations utilising Kito LB series lever hoists.

“Safety in overhead power line construction means that every employee comes home healthy, and accidents are avoided. There is nothing worse for us as safety specialists than employees who are injured on the job and we get a call that an accident happened,” he says.

“The lever hoist is the most universal and important tool we have in overhead power line construction. It is used to tighten and lift ropes and to pull and clamp metal parts together.

“The main characteristics a chain hoist should have in overhead power line construction are it should be light, easy to operate, and the lever hoist must be powerful enough to endure tough work situations. We have chosen the LB-SL with the additional safety locking module because we have been observing the discussion in the industry for over 14 years. It is repeatedly reported that chain hoists slip from time to time. This worries us, as a company.

“The development of the LB-SL came at exactly the right time. With the extension of the existing chain hoist we can achieve a much higher level of safety in the area of overhead power line installations.

“This means that chain hoists can no longer slip through, in the case of a friction brake failure. The new SL module prevents this. The gain in security is exactly what we were missing.

“In our discussions with Kito, the aspect that equipment may have to be produced from scratch came up quickly. This would affect the whole market. As an alternative, the smart solution of upgrading an existing chain hoist was considered. Kito adopted this idea appropriately and at the right time.

A lot of time, effort and intelligence have been invested in ensuring we now have a smart product. This leads to the fact that we can continue to use our existing chain hoists. An additional module that is installed during the regular inspection, which means the chain hoist, has a safety increase without purchasing a new set of chain hoists.”