JLG Industries, Inc.
World-leading access equipment manufacturer
____
McConnellsburg, PA
After 80 years of New Orleans’ humid summers, a distribution facility for Lafarge, one of the largest cement producers in the United States and Canada, was literally crumbling. So the company called in a team of maintenance experts to salvage it.
David Soch and Emmett Moore quickly compiled a laundry list of maintenance problems, ranging from mechanical issues with the gates used to control the flow of cement, to changing the light bulbs that illuminated the truck loading area. In the process, they also identified the tools needed to complete the facility overhaul more safely, while reducing their employees’ exposure to risk.
An Ideal Solution
Many of the maintenance tasks required terminal employees to work at varying heights, from changing a light bulb at 8 feet, to repairing a cement-dispensing spout at 14 feet. The maintenance staff tried ladders, scissor lifts, and permanent and mobile work platforms to complete these tasks, but nothing satisfied the working height and mobility needs they faced.
While searching for alternatives, Soch and Moore came across the LiftPod® by JLG, a personal, portable aerial work platform. They were impressed by the enclosed platform, which is safer than the ladders they had used previously. “The LiftPod could be used in most places to provide safer reach than a ladder and required less set up overall,” said Moore.
The LiftPod could be used in most places to provide safer reach than a ladder and required less set up overall.
An Inspection a Day Keeps the LiftPod in Play
When the team was tasked with completing a thorough inspection of a group of storage silos, they opted to use the LiftPod rather than a ladder. “We had to inspect every barrel valve, electronic component and solenoid on each of the 12 silos,” said Moore. “Using the LiftPod, the entire inspection took only one day to complete. If we had used a ladder, we would have had to add another two days to the project.”
One of a Kind
Based on their many successes with the product, Soch and Moore are looking forward to sharing the LiftPod with colleagues at Lafarge’s many locations throughout the United States. “Many teams might be using ladders or scissor lifts simply because they don’t think they have another option,” said Soch. “There has never been something like the LiftPod that can help with so many maintenance applications. We believe we have established a symbiotic relationship between safety, productivity, and efficiency by adopting the Liftpod into our tool arsenal.”