Rear Counterweights: Load Calculation and Safety Factor

This is often the make-or-break point for site safety. When the boom is extended forward at an angle under load, the entire machine's center of gravity shifts significantly forward and off-center. The rear counterweights (kentledge) act as ballast. In practice, the counterweight system must usually provide an anti-overturning safety factor of at least 1.5 to 2 times the rated load. These counterweights must be:

1. Physically Secured: Never just stacked loosely. Use clamp bars or threaded locking rods to tie the weights down as a single, immovable unit to prevent any bouncing or shifting during operation.
2. Evenly Distributed: Positioned at the extreme rear end of the base chassis to maximize the leverage arm.
3. Clearly Marked: Each individual weight must have its actual mass clearly labeled, allowing safety inspectors to quickly verify the total counterweight against the load chart.

Summary

Setting up this type of temporary gondola facing a prominent landmark is not simple machinery placement; it's a site-engineering task centered on managing the center of gravity. By correctly mounting the lifting winch, precisely angling the boom toward the target building, and applying sufficient, immovable counterweights at the rear, high-rise work can be completed safely. Any temporary suspended access equipment must be installed under the supervision of a competent person, and a static load test at 1.5 times the rated capacity, followed by a dynamic trial run, must be carried out before work commences.

Rear Counterweights: Load Calculation and Safety Factor

This is often the make-or-break point for site safety. When the boom is extended forward at an angle under load, the entire machine's center of gravity shifts significantly forward and off-center. The rear counterweights (kentledge) act as ballast. In practice, the counterweight system must usually provide an anti-overturning safety factor of at least 1.5 to 2 times the rated load. These counterweights must be:

1. Physically Secured: Never just stacked loosely. Use clamp bars or threaded locking rods to tie the weights down as a single, immovable unit to prevent any bouncing or shifting during operation.
2. Evenly Distributed: Positioned at the extreme rear end of the base chassis to maximize the leverage arm.
3. Clearly Marked: Each individual weight must have its actual mass clearly labeled, allowing safety inspectors to quickly verify the total counterweight against the load chart.

Summary

Setting up this type of temporary gondola facing a prominent landmark is not simple machinery placement; it's a site-engineering task centered on managing the center of gravity. By correctly mounting the lifting winch, precisely angling the boom toward the target building, and applying sufficient, immovable counterweights at the rear, high-rise work can be completed safely. Any temporary suspended access equipment must be installed under the supervision of a competent person, and a static load test at 1.5 times the rated capacity, followed by a dynamic trial run, must be carried out before work commences.