Bucket trucks are not cranes

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Hmmm...in Dave's picture of his material handler I see that there is a person in the bucket. This would make the MH a crane I think.

IN the Z133 standard there are very limited times when a climber can be supported by the crane while taking a load at the same time. Mahk Adams has written a great article on this. It seems to me that using a MH as a crane would have to follow the same Z133 procedures.

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I don't think so Tom as it is the designed use of the lift and used all of the time in the utility industry.
 
Lot of stuff going on here. Chance of impact, swing etc.

Also; the length of each telescoping arm and angle of each could be different with each load; giving varying force matrices. So, what works once; could go wrong the next time because length, angles, impact and swing etc. "dials" are set to different multiplier positions to produce cumulative forces incurred.

What about rigging off tree, then down to bucket (after friction on tree as support and reverse/pivot) through slip friction of Porty or 8. Then forces are reduced before bucket, slipped at bucket if too much, and pulling up against your weight; rather than down with it? Still some danger, but if sideways forces on bucket minimized/eliminated probably safer overall. Then could bend support leg to load with bucket up to 20 degrees to steer to LZ.

i think in the pic of using 1 unmanned bucket for crane; it would be safer if rigged from the first knuckle closest to truck becasue of arm construction and the first could be angled nearer to 30 degrees and not perpendicular to loading as shown.

Buckets and cranes are only as good as the weakest chain in their system; including the ground they stand on.
 
Dan,

I understand what a MH is designed to do. But...if the MH is being used as a crane then I would think that the applicable Z133 standards would take effect.

This is the contrary arguement that arbos use, and the Z133 supports, for cranes to be used for supporting the climber AND a load. In order for an arbo to do this there are very narrow criteria that have to be met.
 
I have always been told Bucket Trucks are used for people and never ever lower something down with them. If you need to lower something down use a crane or another tree. Buckets are awesome pieces of equipment but they have to be heavily maintained and operated by experienced foreman or climbers.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm...in Dave's picture of his material handler I see that there is a person in the bucket. This would make the MH a crane I think.

IN the Z133 standard there are very limited times when a climber can be supported by the crane while taking a load at the same time. Mahk Adams has written a great article on this. It seems to me that using a MH as a crane would have to follow the same Z133 procedures.

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The original application for the style bucket pictured is for powerline work. Mine is set up for two buckets plus the winch. I removed one of the buckets to get it out of the way. But the original design is so that two men can work from their respective buckets while using the winch to lift a transformer into position in between the two workers. I have no idea how that type of use might be categorized under the Z but knowing that my bucket is designed to handle those type of loads makes me much more comfortable when lifting loads.

In a standard bucket I will agree that loads should be limited to what the operator can grab and toss (weightwise). Everywhere I've ever worked, rigging off the bucket or using the bucket to lift a load was strictly prohibited.
 
I have spent way more time flying bucket trucks doing power line work than I ever have or most likely ever will doing tree work.That said,some are in fact designed to be used as lifting devices,some are not.

The contractors I worked for had 55 foot Hi-Ranger FI booms,fully insulated,fiberglass.They were designed to lift men,not material.We had Pittman pole cat II line trucks for lifting transformers,poles etc.Had any of the crews I was general foreman over ever lifted a pole or some thing with the bucket boom,I would have fired them on the spot or my superintendant would have fired me.They never did and he never did.
 
The rating on the bucket is for when the booms are stretched out , that is the safe working load so the truck won't flip . Anyone lowering limbs from a bucket doesn't understand how the truck was built .It is pretty clear how the bucket is attached to the boom , take it off one day it's not rocket science. There are two main hydraulic cylinders on the bottom of both booms , lowering and pushing sideways with a boom places too much stress on the cylinders . Dirt , grit , and abuse of the truck are a recipe for repacking a cylinder.
Those cylinders are the same cylinders on dump trucks . A friend of my old mans , did tree work his whole life , working for another company he was lowering a limb off the bucket , the boom failed , cylinder failed ( check valve blew) cut his gut all up because his saw was still running inside the bucket and he died in surgery . I trust buckets but I understand how they are built .
 
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