| TRAINER’S NOTEBOOK |


Slide, on-site with Al Jaber Heavy Lift & Transport WLL in Doha, Qatar recently. The crew received three days of training on a suite of Hydra-Slide equipment, including the HT300 Skidding System, 59-8-8D Hydra-Pac Synchronous diesel power pack and aluminum jacks.


The Donald Rigging crew receiving training on the Hydra-Pac Synchronous 40-6-4E Electric pump in Manitoba.


operation of the power unit, the skidding system and the turntable. Training was informative and very hands-on. We have learned about a few best practices and also pitfalls to look out for.” Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is a Texas-based electric utility specializing in electric substations and power transmission lines. Andy Cooper, safety and training manager at LCRA along with his crew recently received training on their new XLP150 extreme low profile skidding system and Hydra-Pac Synchronous power unit. Tis included jacking and sliding a real transformer to test the entire system. He explained why LCRA chose to invest in training: “If you don’t operate equipment as designed and intended, you can have negative results and potentially get someone hurt. Te training ensures all the right steps are taken and understood. I would rate the technical training very highly. Te Q&A and step-by-step instruction was perfect. Having a rep onsite during a move (albeit a practice move) was invaluable.”


HANDS-ON TRAINING Young said: “Sometimes I am on-site for the first project where the new Hydra-Slide systems are being used, and sometimes we do a dry-run in the client’s yard just to get them familiar with the set-up and operation of their equipment. I get people comfortable working with the equipment and from there I follow a procedure that aligns with the flow of our operating manual.” For Young, hands-on training with the equipment is an ideal scenario, though it isn’t always possible. He explained: “We are developing an online video training program now so that our clients can have remote access to practical, step by step instruction. It’s going to be very valuable for training new personnel or refreshing the crew’s knowledge before a project. Both on-site and video training focus on operation and troubleshooting. We know in the real world things don’t always go perfectly; for example, hydraulic hoses get connected backwards, or skid tracks aren’t set up completely parallel. We want our clients to feel prepared to safely handle these situations.” Janine Smith, vice president at Hydra-Slide, added: “Tis was a big year for on-site training; we performed training at facilities in


The Lower Colorado River Authority immersed in training.


Canada, the USA, Singapore and Qatar. Te scope of our training does not cover how to execute the job or comment on the client’s rigging plan, however we find that when the client fully understands how the equipment functions and how it is intended to be setup and operated, they are much more confident and better prepared to safely and successfully complete their tasks.” Young, who joined Hydra-Slide in 2012 with a background in engineering, said: “Give me a person who has experience of heavy rigging and a grasp of the English language, and even if they may not be familiar with modern jack and slide techniques I would be comfortable in training them. Once fundamentals are established, hands-on training puts the knowledge into real-world perspective.” Smith concluded: “We encourage all of our customers to


read and fully understand the operating manuals that come with the equipment, as well as ask any questions that they have about the intended applications, limitations or use of their Hydra-Slide systems. Te goal is that everyone is confident and prepared to operate these systems, and we will provide whatever level of after-sales support is requested.” <


INDUSTRIAL LIFTING EXCHANGE DECEMBER – JANUARY 2018 15


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