The mobile websites provides customers with the same information as the regular Mohawk Lifts site and has been optimized for browsing without a mouse and keyboard.
“Analytics show that traffic coming from mobile devices is increasing”, says Steve Perlstein, Sales Manager at Mohawk Lifts. “Creating the mobile site will allow access to Mohawk’s products at night and on weekends, when people may not be in front of a computer.”
The mobile site will automatically display when mohawklifts.com is accessed from a mobile device.
Steve Perlstein, President of Mohawk Resources, Inc., has been nominated by the National Small Business Administration as a finalist for the 2013 Small Business Person of the Year Award.
Mohawk was selected based upon growth in number of employees, increase in sales, positive financial performance, and economic importance to community involvement.
Whether you’re using two-post lifts for cars and light trucks or in-ground lifts for medium to heavy-duty vehicles, follow these basic rules.
If there were an incident in your garage involving a vehicle lift, the OSHA investigator would have three broad questions: What did you know? When did you know? What did you do about it?
Complying with American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) requirements is the key to keeping vehicle lifts at the highest possible safety level, sending technicians home safely at the end of each shift, and avoiding write-ups or hefty noncompliance fines.
1. Buy certified equipment and options
There’s only one nationally recognized safety standard for vehicle lifts: ANSI-ALI/ALCTV, administered by the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI/ETL).
ALI/ETL’s testing procedure involves rigorous third-party testing to verify manufacturers comply with current ANSI requirements as well as the International Building Code, which almost every state requires local governments to follow. To verify equipment status, look for the gold ALI/ETL certification tag (shown here) next to the lift’s control functions.
Although certification is good for the life to lift, older models may not meet the most current standards, which typically change every five to seven years. Some lifts and options that were certified in 2000 wouldn’t pass the 2012 standard.
Beware that using an uncertified option or accesory voids the lift’s certification. ALI/ETL standards for Operation, Inspection, and Maintenance (ALOIM 8. Replacement Parts) and Installation and Service (ALIS 6.2.6 Repair Service Parts) require all accessories, such as rolling jacks, truck adaptors, lighting for runway lifts, and special lifting pads, to be certified.
2. No locks = liability
You’ve heard the phrase, “Never use a jack without a jack-stand.” The same is true for vehicle lifts. Always raise the vehicle and then lower it onto the lift’s mechanical locks as required by ANSI. Refer to ALI safety manual Lifting it Right or the manufacturer’s operating instructions for detailed information.
When you’re walking through the shop, make sure techs are using the proper procedure. The photo at right shows the mechanical lock fully engaged.
An easy way to be sure the locks are being used is to include a weight gauge (a pressure gauge calibrated to the manufacturer’s lift) in lift specifications. The weight gauge must be made by the same manufacturer to ensure it’s properly calibrated to the lift cylinder size.
When you walk by a two post lift with a Ford F-150 on it and the weight gauge reads 4,900 pounds, that’s a sign the tech in that bay hasn’t lowered the lift onto the mechanical locks. If the gauge reads “0” the tech is operating the lift properly.
If by chance you’re using a 40-year-old, in-ground lift that doesn’t have locks, it’s time for a new lift. Although some lifts can be retrofitted with locks, in most cases it’s not the most cost-effective option. Older lifts that aren’t ALI/ETL-certified can’t be certified post-installation.
3. It’s easy to overload
Manufacturers of the most common lift two-post, side-by side models – man date that none of the four swing arms be overloaded.
For example: Many people would think that a 15,000 pound lift that’s loaded with a 14,000 pound ambulance isn’t near capacity.
But let’s say the front axle weighs 4,000 pounds and the back axle weighs 9,200 pounds. The per-arm capacity of 15,000 pound-rated lifts is 3,750 pounds. If one end of a vehicle weighs 9,200 pounds, each swing arm needs a minimum arm capacity of4,600 pounds for safe lifting.
Multiply this by four swing arms and the minimum capacity of your lift for this vehicle should be 18,400 pounds.
It’s easy to see why two-post, side-by side lifts are often overloaded , even though the total lift capacity hasn’t been exceeded. Look around your shop and determine if any lifts are being overloaded based on the heavy rear ends of work trucks.
4. Inspect equipment annually
ANSI/Automotive Lift Institute ALCTV Standard for Automotive Lifts – “Safety Requirements for Construction, Testing, and Validation” requires technicians to perform a daily operational safety check.
The code also requires an annual inspection by a qualified individual. Failing to do so exposes your agency to liabilities that could be associated with an injury if an accident were to happen. Contact your manufacturer or garage equipment sales company to schedule an inspection.
5. Training and testing
Like any product, lifts vary in style, type, capability, longevity, and warranty. But ANSI/ALCTV regulations – and all 15 ALl/ETL-certified manufacturers suggest annual maintenance and tech nician training to remain in compliance with safety regulations.
ANSI requires technicians to be trained annually in proper lift use. This may seem unnecessary, but think of everyone who drives a forklift in your facility. Every year the operators watch a safety video and take a test. The test results are added to each employees’ personnel file for documentation in case of a forklift incident.
The same applies to vehicle lifts.
Contact the Automotive Lift Institute, your lift supplier, or a local lift inspection company tor a copy of the 20-minute Lifting it Right video hosted by legendary NASCAR driver Richard “The King” Petty and his son, Kyle. Require your technicians to watch the video and pass a written test on lift operation and safety. – PW
– Steve Perlstein (sperlstein@mohawklifts.com) is government sales manager for Mohawk Lifts of Amsterdam, N. Y.
This truck is properly positioned on the lift, with the arms set against the lifting points.
Safety is a major consideration when lifting and working under an object weighing several tons. Resources are available to shop managers on lift inspection, proper operation, lifting procedures, and mechanic training.
GovernmentFleet.com – WebXclusive
By Paul Dexler
No matter the vehicle or service/repair job, it’s almost a certainty that doing the job requires getting under the vehicle. Years ago, that task meant working in a service facility or garage with a pit in the floor, but today, electro-hydraulic lifts are used to raise vehicles for technician access.
Safety becomes a major consideration when lifting an object weighing several tons and working under it. Steve Perlstein, sales manager for Mohawk Lifts, a major player in the field, offered guidelines to protect workers and equipment when using hydraulic lifts.
“The everyday task of raising a vehicle for service in the shop is something that should never be taken for granted,” Perlstein began. “Vehicle lifts are safe and productive shop tools that help get jobs done faster and more efficiently; yet the safety of vehicle lifts and the vehicles being raised and the safety systems of the lifts themselves is something that should never be overlooked.”
He noted every type of lift, whether a two-post side-by-side, in-ground, fore-and-aft lift, parallelogram, mobile, or four post ramp-style lift, has specific safety procedures for safely lifting the vehicles. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and OSHA standards require annual vehicle lift inspections by experienced lift professionals. In addition, ANSI and OSHA require mechanics using vehicle lifts be properly re-certified annually on their knowledge of how to use lifts.
Sources of Knowledge
Perlstein said resources are available to shop managers on issues of lift inspection, proper operation, lifting procedures, and annual training.
“The primary source for this safety information,” he said, “is the Automotive Lift Institute or ALI (www.autolift.org), an association of vehicle lift manufacturers. The mission of the ALI is promoting safe design, construction, installation, and use of vehicle lifts.”
Lifting procedures vary depending upon the lift type being used, noted Perlstein. This article focuses on the most popular type of vehicle lift, the two-post, above-ground style. These lifts range in capacity from as small as 10,000 lbs. to as large as 30,000 lbs. and are used for servicing passenger cars, light-, medium-, and even some heavy-duty trucks.
Know the Lifting Points
When the lift is set correctly, the weight is borne by the mechanical safety locks rather than by hydraulic pressure.
A two-post lift engages the vehicle frame or lifting points. Perlstein said given this simple fact, it is critically important lift operators always know the specific lifting points for every vehicle. To help shop technicians determine manufacturer-specific lift points, ALI members include a copy of the book, Lifting Point Guide (LPG) with every lift they ship. Providing the book, which covers 20 years of vehicles from all passenger car and truck manufacturers, with every lift is an ANSI/ALCTV lift standard.
Vehicle Weight is Critical
“Another critical issue to consider is the weight of the vehicle and the capacity of the lift,” Perlstein said. “This equation isn’t as simple as you think. Every brand of two-post lifts has four telescoping swing arms that actually support the vehicle. So, it’s vital to know the per-arm capacity (determined by dividing the total capacity of the lift by the four swing arms) so the arms will never be overloaded.”
Perstein explained further. “Let’s use the example of a 1-ton work truck with a standard load of tool boxes or service equipment. The lift we have is a 10,000-lb. capacity lift, meaning a maximum load of 2,500 lbs. per swing arm is the most we should try to lift. The truck we use in this example might only weigh 9,000 lbs. However, after putting the truck on a scale, we determine the rear axle has a weight of 6,000 lbs., while the front axle has a weight of 3,000 lbs. This means our 9,000-lb. truck is overloading our 10,000-lb. capacity lift because the 2,500-lb. rated rear arms are overloaded with 3,000 lbs. on them.”
Large work trucks are often much heavier at the rear than at the front. Lift capacity should be based on the actual weight of the truck.
Using Perstein’s example, raising the vehicle safely requires a 12,000-lb. capacity lift to accommodate the 6,000-lb. (heavy) rear end vehicle.
“Try this same example with one of your 13,000-14,000-lb. loaded utility trucks,” Perlstein said. “You’ll soon find the required lift for these vehicles (based on the likely 8,000-lb. rear axle) is in the 16,000- to 20,000-lb. capacity range.”
To emphasize safety, one manufacturer offers a scale on its lifts. The scale serves to alert techs if the lift is loaded near capacity. Yet, even this safety device won’t help with the situation Perlstein described, given that almost all work trucks are rear heavy.
When the scale reads no weight, the operator is assured the lift is being used properly by lowering the vehicle onto the mechanical safety locks rather than leaving the load raised under hydraulic pressure.
The ALI booklet titled Lifting It Right is another ANSI safety standard lift manufacturers are required to meet. Lifting It Right covers the proper procedures for safely raising all vehicles on all types of lifts. For example, the two-post side-by-side lift should always be slightly raised a few inches, at which time the mechanics should also jounce the front or rear bumper to make sure the vehicle is securely resting on the proper lifting points. Taking this step for granted could be the difference between a technician going home safely at the end of the work day versus a potential accident if operator error causes the vehicle to fall.
“Lifts are safe pieces of equipment and necessary in your shop,” Perlstein concluded. “Just as you’d always follow certain shop safety procedures such as wearing shop glasses or work gloves, following rules, understanding lifts and their abilities, and following suggested safety protocols are always recommended. Your family wants you to come home at night.”
New, fully-galvanized steel construction parallelogram lift is rust proof, making it ideal for wash bay environments. The galvanized parallelogram is available as surface or flush mounted in 36,000, 50,000, 75,000 and 100,000 lb. capacities with runway lengths from 26 ft. to 48 ft.
Shop productivity increases can be achieved by choosing the appropriate vehicle lift. Having the proper, most efficient lift for the intended application equates to helping a fleet have its vehicles spend more time on the street rather than in the shop.
“A higher percentage of usability of a fleet keeps more vehicles available, in use or making money for the company,” says Steve Perlstein, sales and marketing manager for Mohawk Lifts, a leader in lift technology (www.mohawklifts.com).
Regardless of what type lift a shop uses, there are increases in efficiencies to be had, he says. One specific example is the lifting speed of a mobile column lift.
MOBILE COLUMN LIFTS
“There are two types of mobile lifts: screw drive or hydraulic drive,” explains Perlstein. “A screw drive takes two to three minutes to reach full height and to drop down, while some hydraulic mobile lifts take just 60 seconds fort each operation.
“If a technician was to raise and lower a screw-driven lift four times a day, the efficiency difference is 20 minutes a day. Over a 200-day work year, the technician will have spent 26 hours raising and lowering a hydraulic mobile lift versus 80 hours operating a screw-drive mobile lift.
“If your internal overhead shop rate is $50 per hour, the efficiency difference in these two types of mobile lifts is $2,700 a year, every year, year after year.”
SIDE-BY-SIDE LIFTS
Two post side-by-side lifts, available in capacities from 10,000 to 30,000 pounds, are the most popular lift used, according to Perlstein. These lifts take up the least amount of shop space, give technicians the most under-vehicle access and leave tires hanging for wheel service.
If there is a single drawback, he notes, “It’s always the four to five minutes it takes to position the swing arms under the vehicle lifting points. Yet, there are some lifts that offer the convenience and access of a two post lift without the need to position all four swing arms.
“Essentially these optional accessories make the two post lift into an instant ‘on’ and instant ‘up.’”
FASTEST LIFT
The fastest lift to use is a drive-on lift, Perlstein says. Drive-on lifts range from the more popular four post type to parallelogram and scissor style lifts.
The speed of using drive-on lift, as the name infers, is that vehicles can be simply driven on the lift,” he says.
Look at the North Pole, specifically the white dot 400 miles south of center. This is the “Alert” military base and the furthest northern point of year round human habitation. Our estimate is the Alert base is over 4000 miles north of the Mohawk factory (red dot). Well they just purchased Mohawk mobile column lifts for their vehicle maintenance needs.
First opened in 1958 as Alert Wireless Station, call sign VDH, the station’s name changed to CFB (Canadian Forces Base) Alert as a result of Unification and it became a part of the Canadian Forces Supplementary Radio System.
The station’s mission is to maintain signals intelligence collection and geolocation facilities in support of the Canadian cryptologic program; to maintain radio frequency direction finding facilities in support of search and rescue (SAR) and other programs; and to provide support services to other organizations as directed. During the Cold War, Alert was a key asset in the UKUSA network of SIGINT collection stations.
Ron Veresko of Mohawk Lifts touring the NASCAR Hall Of Fame with King Richard Petty. The event was the Petty Family Foundation Charity Auction and Dinner. Ron was one of 4 member companies that were in attendance representing the Automotive Lift Institute.
ABC News aired this special report on President Obama’s new limousine. They take a tour of the garage where the presidents’ vehicles are retrofitted, repaired and maintained. Take a guess which brand of automotive lift the president’s limo gets lifted by…
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The mobile websites provides customers with the same information as the regular Mohawk Lifts site and has been optimized for browsing without a mouse and keyboard.
Whether you’re using two-post lifts for cars and light trucks or in-ground lifts for medium to heavy-duty vehicles, follow these basic rules.
Shop productivity increases can be achieved by choosing the appropriate vehicle lift. Having the proper, most efficient lift for the intended application equates to helping a fleet have its vehicles spend more time on the street rather than in the shop.
