3 Grave Mistakes to Avoid When Using Mobile Column Lifts

Mobile column lifts, such as Maha’s Extreme Duty 7.5 Ton Wireless column lifts, are extremely useful pieces of equipment, helping your workshop to operate more efficiently. But if these advanced pieces of machinery are not operated using the correct safety protocols, accidents can occur, which can result in serious injury and damage to property.

Here are three crucial mistakes you should never make when operating mobile column lifts.

Ignoring the Weight Capacity

Mobile column lifts have specific weight capacity limits per column, as well as a total system capacity. Before operating your mobile column lift, it is crucial that you fully understand the maximum lifting capacity of each column and the combined system to ensure that you do not overload the system.

Overloading the lift can cause a malfunction, which can result in a collapse or tilt. This can cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle and serious injury to those nearby.

That being said, operators should never assume that the lift will handle the vehicle’s weight without verifying its specifications and always ensure that the vehicle’s weight is evenly distributed across all the lifting points.

Incorrect Vehicle Positioning

If you have positioned the vehicle incorrectly on the column lifts, uneven load distribution can occur and result in instability. Proper alignment with the lifting points is absolutely essential to avoid a shift or fall during the lifting process.

If the vehicle is incorrectly positioned, it could shift or fall, damaging both the lift itself and the vehicle. It can also put the operators and nearby personnel at risk.

Always ensure that you have checked and double-checked the positioning of the vehicle on the lifts before lifting, and make sure that the lifting points of the vehicle are correctly aligned with the lift’s arms and pads.

It’s generally a good idea to perform a test lift to ensure stability before lifting the vehicle to its complete and full height.

Not Synchronising the Columns

Mobile column lifts need to be synchronised, as this helps ensure that all the columns lift the vehicle simultaneously. If they are not properly synchronised, one lift might raise slower or faster than the others, causing instability and potentially resulting in a collapse or tilt. This can cause injury and damage to property.

To prevent this from occurring, you should always ensure that the communication systems between the columns are functioning correctly before starting the lift. The software used on these lifts should be updated and recalibrated when necessary, as recommended by the manufacturer.

If you notice any asynchronous movements, it is critical that you stop the lift immediately before proceeding and contact the manufacturer for advice.

At Maha, our mobile column lifts and other workshop equipment are designed to the highest quality and safety standards. Contact us now to find out more about our product range.