Heavy duty workshop solution specialist TotalKare has issued a toolbox talk to highlight improper use of support stands.
Used in conjunction with mobile column lifts, a support stand enables the removal of a column to provide access to the wheel arch area of a vehicle. If a vehicle needs to be lifted for a sustained length of time, support stands can be used to free up mobile column lifts to be used elsewhere in the workshop.
TotalKare says its engineers have observed its support stands – which have a safe working load capacity of 7,500kg – being used incorrectly in multiple workshops across the UK.
The safety warning centres around tall and short support stands being used in unison on the same vehicle.
“TotalKare’s tall stands have a minimum height of 1520mm and short stands a minimum height of 1410mm,” warns Scott Gilliam, TotalKare’s Technical Manager, “While they may look to be similar heights, when used together it can compromise the stability of the vehicle being lifted and is very dangerous.”
He continues: “Our strong recommendation when multiple support stands are being used is that they are all either tall or shot – they should not be mixed.”
TotalKare’s tall and short support stands will be on their stand (E88) at next week’s Euro Bus Expo at Birmingham NEC, alongside their flagship T8DC mobile column lifts and four post lift.
