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Setting the benchmark for UK Waste Authorities, North London Heat and Power are creating one of the most advanced Energy Recovery Facilities (ERF’s) in the world. The new EcoPark will turn non-recyclable rubbish into heat and electricity. Operating under strict regulations, the new site will become one of the cleanest and safest ERF’s in the world.
Beyond waste management, EcoPark site facilities showcase several technologies designed to create safe and productive workplaces. One of the features of the site is lighting access equipment. EcoPark maintenance engineers will benefit from raising and lowering equipment which eliminates the need to work at height.
Edmonton EcoPark has been in operation for the last 50 years, turning around 55 tonnes of non-recyclable rubbish into energy every day. Recovering energy from rubbish is nothing new but it is cleaner than ever and making a big impact on reducing landfill. North London’s rubbish creates heat and hot water for 50,000 businesses and electricity to power 127,000 homes.
As the London population has increased, so has the volume of waste to process. Major investment in a new EcoPark is leading the way in sustainable waste management, eliminating the need to send rubbish to landfill.
“Our commitment to health and safety is underpinned by our safety-first culture. We’re dedicated to setting a benchmark for and driving excellence in safe construction practices.”
North London Waste Authority
Lighting is an essential element of any public or commercial facility. Many businesses have already made the switch to LED to reap efficiency benefits of lower energy use combined with longer operating life. Even with the use of more reliable lighting technology, maintenance of suspended assets remains a health and safety risk.
Requiring engineers to work at height, lighting often accounts for a significant proportion of maintenance hours. Access equipment is not only an additional business expense in terms of purchase, maintenance, and staff training, but it is also disruptive to operations. Halting activities and restricting an area for maintenance activities is not convenient for high-throughput or 24-hour operations, having a direct impact on the bottom line.
The UK Health and Safety Executive states that the best way to reduce injuries in the workplace is to avoid the need to work at height altogether. This is easier said than done for businesses with legacy infrastructure. For North London Heat and Power, building a new EcoPark is the ideal opportunity to install lighting access equipment which eliminates the need to work at height.
EcoPark project stakeholders specified the need for lighting hoists across the new site to provide fast and easy access to objects suspended at height. A lighting hoist attaches a suspended fixture to a ceiling structure, ready to lower and raise the asset for maintenance.
Lighting hoists are available with a range of controls, including 100 metre range wireless control and IP67-rated hardwired control options. Engineers will be able to lower a lighting fixture to ground level for maintenance, within a couple of minutes.
EcoPark have purchased 147 self-contained HD-20M dual wire lighting hoists, complete with ceiling mounted brackets and rectangular light mounting brackets. This lighting hoist range is suitable for self-installation or installation by Penny Hydraulics engineers.
The result of installing the lighting hoists is consistently fast and safe access to objects suspended at height. Lighting hoists are also ideal for accessing all kinds of assets, such as environmental controls, CCTV, and sensors. The potential for this kind of access equipment to reduce health and safety risks cannot be overstated.
Moisture- and dust-rich environments like an Energy Recovery Facility are able reap the benefits of a lighting hoist system due to ingress protection – available with IP54 or IP65 rating depending on the application.
All lighting hoist systems are tested and certificated to LOLER regulations with the option to have annual servicing which ensures lifting equipment remains safe and compliant.
