NNEWSEWSIn brief...
10 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking August 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.comWOOD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY USES PROFESSIONAL
POWER TOOLS FROM BOSCH FOR A SAFE OUTLOOK
The view over the Traunstein mountain does
not bode well. Dark clouds hang over the peaks
of the Upper Austrian Prealps and herald the
start of a summer storm with a grumble. “The
weather can turn quickly here in the mountains.
During this phase of construction, the support
structure must be properly secured so that the
tower remains stable,” explains Christian Ortner,
Carpenter and Site Manager at Wiehag GmbH.
For him, the sudden change in weather is one of
many challenges that comes with working infunction, which comes with the GSR 18V-
FC Professional cordless drill/driver, offers
immediate protection. If the drill becomes
jammed, the integrated sensor detects the
sudden blockage and switches off the motor
within a fraction of a second. “When you are
working at heights of 40m, there must never
be any situation in which you lose control.
“The recoil protection provides peace of mind,”
says Christian. For screwdriving and drilling
work in difficult-to-reach areas, he canDickies has unveiled its 2019-20 catalogue, featuring a brand-new
layout plus 17 new products, including a selection of shorts and T-shirts.
The catalogue is over 300 pages long – the largest ever published by
Dickies – and the new design aims to make it simple for tradespeople
and retailers to use. For example, footwear products are split according
to safety classifications, while other sections include hi-vis, trousers
and shorts, tops and outerwear for quick reference.
“Workwear is constantly evolving and tradespeople demand more
from their clothing and footwear than ever before,” said James Whitaker,this area. His construction site is the Grünberg mountain, the smaller,
forest-covered brother of the rugged Traunstein, which is used as
preparation for summiteers these days. Erlebnis Akademie AG, which
specialises in nature-friendly treetop walkway concepts in Europe,
is creating a natural experience here with new perspectives. The
Salzkammergut treetop walkway, on which you can stroll 1,400m
through the treetops to the viewing tower above the forest, leads you
to a breath-taking view of the landscape. The construction of the tower
was undertaken by Wiehag GmbH, who know their way around such
projects thanks to their extraordinary wood construction feats on an
international level. “With nine viewing towers, we are now experts.
No two towers are the same. For me personally, this will be the third
tower that I have built,” says Christian.On top of the world
There is little time left to construct the tower, which consists of 80%
weather-resistant wood such as larch and Douglas fir, is 39m high,
and is expected to bear the weight of up to 200,000 visitors each year.
The project has been ongoing for four weeks, and the construction plan
specifies that only another four weeks remain. Yet the carpenter is keeping
a calm head, with regard to both the schedule and carrying out his work
at such a great height. “We are a well-coordinated team when it comes
to taking on such projects,” he says, and provides further instructions.
A heavy goods vehicle has slogged up the mountain and the material
needs to be unloaded. “The giant support structures are manufactured
in advance and assembled on site. We work with oversized ratchets, but
we also use cordless tools. Safety is key here because you do not always
have optimum stability when working at heights. Harnesses on the lifting
platforms help to prevent us from falling, and cordless tools are used
to protect against kickback or vibrations.”Occupational health & safety with vision
Combi drill, angle grinder, hand-held circular saw, reciprocating saw- Christian Ortner’s carpentry team uses an extremely wide range of
cordless tools for their woodworking. With professional power tools from
Bosch, they are able to draw upon an extensive system in order to work
both efficiently and safely. The spectrum ranges from solutions which
immediately minimise the risk of injury to solutions that protect against
long-term health risks. For example, the sensor-based KickBack Control
also be extremely flexible with the 18V cordless drill/driver. “Thanks
to the FlexiClick adaptors, I can use it to screwdrive around corners
and very close to edges, or I can use it as a rotary hammer,” he explains.Reaching the summit in terms of safety
The approaching storm puts the workers under more pressure. Before
wind and rain reach the tower, several steel connections that absorb the
forces from the support structure still need to be installed. In between,
Christian constantly has to measure and re-measure. “Building the tower
is precision work; its bridge is screwed in like a rising spiral. Everything
has to fit together. This is the only way that the circle will be formed
at the top,” he says, before the lifting platform brings him back down.
Once down, he changes to a GWS 18V-10 SC Professional cordless angle
grinder and trims armouring iron that protrudes from the foundations.
“Optimum control also increases the protection here,” he says, and
goes on to talk about the braking function offered by the cordless angle
grinder. “If a tool takes a long time to come to a complete stop, the risk
of injury is higher. With the braking function, the cutting disc comes to
a complete stop within seconds,” he explains, using the GKS 18V-57 G
Professional cordless hand-held circular saw to demonstrate this
protective function.
The carpenters use this to trim handrails and floorboards or to
cut longer workpieces precisely using a guide rail. For thicker beams,
the GSA 18V-32 Professional cordless reciprocating saw is a permanent
fixture for the team because it offers long-term protection thanks
to active vibration damping.
A counterweight constantly
counteracts the inertial forces and
reduces vibrations. “This means that
virtually no vibrations are passed
on to the body,” explains Christian.
Yet again, he uses the lifting platform
to take him back up in order to check
the connecting pieces that have
just been installed, and to measure
the supports again.
For more information on the
products described here, see
http://www.bosch-professional.co.uk.DICKIES WORKWEAR UNVEILS LATEST CATALOGUE
Marketing Director, Dickies Workwear. “The new catalogue provides a
greater level of technical information than previous editions, all presented
in a manner that’s easy to understand. This will help our customers to
choose workwear that meets their requirements in terms of both safety
and practicality.”
New products include the Dickies GDT Premium Shorts, with practical
features including a hard-wearing Cordura® pocket, plus wide belt loops
and hip pockets. The catalogue is available to download now at
http://www.dickiesworkwear.com/uk/info/catalogue.