Whether lighting an overnight paving project, a remote drilling job site or a local sporting event, the illumination and added safety provided by rental light towers has made this type of equipment a key rental item. A basic understanding of the key safety considerations when operating and transporting light towers can help you determine the exact needs for any job and, in the process, develop repeat equipment rental customers.
The most important safety consideration when renting a light tower is proper setup. You want to avoid the park it, raise the tower and turn the lights on approach. You want the renter to make sure the unit is level and you have clearance around and especially above the unit because the mast is going up 30 ft.
Properly deploying the unit’s outriggers ensures the machine is level, even when placed on uneven terrain. Light tower models with a built-in level indicator make the process easier. This also will ensure the unit performs to industry standards, such as withstanding a minimum
of 65 mph wind gusts.
Before extending the mast, it’s crucial to ensure adequate clearance around and especially above the light tower where power lines can pose a life-threatening risk. The most practical safety measure is to follow the operator’s manual for proper operating and maintenance procedures.
Another important safety measure for light towers is determining the correct amount of light. Having light at night creates a safer environment, but you need to have a properly lit area for the application and proper positioning so you don’t create a glare hazard or have deep shadows.
There are a number of factors that help determine the necessary foot candles for an application based on recommendations from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). These factors include the size of the area, whether light needs to be constant and how bright it should be.
For example, utility work would require more light — 10 to 50 foot-candles — than a parking lot, which might need 1 to 5 foot-candles. Calculating these factors ultimately determines the number of light towers required to properly light the application.
Correctly positioning the light also is an important safety consideration. Light towers should be positioned at different angles, so the work area is lit from multiple directions.
For instance, floodlights at 30 ft. should be positioned at a 30-degree angle from horizontal to provide optimal beam spread and reduce the risk of creating a glare hazard.
Following is an example of how to determine the lighting needs for an excavation application with an area of 800 ft. by 400 ft. The IES recommendation calls for 2 foot-candles for this type of application.
The area to be illuminated is 320,000 sq. ft. with 2 foot-candles of illumination. That means 320,000 sq. ft. times 2 foot-candles equals 640,000.
The type of lamps used in this example are 1,000W metal halide lamps, which provide 0.5 average foot-candles per 82,000 sq. ft., so 0.5 times 82,000 equals 41,000. Then 640,000 divided by 41,000 equals 15.6 or 16 floodlights and 16 floodlights divided by four floodlights per light tower equals four light towers needed for this application. If the light tower has six floodlights per tower, then this application would need three light towers.
With portable light towers, safety also includes proper transport. Light towers always should be in the retracted position for transport, even if simply moving around a job site. Some light towers feature an extra locking system that prevents the retracted mast from telescoping during transport, an incident that can lead to serious property damage or physical injury.
Light towers with towing lights and reflectors are required by the Department of Transportation in most states. Light towers equipped with operating trailer lights make it possible for other motorists to see the unit being towed, providing greater visibility and awareness during transport than those equipped with reflectors only.
Despite the portability, light towers should not be towed at a high speed. The maximum speed when towing a light tower typically tops out between 45 and 65 mph. For long-distance travel, light towers can be transported on a flatbed trailer. For example, 12 of Doosan Portable Power’s LSC model light towers can fit on a 48-ft. flatbed truck and 14 LSC units can fit on a 53-ft. flatbed.
Environmental safety regulations are another consideration for light tower rentals. Both the U.S. and Canada have established containment regulations that apply to some job sites and equipment. Many oil and gas applications require strict fluid containment regulations that include oil, coolant and fuel. Light towers that offer containment as part of the machine frame make it simple to comply with those regulations. Light towers not equipped with containment as part of the frame will require a separate containment tray or spill pad.
Any application that requires night work or added illumination for increased safety is a candidate for portable light tower rentals. From the darkest worksites to special events, the portable light towers in your rental fleet can safely illuminate the way.
source: rentalmanagementmag
