A lift for Swedish rail

The old fifteen-ton overhead crane at Jernhusen’s depot had many years of service and was no longer approved for use. Replacing it was necessary, as Euromaint requires a crane to carry out parts of their work. The existing crane tracks could be retained, which led to the decision to install a new crane with the same capacity as before. CERTEX assisted in dismantling the old crane, and just two days later, the new crane from GH Cranes & Components was installed—a job carried out by CERTEX project manager Ove Wetterskog together with the installation partner Engh Mek.

“We chose CERTEX as our supplier largely because Ove was involved throughout the entire project,” says Christer Holmberg, Technical Manager at Jernhusen. “I’m not an expert on overhead cranes, so for me it’s important to feel that the supplier has the knowledge and can guide me. I’ve replaced a few cranes before, and then we only received the crane and had to handle everything else ourselves, such as finding an installer for the electronics. CERTEX was slightly more expensive than the competitors, but considering the entire solution from start to finish, I don’t think it would have been much cheaper to choose someone else,” Christer continues.

Operating hours are logged automatically

Jernhusen is a property owner, managing stations, depots, and freight terminals across Sweden. The properties were previously owned by SJ Fastigheter and include both new and old buildings, some of which are part of the country’s cultural heritage. Jernhusen works hard to raise standards in many of the older depot properties, both to improve the working environment and to reduce energy consumption.

One of the major advantages of the new overhead crane is that operating hours are logged automatically and can be checked during inspections. This is valuable, as crane usage varies. The problem with the old crane was that there was no recording of operating hours, and maintaining a manual log over a long period is not easy.

“When the Swedish Work Environment Authority comes to inspect the cranes, it’s important to know how many hours they have been in operation. Otherwise, wear is calculated as if the crane had been running constantly at maximum load. This is likely one reason why many old cranes have been decommissioned,” says Christer Holmberg.

A project in a high-risk environment

Working in a railway-adjacent environment places extra demands on those carrying out the work. There is often high-voltage electricity on the tracks and in the facilities, which must be considered when crane trucks are performing tasks. Attention also needs to be given to the traffic on the tracks. Even though trains do not pass regularly, it is crucial to remain vigilant at all times.

Before a project begins, Ove always conducts a risk and impact assessment for the installation and for the work performed by CERTEX and the hired partners. This involves identifying all potential risks and how they should be managed. For example, ensuring that all personnel performing the work have the necessary permits for tasks such as operating aerial lifts, hot work, or working at heights, and that fall protection harnesses are used in all types of personnel lifts. It also involves having the correct lifting equipment for the installation and monitoring fire hazards and evacuation routes.

“One of the biggest risks we identified in the work at Jernhusen was precisely that it takes place in a railway environment. To manage this risk, both I and our installers from Engh Mek have completed the ‘Track Safety’ training, where we learned to understand the environment and the risks associated with working on the tracks,” explains Ove.

Conducting a risk analysis is important, but not everyone understands its purpose or is aware that it is required. Some, despite knowing it should be done, neglect to carry it out properly. If a risk analysis is not performed and an accident occurs, the consequences can be serious when the Swedish Work Environment Authority reviews the incident. Ove goes a step further by also preparing parts of a safety plan, including a contact list of everyone involved in the project and emergency numbers in case something happens. Normally, this level of documentation is not required when replacing a machine—such as an overhead crane—but only for larger reconstruction projects.

A dedicated project manager

It is clear that Ove Wetterskog is a dedicated project manager, and there have been many trips between Ludvika and Gävle over the autumn. In this project, CERTEX also took on extra responsibility by measuring the crane span—an obligation that normally falls on the customer.

“We want to assist the customer based on their situation, and in Jernhusen’s case, the request was for us to approve the supplier’s drawings and ensure they matched the order,” says Ove. “Our goal is to deliver a complete lifting solution without unnecessarily disrupting the customer’s production. That way, we achieve a satisfied customer,” Ove concludes.