- Ranger Blog EGHow lucky are we to have access to our very own V8 Race car and V8 and Bathurst champion, John Bowe! It’s cool to meet him, but it’s something extra special to experience exhilarating laps in the front seat and witnessing their mastery of racing. Last Friday some of our clients...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker Pride comes before a fall, especially when complacency is allowed to creep into a business. Here is how to become a sure-footed, dynamic leader in your industry. It’s a time of year for sitting down and reflecting on things that went well over the course of the last 12 months....
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker It doesn’t have to be a family business, but it helps if it behaves like one. Here’s how to expand your family tree. This April marks 20 years since I joined the family business—and the journey has taught me a lot. But why should readers of this magazine care? The...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker Passing a sling- synthetic or other- around a load can provide support by creating a cradle, but you must make sure that it is surely attached. Therefore you must understand D/d ratio. I get asked a lot of questions about D/d ratio. I think it worries people because it looks...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker We must find a balance between business and the environment to make sure that our children can continue to enjoy life as we know it. I’m no climate activist and don’t pretend to be. I’m not so much saying follow my example on all matters green as I am urging...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker We must respect the new COVID protocols, but not let them become a distraction. I saw a photo in an online article recently, showing Sydney construction workers on top of a building. The caption noted that all workers wearing masks and social distancing. However, as I looked closer at the...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) is established across the world as the leading trade association for all those involved in the lifting industry. From its UK base, it promotes enhanced standards and sustainable development for the worldwide lifting and safety industry. However, it has been accepted for a number...
- Ranger Blog EGEver wonder why as an angle gets bigger sling leg tension increases and the load becomes dangerously heavier? Lifting is a dangerous business and knowing how to safely lift a heavy load is critical. In this quick video Ashley uses a Sling Leg Tension animation to explain how to avoid...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker You can’t just put a sticker on an item of lifting or rigging equipment and call it certified. But there are things that you can do to meet the required standards. There are also a couple of different standards that you should be looking at. We’ve seen all kinds of...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker Think about what’s more important: where a product is from or its compliance with relevant standards. Brace yourself: as good as Aussie-made product is, 90% of the lifting and rigging gear sold in Australia is imported from Europe, the states, Asia, or elsewhere. Much less product is manufactured here than people...
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker When working at height, it is important to be properly trained and consult the experts. I was talking to height safety expert James Moule, of LINQ Height Safety, recently. Our conversation was two-sided in that much of it was positive about the progress the Australian industry has made in height...
- Ranger Blog EGRigging equipment lifts and moves heavy loads for hours on end, day after day. For this reason, it is imperative that this equipment is cared for, ultimately to ensure longevity and endurance. If it fails, it can cause damage to product, property and worst-case scenario, an extreme safety hazard resulting in...
- Ranger Blog EGManual and electric chain blocks are used for a variety of lifting reasons however selecting the correct chain block for your application can be a confusing task.
- Ranger Blog EGLifting operations are inherent to this industry however both manual lifting and mechanical lifting operations can put workers at great risk of injury or death.
- Ranger Blog EGBy Ashley Thacker The best companies have treated this year as an opportunity; we are no different. It’s evident that businesses that were able to take decisive action eight months ago are better off now. It was important not to panic though because, as we look at below, this year has taught us a lot...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA AUGUST 2020 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER Rigging gear is particularly vulnerable in the event of shock loading. To begin to understand shock loading, we need to accept the definitions of ‘shock’ (a sudden or surprising event or occurrence) and ‘loading’ (the application of a load or force). Put the...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA AUGUST 2020 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER The digital age means we can promote the lifting industry, especially below-the-hook, more effectively than ever before—but we’ve got to seize the moment. As a nine-year tenure on the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) board concludes, it’s time to reflect and give new...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA MAY JUNE 2020 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER Undoubtedly, Coronavirus has taken a lot from us, but it has also given us an opportunity to create better working and personal lives for ourselves as the ‘new normal’ dawns. It is time to look at this in a positive way. At...
- Ranger Blog EGExpanding into additional facilities can do more harm than good to a business if it is not done correctly, especially in niche markets. Pick up any trade magazine and somewhere there will be a story about a company opening a new facility or expanding into a new region. Often there is...
- Ranger Blog EGWHERE IT'S FROM ? | HOW IT'S MADE ?| WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT Our shelves are stocked with products from all over the world. Where they come from doesn’t really matter to us, at least not in isolation. The slings might be from Australia and the harnesses from the UK. That box of...
- Ranger Blog EGJAMES MOULE OF PARAMOUNT SAFETY AND ASHLEY THACKER take you through pre checks before fitting a harness ensuring it is safe for use and that it’s the right one for your application. Followed by a step-by-step guide on how to correctly fit a harness ensuring a firm, comfortable and safe...
- Ranger Blog EGParamount Safety’s James Moule has spent over 22 years in the industrial height safety industry and joins Ashley Thacker to share his experiences and latest industry developments. Topics covered include trends, regulations, competencies, training, on-site issues and fit-for-purpose designs of harnesses used in confined spaces and pole work. For information on our...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA JAN FEB 2020 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER The digital age means we can promote the lifting industry, especially below-the-hook, more effectively than ever before—but we’ve got to seize the moment. The annual awards dinner held recently after the opening day of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association’s (LEEA) LiftEx trade...
- Ranger Blog EGOne of the biggest issues facing the Lifting Industry is, where the next generation of the workforce is coming from? With the LEEA Think Lifting project, the association is engaging directly with local schools to show young people the career options available in the Lifting Industry. Through the narration of a...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA SEPT OCT 2019 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER In the second part of a mini series about building a team, Ashley Thacker presents five important elements of a successful, long-term people-development program. My last column in Lift & Hoist Australasia (LHA) magazine focussed on recruitment techniques and closed with references...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA JULY AUG 2019 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER Astute recruitment and staff retention are key to thriving in a niche marketplace. I have a lot of conversations with fellow business owners and managers here in Sydney and wider Australia. It’s fascinating to compare notes with peers who are experiencing the...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA MAY JUNE 2019 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER Only when everybody takes responsibility for safety can we reduce accidents associated with lifting and rigging equipment. Pre-use inspection is a good place to start. Even before the occasion when it is used for the first time, a single item of rigging...
- Ranger Blog EGUnder Construction As our facility in Melbourne continues into its second full year in business, it is opportune to reflect on the journey so far. By Ian Jongen, state manager Victoria, Ranger Lifting. It is a big step for a business to setup in a new territory or open a satellite office—and...
- Ranger Blog EGLHA APRIL 2019 | THE INSIDER | ASHLEY THACKER Source products and services only from specialist providers, especially when safety-critical equipment, such as lifting gear, is involved. Six years ago, I was interviewed by this magazine’s sister title. I was still in my twenties and had recently been named the Lifting Equipment...
- Ranger Blog EGPartners in Climb Finding the right business partners is essential to executing growth strategy. There are many theories about how to expand a company. A lot of the science about metrics, budget, resources, cash flow, marketing, branding, etc, but the importance of selecting the right business partners to oversee expansion is too...