Thread: No Quick Fix on Quick Couplers

It is now almost three months since the Health and Safety Executive introduced new regulations that effectively outlawed the manufacture and sale of “semi-automatic” quick couplers in the UK.

However, there remains a degree of confusion over the use of quick couplers in the UK, a fact that highlighted vividly by a recent post-regulation fatality on a London site.

In an exclusive interview with Demolition News, Miller International chairman Keith Miller admits that confusion remains and urges demolition companies to analyse their own equipment and working practices to avoid further accidents.

To view the video/hear the audio, please click here:

Check out this picture of a makeshift pin holding a grapple on.

Unfortunately, this kind of thing is all too common in the demolition and construction industries and, sadly, all the training and legislation in the world will never fully samp out this kind of thing.

Incidentally, would you mind if I used this photo on Demolition News as a further illustration of this story? I will gladly credit you for it if you let me have your name/details.

I worked for a company that leashed the bucket/tool to the stick w/ 1-1/2 inch cable. Another company in the area killed 2 employee's in 1 season due to buckets coming unhooked.I forget the make of the coupler but it was a common aftermarket brand.

Originally Posted by wrecknall

I worked for a company that leashed the bucket/tool to the stick w/ 1-1/2 inch cable. Another company in the area killed 2 employee's in 1 season due to buckets coming unhooked.I forget the make of the coupler but it was a common aftermarket brand.

I worked for a company out of Columbus Ohio that did this. They were using a quick couple that would open itself. It was a known problem from the manufacturer, supposedly the coupler manufacturer came out with a fix and they still had the problem occur. The end result was two guys being killed in the trench in two separate incidents. The last one being the most disturbing as the guy survived for over two weeks after, but died from an infection.

Company solution was two fold. 1 Remove all couplers with known defect, and instead of selling them, they were cut up for scrap. 2 Add lifting hook to all new couplers. This provides safety system attachment point. All buckets had a D ring welded to them, that has a chain or cable that is connected to a lifting ring. The ring is attached to the lifting hook of the coupler. The company patented this system, but shares it to anyone, included manufacturers and competitors for free. The system is also installed on all front end loaders with quick couplers.