When you're installing a hydrant, you're not only dealing with a heavy fixture, but also one that is expensive and dangerous if not handled correctly. Despite this risk, countless water utility crews are put at risk by using a range of straps, chains or cables wrapped in odd formations around a heavy hydrant, lifting it over the heads of the hapless crew waiting in the trench. Fortunately, there's a better option available to help keep your crews working safely and effectively: Team NCT's Hydrant Setter. Keep reading to discover how this exceptional tool helps you get the job done.
Hydrants are intended to be lifted straight up and down, rather than tilted or angled. This position makes it easier for your crew to quickly and safely get the hydrant into its final position. The tool that is used to lift the hydrant has to be securely fastened, so that it doesn't slip or twist accidentally, allowing the hydrant to strike someone or fall on a worker. The Hydrant Setter has taken every aspect of worker safety into account during its design process.
With paddles that lock onto the hydrant nozzles, the hydrant remains upright by its very design. To install the Hydrant Setter, the nozzles are simply removed from the nozzles, the paddles are slipped into place, and then are held there by the nozzle caps which are replaced. In this position, the hydrant cannot fall, reducing the risk of damage to the hydrant or injury to your workers. To keep the hydrant straight up and down, a spreader bar separates the chains that connect to the paddles, keeping the lifting chains the correct distance apart and preventing the chain from becoming hung up on any protrusion of the hydrant.
But what if the hydrant isn't facing the exact right direction for your purposes? The swivel joint that is located exactly above the crown of the hydrant make it easy to manipulate and rotate the hydrant to the exact proper direction. This makes it simple to hook the hydrant up to the adjoining pipe and valve assembly while keeping your workers in the trench safe from all harm. By speeding up the process of aligning the hydrant, the work proceeds much faster, allowing your workers to get onto the next task on their list.
When your team is replacing a damaged hydrant or installing new ones in an expansion of your services, nothing should be more important than the safety of your crew and the ease with which they can install the new hydrants. The Hydrant Setter developed by New Concept Tools has been pull-tested, certified and tagged with its capacity, making it easy to get the job done right. Contact us today for more information.