Ranger provides SkyLotec height safety for Australian wind energy

Ranger Lifting, a Sydney-headquartered lifting, rigging, and height safety equipment supplier, has further increased its stock of SkyLotec-branded products in response to ever-growing demand from Australia’s wind energy market.

Ranger has partnered with SkyLotec Australia Pty Ltd for seven years, but the manufacturer has been supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) and rescue products to the on and offshore Australian wind industry since inception in 2012. More wind farms were being built last year than ever before in the country, including four mega projects with between 180 and 228 turbines. There are 60 sites slated for the next five years, with a total value of over $30 billion.

Danny McGee, national sales manager at SkyLotec Australia, says, “The wind energy market for Australia is maturing with traditional wind states like South Australia and Victoria, while still being strong, being caught up by other areas. Projects planned for Queensland and New South Wales are adding additional resource to the country’s energy grid and providing new job opportunities in the renewable sector. Western Australia and Tasmania have always had strong wind resources, which will continue.”

Ranger stocks a full range of SkyLotec products, including hooks for lanyards that work around a vast array of ladder styles, protective covering for harnesses to gain longer wear for day-to-day climbing activities, plus head protection and specialised rescue equipment, such as a made-for-purpose stretcher for hub rescue applications. Siemens Gamesa, GE, Vestas, Suzlon, Acciona, Nordex, and Goldwind are among notable end users.

Ashley Thacker, general manager at Ranger, says, “We work with SkyLotec to identify the right height safety or rescue solution for each application. The rescue line is now highly sought-after; the Milan 2.0 Hub is known as the standard rescue device in the industry with additional lifting function. With longer field life kits being available due to developments in product storage – a 15-year serviceable Seal Pac and the recent addition of the 30-year Endurance Pac – customers can now purchase one rescue kit for the life of a turbine.”

McGee also pointed to SkyLotec’s recent acquisitions of ActSafe and Climbing Technologies, adding products like winches to the range that can be used for raising materials and people. The ActSafe ACX winch, for example, is a quick and safe solution for workers for a variety of tasks when working on a wind turbine. Existing SkyLotec technologies, like the SkyRail, will remain central to the catalogue; the product is a horizontal fall protection system, which allows people to work at great heights. It can be used on flat roofs, stadium roofs, loading plants, wind turbines or cranes.

Beyond wind, Ranger supplies SkyLotec equipment for construction, mining, defence, and other applications.