Companies in a range of industries use cable for all kinds of applications - in mining, energy and telecommunications – just to name a few. With the use of large quantities of cable comes the issue of how to manage the storage, use and transport of cable drums, and most companies turn to CLP (Cable Laying Products) for a solution.

Cable drums are large and unwieldy, and too heavy for a worker to lift without mechanical aid, so occupational health and safety considerations also need to be managed. The use of the correct drum handling equipment is essential to the sound management of industrial cable.

The following is a summary of the most common types of drum handling equipment specific to the cable laying industry:

=> Drum trolley – this cart with a sturdy base and widely spaced wheels distributes the weight of the drum over the entire frame. The trolley is on wheels so that when the drum is placed on the trolley, it can be easily moved to where it’s required. This satisfies any OH&S requirements, as there is no heavy lifting on the part of the worker.

=> Hydraulic drum jack – used to support a cable drum, the hydraulics mean that the drum can be lifted easily, and the trundles installed on the bottom make it easy to move. It can be sourced in different sizes and some models fold up so they are more easily transported.

=> Drum caddy – there are two different types of applications that are both called by the same name. One type of drum caddy is used for transporting drums and is similar to the drum trolley described above. The other type of drum caddy is a basic metal frame used to store one or more drums in a range of configurations.

=> Drum rollers – one type of drum roller is used to rotate large drums of liquids while the type used in the cable laying industry holds cable drums from 500mm and 1200mm in diameter and up to one tonne WLL, and is sold as a pair. This type also folds up for transport and storage.

With the enormous quantities of cable used by industry has come the necessity to find efficient drum handling techniques, and as technology continues to evolve and develop, Drum Handling Equipment will also need to evolve and develop to maintain its efficient partnership with cable.