UK animal welfare charity, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), used a portable gantry made by UK gantry and davit crane manufacturer Reid Lifting to help rescue a seal pup that was trapped by boulders on a beach in South Wales.
The 5t working load limit (WLL) Porta-Gantry system was erected above the seal and used to remove boulders weighing approximately 3t. The gantry was erected on uneven ground and so it was mounted on timber chocks to level it out. The surrounding boulders were drilled and fixed into position to prevent cave-in during the rescue.
The gantry was hired from UK company Lifting Gear & Safety.
Gary Moorhouse, director at Lifting Gear & Safety, said: “The rescue team quickly identified a need for an overhead lifting solution to remove a large boulder and a crane wasn’t an option due to the nature of the location and environment. We frequently supply Reid’s gantries for diverse applications, but this was the first time that one has been used for a wildlife rescue such as this.”