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Many industrial businesses make a great deal of use of drums for a variety of purposes, from materials storage to waste handling. The standard 55 gallon drum is an almost ubiquitous sight in industrial premises, but their greatest asset ' their size ' is also a major problem when it comes to handling the drums, and in order to safely move and manipulatMany industrial businesses make a great deal of use of drums for a variety of purposes, from materials storage to waste handling. The standard 55 gallon drum is an almost ubiquitous sight in industrial premises, but their greatest asset ' their size ' is also a major problem when it comes to handling the drums, and in order to safely move and manipulate them, proper drum handling equipment is necessary.

There are a number of different kinds of drum lifting equipment that are all designed for slightly different purposes. From helping staff to move drums from one place to another, to raising them enough to get them onto a trolley, right through to being able to stack them appropriately and safely, there are custom tools to help under a range of different circumstances.

The most common need amongst production staff is to be able to lift a drum a small distance off the ground in order to allow for them to be placed on a trolley for ease of movement. It can be tempting for staff to try and manipulate a laden oil drum into place on a trolley, although the weight of the items makes this dangerous.

A chain drum lifter is one of the most common sights in an industrial environment, and is one of the most easy to use tools that can be utilized in moving and manipulating drums in conjunction with a crane or other piece of drum lifting equipment. Fitting a chain drum lifter to your oil drum is simple; the clamps fit easily, and are held cleverly into place by the weight of the drum, making it very safe and steady in use. Weighing just 8 pounds, the chain is made of the highest standard steel, and can support a weight of up to 2,000 pounds.

Plastic drum lifters are specially designed for lifting 55 gallon plastic drums with a weight of up to 800 pounds. The device clamps into place at the top of the plastic drum and attaches to the crane in order to provide you with a stable and safe means of attaching a drum to a crane.

As the name suggests, a multi-purpose drum lifter has many different uses, and is designed to make lifting plastic drums easier. Unlike the standard plastic drum lifters, this model comes with a set of three arms that hold the drum, which double as wrenches for opening and closing the fittings on a standard drum to ensure that you always have the right tool to carry out a job once you have got the drum into place.

A vertical drum lifter is one of the most stable pieces of drum lifting equipment that you could require for your needs. This heavy duty lifter clamps firmly onto the top of a standard 55 gallon drum to allow it to be moved very easily. Once the drum lifting equipment is clamped properly into place, you will find that you can safely lift up to 1,000 pounds with the standard model, providing that your crane system is appropriately rated.

Thanks to the ubiquity of oil drums as a standard means of storage, having the right kind of drum lifting equipment on site to make moving and manipulating them simple and safe. Choose the right model based on the type of drum that you use, and the weights you are likely to fill them with, and you will have a piece of equipment that will provide you with all the reliability you need.