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RAZORBACK COMMERCIAL VEHICLE

BRINGING HOME THE BACON…

To some, a Razorback might simply be a breed of truffle hunting walking bacon sandwich, but to those in the know, ‘Razorback’ also represents the grand truffle mother lode of health and safety… Neil Hopkins explains.


90/269/EEC Section 1.2.05. Does that sound familiar? The chances are that it won’t trip easily off your tongue and you won’t suddenly slap your thigh as a bolt of inspiration strikes, remembering that you were only reading up on that exact paragraph last night after supper. But it is a very important section of European law that governs manual handling of goods. And we’re not talking protection of theft here – we’re talking about physically moving objects from one location to another. To quote from the European directive:

The Employer shall take the appropriate organisational measures, or shall use the appropriate means, in particular mechanical equipment, in order to avoid the need for the manual handling of loads by workers.
Where the need for the manual handling of loads by worker cannot be avoided, the employer shall take the appropriate organisational measures, use the appropriate means or provide workers with such means in order to reduce the risk involved in the manual handling of such loads.
Which clears that one up then… In a nutshell, 90/269/EEC is attempting to prevent workers injuring themselves, and particularly their spines, lifting and carrying loads – whether this be boxes of paper or pianos. Back injuries are one of the most common and debilitating causes of time off work. Of course, for small loads you can either get a trolley or send your staff on a course to demonstrate how to lift a box without straining. But what do you do if you are a piano mover, motorcycle recovery company, kitchen installer or have huge sacks (like the post service) to transport? The answer lies in a Razorback…
The Razorback is a revolutionary new product that allows the loading of bulky or heavy items without the need for lifting, hence reducing the potential for injury. The concept is so incredibly simple that it is a wonder no-one has thought of it before – all it consists of is a panel van where the entire load bed drops to the floor, allowing items to be wheeled in or carried normally – no lifting required. Once they are stacked neatly, the load bed rises up once more with the items safely stowed at no risk to your employees. “Brilliant in its simplicity” was how the Executive Director of the Institute of Transport Management described the Razorback as he presented it with the ITM Innovation Award for 2001/2002, and it is.
The Razorback can be fitted to a variety of chassis cab and load bed vehicles, although the company’s personal favourite is the Fiat Ducato van, thanks to its engine and construction. However, the body can also be bolted to a Volkswagen Transporter, Citroën Relay or Peugeot Boxer so you have a good choice from some of the most popular manufacturers in the market. Since the body spans the width of the base vehicle, the rear wheels are attached to stub axles instead of the more usual single axle setup found on most vans. This is in no way detrimental to the handling of the vehicle.
The Razorback has a load space 2,645mm long by 1,350mm wide – easily equal to many equivalently sized panel vans on the market – and accessible via dual opening doors. Inside, you’ll find a wide range of restraining options to secure your load during transportation. Above the load bed is space for shelving up to 30cm deep or high restraining points for tall loads. The hydraulic system for raising/lowering the bed is operated from a switch just inside the left door and only accessible once that door is open to prevent accidental triggering of the system. And you’ll have no worries about the load bed as you drive – once it has retracted it automatically locks in place. As if all of this wasn’t enough, the Razorback also features electrical power at the rear of the vehicle to run a variety of lighting applications.
Obviously we cannot comment on the exact layout and properties of each potential Razorback – there just isn’t the space in these pages to list everything to do with the four vehicles mentioned above. Simply choose the base that suits you best (and you can have either a single or a double cab) and then employ the Razorback team to attach the body, which incidentally is constructed from galvanised steel specifically pressed for this vehicle. It really is as simple as that.
One of the main joys of the Razorback design is the fact that you do not have to compromise – you want a large panel van, you get a large panel van. You want something easy to load, and that is just what you get. No compromises, no hassles – and you stay on the right side of EU law.
In a complicated world, the Razorback offers an immensely simple and practical solution to the problems associated with heavy or awkward lifting. For more information, contact the manufacturers direct on 01926 450565 or point your web browser to www.razorback-vehicles.com
March 7th 2002