SC&RA Job of the Year: Barnhart rolls out the tipstick

Critical engineering and innovation were hallmarks of the Barnhart project that involved removing and replacing of an Isophase fan using several of Barnhart’s custom tools.

Barnhart Crane & Rigging was awarded a project that involved the complicated removal and replacement of an isophase fan at a power plant. The removal process required disassembling the fan into four sections, each with an unknown center of gravity, while the replacement consisted of three sections with significantly offset centers of gravity. Innovation was key to the successful completion of this project.

The original fan was located in the turbine building and had to be extracted through an opening in the wall provided by the plant. The opening led into the plant’s switchyard.

To ensure safety, daily Job Hazard Analyses were conducted by the Barnhart team to identify potential risks and involve crew members in proactive hazard management. Standard operating procedures were followed for all equipment used, and a 100-hour safety standdown was implemented to reinforce awareness of hazards, particularly pinch points and the dangers of working around suspended loads.

The Barnhart team had a lot of knowledge and experience with a project like this, and they knew immediately they would have to think outside the box.

Innovation played a crucial role in this project, according to Barnhart’s Eric Cantrell.

“Innovation played a crucial role in this project,” said Barnhart’s Eric Cantrell. “This was the perfect job to use the company’s custom Tipstick tool. Our engineers made modifications to an existing Barnhart 27K Tipstick to accommodate the fan sections, minimizing the required headroom.”

Unconventional rigging

The project required ingenuity, utilizing multiple unconventional rigging and lifting devices, including the Barnhart counterweight cantilever system, known as the MOCCS; the custom Barnhart 27K Tipstick; a 75-ton Lift Systems Mobilift, a 100-ton slide and multi-lift jacks to facilitate both removal and installation.

Engineering support was extensive, including the development of engineered lift plans, jack and slide layouts and custom fabrication solutions to ensure a precise and secure execution. The work took place over a span of three days, from September 11 to September 13, 2024, and was safely executed on time without a hitch.