The KwikLift roll-off hoist, in response to growing concerns about industry safety, has been re-introduced with new safety features.


KwikLift is the cable hoist companion to the DuaLift hoist system, the combination hook and cable hoist that was introduced to the market in 2005.

According to Dick Williams, one of the developers of the KwikLift and DuaLift, "The new
safety features we've incorporated into the KwikLift were the result of customer input since the
hoists were introduced several years ago, and are made possible because of its unique design."

In addition to KwikLift's upgraded cable capacity rating of 72,500 pounds, the new version offers increased visibility during operation. Typically, an operator in the cab of a truck operating a rolloff hoist has his vision obscured by the hoist frame, reeving cylinders, and hoist mechanism. The KwikLift eliminates these obstructions with its center-mounted cylinder and traveling carriage design, leaving a clearer view between the hoist rails, and allowing the operator to view the container and lifting operation.

The KwikLift's free cable length is only 11 feet, which is achieved by the action of the traveling carriage. The carriage is hydraulically powered to travel the entire length of the hoist. Because the cable sheave is attached to the carriage, every foot of carriage travel - either extending or retracting - produces 2 feet of cable movement.

As a result of this exponential cable movement, KwikLift's loading and unloading times are about half that of traditional roll off hoists. In addition to increased power and speed throughout the hoist's operation, the carriage can also be cycled back and forth in a manner that produces rapid container movement to help shake loose stubborn loads, a feature not found on any other roll off hoist.

Superior weight distribution is another aspect of the KwikLift that has gotten the attention of safety proponents. The Kwiklift carriage can pull a container far forward on the hoist, a
particularly attractive benefit when hauling shorter containers.

The carriage is also used to push containers off the hoist, when offloading empty containers onto docks, or when loading pup trailers. Other roll off hoists must create a considerable amount of slack in the cable attached to the container, and then drive out from under the containers; or a driver must slam on the brakes as the truck backs up to a dock, violently sending a container off the back of the hoist.

The KwikLift's cable length is also a new safety factor. The cable is guarded by a restraint or housing that surrounds the sheave. If a cable failure does occur, the restraint mechanism as well as the shorter length of the cable act together to prevent the whip like action of a broken cable from reaching the cab.

"This is still a dangerous business we're in," says Williams. "But hauling companies have gone the extra measure to protect their employees as well as their communities from the hazards of waste collection. As an equipment manufacturer, we must be at the forefront of this effort - constantly vigilant, seeking better designs and safer ways to operate our equipment and accomplish the job at hand. The KwikLift is a big step forward in the quest for a safer working environment."

KwikLift and DuaLift are manufactured by Refuse Parts, LLC, a division of SMR Investments,
which also includes Cooper Tank RPI and East Coast Containers.