The PS 1 portable vacuum lifting system from Vacuworx International provides a safe alternative to heavy manual lifting on the job site.

The cordless unit is designed to work with skid-steers, mini-excavators, forklifts, cranes and other compact equipment. It can lift and move manhole covers or other heavy objects, including concrete, marble, granite, steel or iron.

Three interchangeable pad options range from 8 by 8 inches (693-pound lifting capacity) to 16 by 16 inches (1,654-pound lifting capacity). Additional pad configurations (up to 2,200-pound lift capacity) are available.

“One person can be working this unit on a job that may normally require four or five people,” says Randy Hayes, corporate sales director at Vacuworx International.

“In markets where they are typically breaking up concrete and going through the messy removal process, this system will allow them to saw-cut the sections for easy removal with no hydraulic hammers, no heavy lifting for your personnel and less equipment required for cleanup and disposal,” he says. “Or if they have to go in and pick up a steel plate and move it from one location to another, you can use this small piece of equipment to do that.”

Approved for indoor and outdoor use, the unit is made for applications where no power source is available or where no emissions are permitted. The portable system weighs 25 pounds and is powered by a 12-volt, rechargeable battery with an eight-hour runtime.

“It’s a very small, lightweight system — easy to use and easy for one person to carry,” Hayes says. “The advantage of it being portable is that it allows for usage on a variety of equipment.

“We are in the business of taking care of people, keeping them out of harm’s way, while increasing efficiencies and productivity,” Hayes says. “All of our equipment is designed with those things in mind.” 866/664-3450; www.vacuworx.com.