A prototype of the Human Lift developed by Matt Conway, of Grand Forks, North Dakota, won a regional award last year from a clean-tech accelerator program. Conway is now trying to raise money to launch full-scale production.
The cage can be angled to match the slope of the roof, so workers using it are lying down. The company still wonders how comfortable that will prove to be, but the device could improve both safety and ergonomics and might even reduce liability insurance rates.
Conway's firm expects the Human Lift to sell for about $16,000.
Conway said the device could reduce the cost of installing solar panels by cutting a typical work crew from three to two.
Many solar installers don't like working on pitched roofs, even when they are wearing safety harnesses, Conway said. The Human Lift might help.
Conway says he got the idea for the device after running a contracting business that did 170 solar installations, and that industry is where he's making his pitch. But interest may spill over into other areas.
“Anyone who has seen this who has done roof work has said ‘Wow, where do I get one?’ because it is [usually] so rough on your body,” Conway said.
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