SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): AUGUST 14, 2003
                                                          ---------------


                          COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    NEW YORK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)



              0-27618                                16-0547600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer Identification No.)



   140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY, AMHERST, NEW YORK          14228-1197
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)




        Registrant's telephone number including area code: (716) 689-5400
                                                           --------------



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




<PAGE>



Item 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         On August 14,  2003,  the  registrant  announced  the  adoption  of the
following Audit Committee Policy:

"It is the policy of the Audit  Committee  of the Board of Directors of Columbus
McKinnon  Corporation  that  non-audit  fees paid to the  Company's  independent
auditor (Ernst & Young LLP) in any one year will henceforth not exceed the total
of audit fees,  audit-related  fees, and tax  compliance and return  preparation
fess."





<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.




                                       COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION


                                       By:    /S/ ROBERT L. MONTGOMERY, JR.
                                              -----------------------------
                                       Name:  Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
                                       Title: Executive Vice President


Dated:  AUGUST 14, 2003
        ---------------
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "audcomm.txt", "description": "AUDIT COMMITTEE POLICY", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2775}]
[{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AUDUBON WEST INC", "cik": "0001062623", "irs-number": "430978181", "state-of-incorporation": "MO", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-53759-05", "film-number": "03844030"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "19228-1197", "phone": "7166895400"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS INC", "date-changed": "19980527"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "YALE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS INC", "cik": "0001062624", "irs-number": "710585582", "state-of-incorporation": "MO", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-53759-06", "film-number": "03844029"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "19228-1197", "phone": "7166895400"}}, {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORP", "cik": "0001005229", "assigned-sic": "3531", "irs-number": "160547600", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27618", "film-number": "03844028"}, "business-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PKWY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14228-1197", "phone": "7166895400"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY", "city": "AMHERST", "state": "NY", "zip": "14228-1197"}}]
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): AUGUST 14, 2003
                                                          ---------------

                          COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    NEW YORK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

              0-27618                                16-0547600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      (Commission File Number)            (IRS Employer Identification No.)

   140 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON PARKWAY, AMHERST, NEW YORK          14228-1197
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number including area code: (716) 689-5400
                                                           --------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Item 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

         On August 14,  2003,  the  registrant  announced  the  adoption  of the
following Audit Committee Policy:

"It is the policy of the Audit  Committee  of the Board of Directors of Columbus
McKinnon  Corporation  that  non-audit  fees paid to the  Company's  independent
auditor (Ernst & Young LLP) in any one year will henceforth not exceed the total
of audit fees,  audit-related  fees, and tax  compliance and return  preparation
fess."
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       COLUMBUS MCKINNON CORPORATION

                                       By:    /S/ ROBERT L. MONTGOMERY, JR.
                                              -----------------------------
                                       Name:  Robert L. Montgomery, Jr.
                                       Title: Executive Vice President

Dated:  AUGUST 14, 2003
        ---------------