A news report published on Dec 8, 2022, revealed that a crane tilted over on Interstate 95, Florida, during a load-lifting operation and killed two young operators. The construction company didn’t follow the correct lifting precautions and is currently under investigation by the authorities. Such incidents, unfortunately, are not uncommon in the industry. However, crane employers can prevent them by practicing safety and risk mitigation procedures.
Crane operations are dangerous and demand worker attention, focus, and a vigilant risk mitigation plan. Poor inspections and
crane safety systems maintenance can lead to deadly crane accidents and leave your company in hot water.
In this blog, we’ve talked about crane load lifting precautions and limitations to help you protect your crane operators and keep your equipment stable during operations.
A Complete Guide to Safely Transporting Loads for Crane and Hoist Lifting Operations
OSHA proactively oversees and regulates crane users and contractors across the US. The organization encourages crane users to implement safe work practices, especially when lifting and transporting heavy loads.
While cranes are purpose-designed for heavy load lifting and movement, certain risks can endanger the life and health of your crane operators. Not meeting the safety criteria or missing out on crane loading precautions can lead to equipment damage and deadly accidents.
According to OSHA and Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment (EASE), crane operators and managers should keep the following tips in mind when preparing for a load operation:
Crane operators must maintain good health, posture, and grit to improve their crane monitoring, operating, and controlling capabilities.
Crane equipment employers should conduct regular stretching programs for crane riggers and operators to improve their flexibility and responsiveness. These sessions, however, are not required to improve administrative or on-ground employees.
Load Inspection Requirements
Before lifting loads with a crane, crane operators and on-ground riggers should inspect the material and check their tags/labels. Loads should also be tested for stability, weight, and dimensional limitations. These steps assist crane managers in using the right type of crane for load-lifting procedures.
Other common limitations that you should follow before lifting a load with cranes include:
Reducing crane load weight for easier, quicker, and safer transportation
Hiring qualified and experienced crane operators for specialized transportation
Group/pack/couple loads for better stability and weight management
Pre-Load Movement Requirements and Limitations
Crane operations require holistic risk mitigation plans. Here are a few tips and requirements you should keep in mind before initiating a lifting operation:
Ensure that your crane operators are wearing proper PPE. They must wear shoes and helmets at all times to reduce the risks posed by slips and falls.
Indirect crane load lifting employees should also wear the correct PPE before, during, and after crane operation for complete safety.
Crane operators’ gloves should be suitable for holding and moving particular items. Some materials require thicker gloves for higher friction and grip. In contrast, you may have to provide heat-resistant gloves to crane operators depending on the circumstances.
Large, bulky loads shouldn’t be lifted to a very extensive distance range as it can cause vision obstructions and limit your operator’s scope.
Crane equipment should not be installed on uneven, sloped, or slippery surfaces. Experts also recommend operators use the load-pulling technique instead of pushing whenever they can.
Crane operators and riggers must practice extra caution when moving, loading, lifting, and tagging uneven loads.
Managing and Monitoring Crane Lifting Capacity
Lifting a load with a crane is not a one-size-fits-all task. Crane operators and contractors are responsible for assessing various factors before using a crane or hoist for load transportation.
Assessing and tagging load weight is the most critical and difficult starting point of any lifting operation. But crane operators often struggle to prevent the risks due to the unavailability of proper load lifting equipment and crane safety products. At Crane Warning Systems Atlanta, you can buy quality crane load moment, weight, and Anti two block switch for safer transportation. Whether you’re a freight movement employee or a construction company worker, our crane load indicators can help you optimize load-lifting safety.
Our products are sourced from the most renowned brands across the world. They’re designed to help crane users understand critical lifting factors like:
Movement radius
Distance from ground
Load and crane’s center of gravity
You can also improve your crane’s safety and load-lifting capacity by installing wind speed indicators. AKA crane anemometer, these safety products are helpful for crane operators in monitoring wind speed, direction, and strength. Your crane’s anemometer can help you decide whether or not wind conditions are suitable for load-lifting operations.
Check out our full range of products or access free product manuals and wiring diagrams to learn how crane safety equipment and Wind Speed Indicator can improve your crane’s safety.
How Can Crane Warning Systems Atlanta Help You?
Lifting loads with a crane is always challenging. Several factors play a significant part in determining operational safety during the process. And that’s why Crane Warning Systems Atlanta brings a large array of crane safety products to the table. We aim to support and equip crane companies and crane operators with the most advanced crane warning systems.
Our product range includes all kinds of safety equipment that can help crane operators, riggers, and signalers identify and mitigate threats ahead of time. You can discuss your crane safety requirements with our team to choose the right product according to your crane type and configuration.
Crane Warning Systems Atlanta is an authorized RaycoWylie products distributor and offers various crane products like crane wind speed indicators, crane two-block systems, RaycoWylie crane overload systems, and load moment indicators, among more.
Contact us for more details.
Comments