Cranes have many uses in the industrial world. They help to make light work of heavy-lifting tasks that would take time and a lot of workforces to complete.
Although no crane user wants to experience crane failure, it may happen at their workplace. This may result in downtime, but also cause injury and even death.
From 2011 to 2015, 220 total crane-related deaths occurred, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). As a crane user, you should take all the necessary steps to reduce this number.
Before starting any crane operations at your workplace, take the following precautionary measures.
1. Carry out Inspections to Avoid Crane Failure
Consider implementing a crane maintenance and inspection program.
The program will allow you to document the inspection results and use them to solve future problems. Inspect the machine by abiding by the manufacturer’s regulation.
Hire a certified crane inspector to conduct this activity.
2. Enact Policies on the Crane’s Operations
You can enact company policies to help prevent overhead crane accidents. The guidelines may offer insights on the integrity of the crane and worksite hazards.
Ask your workers to stick to a specific load rating and capacity of the equipment they’re using.
Take disciplinary action against employees that breach workplace rules.
Install collision-avoidance gadgets or circuitry on your cranes to implement your safety regulations.
Other devices to install include weigh scales, overload limiting gadgets, stop-limit and slow-down switches. Make every operator accountable for using these devices.
3. Train Your Personnel in Crane Maintenance and Operation Safety
Your company’s technicians must be knowledgeable about the safe practices for operating cranes. Their expertise should lie in troubleshooting, maintaining and repairing crane parts. Train them on worksite conduct and job-site safety.
Mandate your employees to use hand signals, warning lights, and radios to communicate crane failure. Ensure that they have the contacts of the technicians needed to initiate repairs.
They should also stay updated on the CMAA guidelines and other safety policies.
4. Grease the Bearings of the Sheaves Regularly
Lubricate the bearings of the crane’s sheaves to prevent crane noise.
Greasing helps prevent wear and tear caused by friction. Though this exercise is tiring and time-consuming to execute, it enables you to save the money needed for sheave repairs.
Your technicians can use rigging to access the sheaves and grease them.
5. Get a Crane Suited for a Specific Use
Cranes come in various forms, which each style tailored to a particular application. The smallest ones facilitate lifting operations inside workshops. You can find tall tower cranes used to construct high-rise buildings.
Ensure that your company the right crane to prevent injuries, damage or crane failure.
Don’t Let Crane Failure Degrade Your Company’s Productivity
Mitigate crane failure risks by carrying out routine maintenance and inspections. Seek out a competent person to identify mechanical problems in parts such as the crane motor. Check for damaged parts, worn-out wiring/ropes, fluid leakages, and cracks.
We perform modernizations and upgrades on crane equipment. We can also perform repair work on the equipment. We stock a range of crane spare parts to make the repair process smooth and fast.
Contact us in case you can’t find the part, product or service you need or to request a quote.