In the construction, gas, and oil fields, you wouldn’t be able to complete all of the work you do daily without cranes. These devices provide the necessary stability and support during a wide range of projects. But what happens if they’re not appropriately operated?
The truth is, crane accidents can quickly happen due to negligent or reckless behavior. The good news? Accidents involving these massive machines can easily be prevented as well.
Here’s a rundown on what everyone at the job site could do to improve workplace safety when operating cranes.
Crane Accidents Can Result from the Tipping of Cranes
Crane incidents involving tipping can be hazardous for both crane operators and nearby workers.
Tipping accidents can happen if outriggers are misused due to poor ground conditions. For instance, the ground that you’re operating a crane on may feature uneven grading, excavations, voids, and depressions.
In light of the above, make sure that your outrigger pad is on a surface that is stable, level, and dry. Otherwise, you may not be able to control the position of your crane.
You can easily make sure that your ground conditions are suitable by performing an inspection of the area before beginning work there.
Collapsing Boom
This is yet another possible crane accident that can happen if you don’t follow a crane’s weight limits. Even a little extra weight can lead to critical failure.
So, when you prepare a load, be sure that what you plan to lift will be within the weight limits. Also, make sure that you incorporate the rigging’s weight as well. This includes the weight of the hooks and chains used to secure your load.
Furthermore, be sure to have your boom regularly inspected. Ensuring crane safety in this way is essential because a warped or damaged boom may decrease your crane’s weight limits.
The Dropping of a Load
Finally, you may drop a load when operating a crane if your rigging is subpar.
To avoid this potentially dangerous disaster, be sure to always rig your loads according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure that you use the appropriate equipment; don’t cut corners.
Also, scrutinize your hooks and chain links. Practicing crane operational safety can help to protect both human lives and property at the job site.
How We Can Help
In addition to providing tips for preventing crane accidents, we offer top-of-the-line crane upgrade and repair services.
For instance, we can modernize your crane to make it more capable of meeting your material handling demands. Also, we can repair and reline your crane brakes as needed.
We can also complete overhead crane inspections to make sure that all of a crane’s components are functioning at their optimal levels.
Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can keep your cranes running in tip-top condition from one job to the next.