Safety is arguably the most important aspect of crane operations. Without ensuring that your crane is safe to work with, you’re putting your equipment, reputation and employees on the line.
We spoke with our crane safety experts at Crane Warning Systems Atlanta to find out about the safety checks a supervisor must perform before putting their crane in operations.
Inspect the ground conditions
Your crane is only as strong and stable as the ground upon which it stands. You need to know how compact and firm the ground is, the type of soil the ground has and how much moisture there is in the soil, and whether the ground is graded or flat. This will help you determine the load limits for the lift and ensure that you aren’t exceeding them.
Make sure the wire rope is properly seated
The wire rope is an important support component of your crane setup. As such, you must make sure that it is properly seated and is free from kinks, twists and damages. A failing wire rope if ignored can prove to be fatal during operations.
Check that the crane controls are working fine
Turn your crane off. Engage the host switch; the hook should not move. Engage all other motions to ensure there is no movement. Turn on the crane power. Check the controls once again and ensure they match the labeling directions.
Test for swing
Before performing the actual lift, test run the crane within the specified swing radius to ensure the boom’s travel path is free from obstructions. If an obstacle exists, have it removed. If there are power lines in the way, establish a safe work zone and contact the authorities to have the power cut off while your staff operate the crane to prevent any mishaps.
While it’s impossible to guarantee safety during crane operations, performing the checks above can certainly limit the risks and hazards associated with taming these giant metallic machines and make your crane operations safer.
At Crane Warning Systems Atlanta, we sell Rayco Wylie crane safety instrumentation products. We source all our products directly from the Rayco Wylie plants to ascertain our clients only get high quality solutions for their complex crane safety needs. View our complete Rayco Wylie Crane Systems range here.