According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, crane-related accidents caused a total of 220 fatalities between the years 2011 and 2015.
Statistics by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) state that almost half of the crane accidents are caused by contact with overhead power lines. When the boom of the crane or the crane itself comes in contact with power lines, it can electrocute the crane operator and any other worker in the vicinity of the crane. Other dangerous instances include overturned cranes, dropped loads, rigging failures, and two-blocking.
With this information in mind, crane safety and security is a necessity that can’t be stressed enough!
To prevent any sort of crane-related accident from taking place at your facility, make sure you follow these tips.
1. Hire Certified Operators Only
Unqualified crane operators are a great threat to the safety of your crane operations, so the first and the most important thing you need to do is to hire a crane operator who has received proper training in crane operations. While interviewing the candidate, ask them about the formal training they’ve received and whether they possess prior experience working on construction sites.
2. Don’t Leave Loads Suspended
To keep expensive equipment secure and out of the reach of thieves and burglars, crane operators often leave heavy objects suspended on cranes at the end of the day. Doing so is extremely dangerous, as even the slightest leak in the crane’s hydraulic system will cause it to drop. Not only will the property be damaged, but anyone near the crane might also get injured.
3. Conduct Regular Inspections
There are two types of crane inspections that are recommended to ensure crane safety. The first one is frequent, and the other is periodic.
Frequent inspections are conducted daily before starting a lifting plan. The inspector will make sure that the surroundings, as well as the crane, are in the proper condition for safe operations.
Periodic inspections happen once in a while, where inspectors conduct a thorough evaluation of the crane, its structure and function to make sure it’s in top shape.
4. Understand Your Crane’s Limit
Cranes are gigantic machines, but they aren’t invincible! They come with operational limits that you need to understand.
For instance, overloading a crane beyond its capacity can tip it over, operating it in a place where wind velocity is to high can result in a swinging or side loaded boom. Technologically advanced safety devices such as load indicators and crane wind speed indicator can help you monitor these numbers and ensure safe crane operations.
If you’re looking for high-quality crane safety systems, get in touch with Crane Warning Systems Atlanta today! We’re the leading distributor of the technologically advanced Rayco Wylie crane safety indicators in the U.S.
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