Human beings have used machines like cranes for thousands of years. Cranes as a concept may seem new to us, but they’ve actually been around since ancient civilizations. In today’s blog, we’ll take a look at where cranes came from, how they’ve advanced, and the warning systems and safety indicators added to ensure safe usage and to prevent accidents.
Historical Crane Design
The earliest recorded use of the crane comes from 3000 B.C from Mesopotamia. Their use of cranes was primarily to lift water and supply it to the people. The earliest recorded use of cranes for construction purposes comes around 1500 years later by the Ancient Greeks in 515 B.C.
These cranes were simple, relied on a pulley motion, and could pull around five times the weight of the force put in through the pulleys. These were simple and required a person or a donkey to pull the ropes to lift construction materials. While effective, these pulley systems were slow and needed upgrades to become safer and more effective.
Modern Advances
Hydraulic systems have existed since ancient times but weren’t integrated into crane design until the 19th century when cranes began being constructed from steam-powered engines. Now the cranes could be used in a much safer manner than before. Not only was manpower not needed, but the material for the cranes was less likely to break down.
Since then, a lot has been added for safety measures. Counterweights, outriggers, and smoother hydraulics have been added to make the use of cranes efficient and safer.
Current Safety Measures
Modern advancements in safety measures have created multiple warning systems that are incorporated in the crane mechanisms. Aside from the stabilization and balance provided by weights and beams, modern cranes also include detection and warning systems for extreme weather, changes in weight distributions of the load, notifications for mechanical failure, and much more. Modern cranes are beginning to move to automated systems that will even stop crane movements when specific actions could lead to accidents.
Modern crane operations incorporate the use of gadgets like load indicators, load moment indicators and wind speed indicators to ensure safety. Our team at Crane Warning System Atlanta provides all of these crane safety systems and indicators to construction teams to improve their efficiency and safety protocols on site. Contact us to place an order.
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