Have you ever considered how crane safety is affected by the location of operations? Cranes are used for everything, from mining site excavations to completing dredging and constructing bridges above water bodies. This begs the question: how do manufacturers ensure all-terrain crane safety?
Continue reading to find out!
Hard Ground
If you asked the average joe where they’ve seen the most cranes, chances are they’ll mention urban construction sites—and statistics on the growing nationwide demand for construction back this up!
It’s very common to see mobile cranes parked on the tarmac or concrete roads near construction zones in the city. This type of hard ground provides ample stability because the cranes are unlikely to slip or slide while being operated. However, cranes operating on hard ground can still yield safety issues due to factors like load weight.
This is why it’s crucial to ensure cranes operating on hard surfaces are connected to an all-terrain crane safety device like a load moment indicator (LMI). LMI systems for cranes help operators keep an eye on various forces affecting the boom; For instance, they provide live updates of the height at which the load’s being lifted, the angle of the boom, and the extent to which the load is swaying due to winds. These factors must be monitored, and the crane must be adjusted accordingly to maximize safety.
Soft Ground
If you venture out of the city, you will likely see cranes operating on soft-ground sites such as mines. These cranes are often parked on mud, snow, and gravel, making foundational stability a top priority. That said, stationing the cranes on stable grounds is just one safety aspect. The main way to ensure safety on soft ground is by using all-terrain crane safety devices like anti-two block (a2b) alarms.
Wireless a2b devices alert crane operators and other staff at the site if the ball or hook attached to the crane is in danger of colliding with the boom tip (known as two-blocking). In this scenario, the slightest two-blocking instance can damage the boom or cause a load to drop, yielding potentially disastrous consequences. Therefore, it’s imperative to have a functional anti-two-block alarm if you’re operating a crane at a soft-ground site.
Floating on Water
How do you ensure crane safety if it’s floating on a barge or pontoon? This is where an all-terrain crane safety device like a wireless anemometer (a type of crane wind speed indicator) comes into the picture.
This device measures the speed of the wind at the boom tip. It’s highly important if you’re operating a floating crane because wind can cause the crane (and barge/pontoon) to sway during operations. If you’re lifting heavy loads, this sway will factor into how the load moves as you maneuver it into position.
Crane Warning Systems Atlanta Provides All Kinds of All-Terrain Crane Safety Devices to Clients Across the US
Eager to source state-of-the-art all-terrain crane safety devices manufactured by Rayco Wylie? We invite you to reach out to our team at Crane Warning Systems Atlanta!
We provide all the crane safety devices mentioned in this article and leave no stone unturned in our quest to maximize value for our clients. Whether you’re after a crane LMI system for telescopic boom cranes, a rated-capacity indicator for lattice boom cranes, or ATB systems for all crane models, simply tell us your desired product, and we’ll arrange a quote for you.
Message us today for more information.