Between 2011 and 2015, 220 people died due to crane-related injuries. That’s 44 people every year! And as the industries that use cranes continue to grow, so does the number of people using cranes daily.
The people who operate and manage these mega machines need to be more than just adept at what they’re doing—they need to know that crane accidents are a reality and have to be trained to avoid crane accidents.
And since a majority of these accidents are directly linked to overloading, let’s talk about what it entails, and how it can be avoided:
What Causes These Accidents?
Overloading accidents are usually caused by human error. This is good news because it means we can prevent overloading accidents in the long-term with better precautions. In most cases, they are caused by:
Load dragging
Side-loading
Load swinging
Using a crane that is defective or has defective components
Not utilizing a crane capacity indicator
Not following the load charts for the crane
How to Avoid Accidents: Using Tech
There was a time when crane operators needed load charts to guesstimate whether or not the equipment they were loading was within weight guidelines.
They’d have to carry out calculations that involved boom angles, length, and radius to reach a reliable figure.
These days, technology makes traditional loading mechanisms look complicated. Load moment indicators are great at displaying how much weight a crane can hold vs. how much is being lifted.
Crane LMI system display the actual load, rated capacity, and percentage of safe working load on a digital screen. In addition, they can monitor information such and anti-two block warning and wind speed at the boom tip.
The crane rated capacity indicator is an invaluable tool every crane operator should have.
How to Avoid Accidents: Hiring (Skilled) Workers
Of course, no matter how advanced the technology, at the end of the day, a human will be running the machine. So you need to ensure that the personnel operating the cranes have the necessary training and experience.
Practicing safe hoisting methods is crucial, and it’s the supervisor’s job to ensure that everything is being done right.
The crane itself should also be inspected from time to time. Make sure the components are in perfect working conditions and keep an eye on load-bearing parts.
About Crane Warning Systems Atlanta
If you’re concerned about your crane safety, get in touch with Crane Warning Systems Atlanta today by giving us a call at 1-877-672-2951.