Handling lifting machinery can be critical, more so at a busy site. The potential threats posed by hoists and cranes to the lives of workers should be taken care of. While there exist many practices that operators must abide by, it is of utmost importance that there is adequate communication among the workers while at work. This makes possible the transmission of information regarding any mishap or malfunctioning of a crane hoist.
Workers should be well-trained, of course.
Advantages of spending on training are many- Accidents are avoided, lives saved, and expenditure on treatments and device malfunctioning is reduced.
Wearing protective gear
The PPE (personal protective equipment) is required according to the type of work and the load, should be worn by all workers present at the site. It may include safety goggles, helmets or tough hats and others.
Pre-operation is the key.
Pre-operation ensures thorough inspection of cranes and hoists and thus prevents any accidents from happening at the workplace. This also makes it possible to detect beforehand, if any equipment to be used is out of order.
Necessary and relevant tags may be attached to articles once inspected. Carefully rule out any tears, cracks and kinks during a thorough check. Broken articles are thus kept aside, and you may send them to get recycled.
For a crane or crane hoist, you need to check each and every switch and control and see if it is working smoothly. Don't forget to check on the brakes. Hooks and latches must always remain sturdy. If you happen to hear any unnatural or unusual noise while the crane is being operated, label it as out of service at once! Also make sure that all warnings and precautionary labels are present on respective equipment, depicting safety standards. Any sort of fuel leakage should also be considered.
Check the machines at regular intervals while at work.
Upon prolonged activity, machines also tend to get warmed up and fatigued. This may hamper their overall performance and load handling. Make sure to inspect the hoists and cranes at regular intervals, to prevent any mishaps from happening at the workplace. These minute safety measures may save a life or two, if not more. Thus it is very important to keep checking for any irregularities in the machine function, every now and then.
Prevent overloading
Though this may seem quite obvious at first, numerous accidents occur every now and then, at various construction sites due to overloading. Thus it seems that not many people are aware of the fact that machines are labelled to handle a particular range of weights only, after undergoing repeated inspection. So, it may be a better idea to work for an extra hour, rather than dangerously overloading hoists and cranes to finish early. This desire to finish early can cost workers their lives. This is the importance of the loading capacity of a machine. Whatever be the circumstance, the total weight lifted should never ever exceed the capacity of the crane hoist.
By now, you must have figured out that one should never discard the handbook or manual that comes with a crane hoist, crane or even with chains. It has within it, all relevant information regarding the machine and its proper use.
What should be done when cranes are not in use?
Please never leave a loaded crane hoist unattended. When the operation has ended, or you decide to take a break for a while, make sure to unload the hoist. This prevents unnecessary usage and wear and tear of its parts and ensures durability. Additionally, make it a point to 'park' the machine or the crane away at a place so that it does not interfere with the frequent passage of people. Remember, you have been given control of a hoist, this means that a heavy responsibility has been imposed upon you. Put to use both your skill and common sense and don't take any chances as it is a matter of safety of your people.
People should stay at a distance from working machines.
As a crane hoist operator, make sure to never move your load anywhere around or above other workers. This avoids any possibility of severe injury or death if the hoist or crane happens to malfunction during the operation at the very site. These safety rigging practices are a must to follow.
RMS industries never fail to stand out when it comes to safety measures during material handling. Not only do they produce a huge variety of load handling equipment like Chain Pulley Blocks, Overhead Cranes, Electric Chain Hoist, Electric Wire Rope Hoist, etc., but they also make these undergo a quality check and heavy inspection before dispatching.
To conclude, never ignore these petty measures that may actually save lives. If you experience any sort of unusual thing while inspecting, operating or handling your equipment, you must be able to understand the graveness of the situation. Refer to handbooks, manuals and contact the manufacturer. Report the finding immediately and add the necessary tags or labels to the product. These little yet essential steps prevent any potential risks to the lives of people at the workplace.