Hazards to Watch for While Operating a Crane

Cranes are a great tool for a wide variety of jobs, from lifting heavy items or moving them around a job site to getting workers and equipment to high locations. However, no job is safe from hazards, and the use of cranes involved many potential dangerous situations. Here are a few of the most common jobsite risks to be are of while operating a crane at your project.

Electrical Hazards

Be sure that the crane is far away from any electrical sources, such as power lines, as hitting one of these can be deadly. Before the job is started, go through and mark how close your crane can get to elevated power lines with highlighted markets. You also should consult with the regional power authority to identify any cabling that might be buried near or on your project site. Be aware that nearly every town and city has regulations on how close you can work to power lines, so make sure your crane is placed in line with those regulations as well.

Overloading

A very common mistake with cranes is trying to lift too much with a crane. Overloading a crane can cause it to malfunction or lose balance, leading to collapses. These don’t only have the potential to cause a huge mess and quite a bit of destruction, but could even be fatal. Make sure that your crane operators know the limits of your machinery and use load-measuring systems to verify that loads being lifted come in at an acceptable weight.

Odd Noises

An experienced crane operator knows what a crane should sound like when it is operating and what sounds are abnormal. So be sure to keep your ears open for any unusual noises coming from the crane and if you notice any, notify the proper members of your team to investigate and get it fixed before anything happens.

Falling Materials

Materials are known to fall on all construction sites – that’s one of the reasons why everyone wears hard hats, after all. However, components shouldn’t fall from your crane. Make sure nothing falls off by double checking your securing straps before lifting every load and don’t forget to perform regular lift maintenance to ensure your crane can handle whatever you’ll moving.

While these are all foundational safety practices, Ritter Forest Products offers hardwood crane mats, outrigger pads and other mats to help you maintain a literal foundation beneath your cranes, ensuring that you have a stable position to stage your lifts or other heavy equipment.  To learn more about our mats or to request a quote for your project, call us today at 800-426-9570.