Crane Safety – How To Protect Yourself, Your Workers, & Your Project
When operating any sort of heavy machinery on a construction site, safety should be the number one priority, let alone operating a large mobile crane carrying heavy loads overhead. On average, there are 240 serious injury claims involving cranes every year. Additionally, between 2003 and 2015 there were 47 workers killed in incidents involving cranes.* So, when it comes to operating a crane on a construction site, worker safety should be taken very seriously.
Crane safety is the duty of everyone in the workplace. However, some people will have specific safety responsibilities for the crane such as the crane manufacturer, the crane owner, the crane operator, and others with management or control of the crane or the workplace where the crane will operate.
Identify Hazards & Assess Risks
A hazard inspection should be conducted before the crane is onsite to prevent on-site obstacle from delaying the lift as well as to reduce the risk of accident or injury. Potential hazards can include terrain obstructions such as uneven ground and off road access. This should be assessed when determining which crane to hire as some cranes, such as all terrain cranes, are designed to easily move over rough terrain and unaltered ground.
Additionally, overhead hazards such as power lines and trees should be identified in order to create a safe lift plan and to ensure that active power lines are de-energized before the lift occurs. All electrical hazards within 3 metres of the lift should also be clearly marked with fencing, barriers, or taping to further reduce risk of electrocution.
Restrict Access Permissions
Another thing to consider before a crane lift is access permissions. No matter how well you prepare for a lift, it will always be safer to be outside of the lifting area while the crane is operating. That’s why it is important that access to the site of operation is restricted to essential personnel only. This should be made clear to all workers on site before the lift. However, there should also be a clear physical barrier preventing people from accidentally walking into the site of operation, putting themselves, and potentially others, at risk.
Warning: Never lift loads over people. Never walk or stand under a suspended load.
Choose The Right Crane
Choosing the right crane for the job will protect your team as well as your project. In order to reduce the risk of accident or injury you will need to ensure that the lifting capacity of the crane you choose to hire is more than adequate for the requirements of the job.
It is important for the safety of everyone involved that the weight limits provided by the manufacturer are strictly enforced. If you are not hiring an operator with the crane do not load the crane against the instructions of the manufacturer.
Choose The Right Crane Hire Company
When you choose the right crane hire company, crane safety is made simple. All certified and licensed crane operators are highly trained in operation as well as safety training.
The Mighty Cranes difference is the planning we put into every lift. We can even meet you on site free of charge to provide a quote and create a comprehensive lift plan at no cost to you, to help ensure that the job is completed as safely as possible and to a high standard.
If you’re looking for reliable Brisbane crane hire where safety comes first, choose Mighty Cranes. Call us today on 0477 000 976.
