Safety Tips for Using a Crane

As with any heavy machinery, you need to be careful around cranes. You want to keep people from getting hurt on the job site and keep the project from getting damaged. Safety rules are there for a good reason, so make sure you are following them. Here are some of the best ways to keep you and your team safe when using a crane on site.

Choose the Right Crane

Make sure you use the right crane for the job. Different cranes are made for different situations. For example, you would need a crane that can handle a steep grade or difficult terrain if you need to move something. If the building site is on soft ground, you need a crane that crawls or has tracks instead of wheels.

Ensure That Only Qualified Drivers Are Used

If you don’t have trained people running the crane, things could go very wrong. But it’s not just about safety; it’s the law. Your operator must have a CPCS card and be trained and licenced to run a crane.

When you rent a crane from a reputable service, it should come with a person who knows how to use it and has been trained and approved to do so.

Perform Daily Checks

Every day, before the crane is used, the person in charge of it has to do 3 main checks to make sure it is in good shape.

Pre-start: Check the condition of the tyres, the oil level, the air reservoir, the battery, the seat belts, and any other parts that work.

Engine: The operator has to turn on the engine of the crane and then check the fuel level, the pressure gauge, and other things that have to do with the engine.

Safety System: Before the operator can start to use the crane, this must be done. Check the outriggers, the rated capacity limiter, and the anti-two block to make sure they all work.

Doing such checks will help keep you safe and stop accidents from happening.

Stabilise the Crane Before Working

Because cranes have long arms, they tend to fall over when lifting things. Outriggers are added to the crane to help keep it steady. These should be carefully looked at and set up as per the manufacturer’s instructions for an extension.

 Once the outriggers are out, you will need outrigger pads to put under them. These will keep the outriggers from getting stuck in the ground. To avoid problems, you should only put them on stable, level ground, though.

 Are you ready to rent a crane with a skilled operator?

 

Contact Complete Lifting Services for more information.