The wire rope is the most vulnerable part of your overhead crane's interior mechanisms. This part is stressed during the lifting of loads and needs to be inspected and used properly during each application that involves transferring loads. If more than one of your crane operators have dropped a load in the past and serious damages or injuries were avoided, implementing a new series of rules can aid in preventing future mishaps.
Comply With Guidelines
When hoisting a load, a series of ropes and pulleys control the tension that is responsible for lifting the arm. Materials are placed inside of the trolley and are elevated throughout the transfer of materials. Each crane model comes with a list of regulated guidelines, including the weight limit that the crane can handle.
Operators should be monitored for a trial period to ensure that they understand how to operate the levers inside of the cab compartment. All loads that are being transferred should be identified to determine the weight of the materials. This will aid in breaking down materials if the crane cannot safely move all of them at the same time.
Use Guards
A crane's rope is aligned with grooves that rest against a drum and sheaves. If the rope gets hung up during the operation of a crane, a load could be suspended in the air for longer than planned on or an operator may lose control of the materials that they are responsible for moving.
One way to ensure that the rope does not come loose from the grooves is by using guards. Guards that are secured to a crane will keep the rope aligned and prevent it from snapping or becoming damaged, due to coming into contact with a sharp or heavy object. During each crane operation, the person who is seated in the cab should have someone spotting them.
A viable way of communicating is necessary so that the operator can inquire about any problems that they encounter, or so that the person who is spotting them can relay important information that will result in the safe execution of a load. All other employees should be prohibited from driving or walking across the area where a crane is being utilized.
Even if an operator is careful about the manner in which they use a crane and the equipment is inspected annually, an incident could occur, in which a load drops suddenly, so making sure that nobody is in the line of danger is important. Contact an overhead crane service, such as American Equipment Inc, for more information.