If your new job requires you to work with overhead cranes, you should learn as much as you can about crane safety. This is particularly important if you've never worked with cranes before. Even if you've worked with traditional cranes, there are still a few things you should understand about overhead cranes. Here are four safety issues you need to remember when working with overhead cranes.
Never Overload the Crane
When operating an overhead crane, it's important for you to remember the load limit. Overhead cranes come with a pre-determined load capacity. You might think that a few extra pounds won't affect the safety of your crane, but you'd be wrong. While the bucket on the crane may be able to withstand additional weight, the building it's attached to may not. As a result, overloading the bucket could cause the entire crane to collapse, as well as the building it's attached to.
Always Pull Straight Up
When lifting material, it's important to remember that the crane should be lifted and dropped in a straight line. For safety purposes, you should lift straight up and then lower the crane straight down to the ground. Any movement to the side could cause the crane to lose its balance, which could cause it to collapse.
Never Lift to Full Capacity
Overhead cranes have an upper limit switch installed on them. The upper limit switch is designed to alert you when you're about to reach maximum height on the lift. Elevating the crane to full capacity could cause the hook and the drum to come in contact with each other. If that happens, the crane could drop its load, which could result in serious injuries or fatalities to the people below.
Always Conduct Daily Inspections
Just because the crane worked properly one day, doesn't mean it's going to function properly the next day. You can avoid hazardous situations by conducting daily inspections on your crane. Before you begin using your crane each day, you should do two things – look and listen.
Look
Walk around the crane and look for signs of damage. You'll want to pay close attention to puddles that might have developed under the crane. You should also look for loose or missing hardware, such as bolts.
Listen
Once you've done a visual inspection of the crane, you'll want to turn it on. Listen for any unusual sounds. Move the crane up and down. Does it move smoothly? Are there any strange sounds while it's moving? If you notice any strange sounds, turn the engine off and report the noises.
Now that you'll be working on an overhead crane, you need to ensure your safety, as well as the safety of those around you. Use the safety tips provided here to keep yourself safe while at work. For more information on overhead cranes and crane safety, contact a company like American Equipment Inc.