You can never underestimate the importance of safety in any work environment. If you are an operator who lifts loads you have to be extra careful because one wrong move could land somebody in a hospital or worse. Lifting a load the right way will also help avoid unnecessary repairs and increase the durability of your equipment. Amazingly, 25% of crane operators cannot lift a load the right way. What these unskilled operators don’t realize is that wrong lifting can cause the slings to come off or lead to free falling loads. Here are a few pointers on how to lift loads properly.
Regularly do some pre-operational checks.
At the beginning of your shift ensure that you do some routine checks to ensure that everything is in order. This is actually a requirement by OSHA. Check for wire rope damage and ensure that the upper limit switch is working flawlessly.
If the ropes are damaged they may not swing in the right direction and you don’t want that. The upper limit switch prevents the upper structure from making contact with the bottom block. The bottom block can easily damage the hoist and cause a free falling load.
Position the lifting attachment perfectly
The lifting attachment should be at the center of the load if you are lifting a regular object. If the load is irregular, try to estimate the position where the load will balance. You can do this by slowly lifting the load until it settles perfectly. Think of it like a physics class. If the load is irregular you may have to do this several times until you get the perfect balance. If the load is not centered it may swing and that may cause some hazardous problems, so take your time. If you notice that the load has sharp edges, you can use softeners on the slings.
Double check that the rigging can hold the load
All rigging is usually tagged with its maximum lifting capacity at specific configurations. Some operators make the common mistake of assuming the rigging is sufficient for the load and this actually translates to a level of negligence.
Lift slowly
Lift the load in slow motion. This will help you notice any problem and it will save you the time of doing the process all over again in case there is something wrong with the load. As you lift ensure that the rigging is right, the slack is gone and all obstructions are cleared. If everything checks out you can comfortable carry the load to the end of the line.
What to consider
If you are not fully sure that you can lift loads properly, it’s a good idea to get some training. You can enroll into a training institute and they will help you perfect that art. Practice makes perfect fits perfectly in load lifting.
You can also outfit the crane with state of the art modernizations that help control the lifting process. You can try the anti-sway devices that keep the load from swinging dangerously and the Variable Frequency Drive. The latter device will allow you to manage the speed of the crane. Safe Lifting.