Follow These Safety Tips To Make Sure Your Overhead Cranes Are Operating Safely

Any construction site or industrial plant that needs to move bulky or extremely heavy items around a work area will likely invest in one or more overhead cranes. Heavy equipment of this type can help make your workday more efficient by helping you to relocate or adjust heavy items that might be nearly impossible to move on your own. But heavy equipment must be treated carefully at all times. Specifically, you need to make sure you are taking additional steps to create a safe working environment while your overhead cranes are in motion. Here are some important tips to keep in mind.

Always Lift the Load High Enough to See Underneath

With an overhead crane, you are likely going to lift something into the air and then move it side to side until it is in its new position. It's very important while doing this that you make sure there is nothing stuck or caught on the underside of the object you are moving. The way that you do this is by lifting the item up slowly off the ground and then waiting for an all-clear from a worker standing below before you begin moving the object side to side. This will ensure nothing gets caught or stuck that could make moving the cargo dangerous going forward.

Always Mark off the Crane's Path

Do you know how some airplanes have to comply with a "no-fly zone" over certain countries or military institutions? This means that no one but authorized personnel should be flying over a specific area. This same concept can help make your work site much safer. When an overhead crane is moving its cargo to a new location, your employees should be keeping a wide berth of the crane at all times. No one should be standing underneath the cargo while it is hoisted in the air. If you need a spotter to inspect the load like we just mentioned, this person can easily get the job done without standing right next to the crane.

Triple Check All Latches and Attachments Before Moving

All employees should also follow a checklist that instructs them to inspect each attachment, like latches, hooks, or cables, that is used to keep the cargo in place. Even if the crane itself is in good condition, a faulty attachment could cause the cargo to become loose and possibly fall out while the crane is in motion.

Contact an overhead cranes company today for more information

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