If you are renting a crane from a crane company to perform a component of your job, one of the first things you want to do is to ensure the safety of your job while the crane is onsite. Although you already have safety precautions in place that pertain to all of your other equipment, there are additional measures you will want to put in place while you are using your crane. Here are a few to consider.
Safety Is Important
Safety is important during any and all aspects of a construction job, but unfortunately when a crane accident takes place it often results in severe injuries up to and including death. This is because they are very large pieces of equipment which require the correct setup and operation. In addition to this, they can often add an additional dimension to your job-site because of all of the activity that is taking place overhead.
For example, there were 72 fatalities that took place during 2006, which is the last year this data is available for. Of these 42% were caused by falling objects and 20% was caused by falls. The other 38% was almost evenly split between the following:
- Electrical current contact
- Being caught in equipment
- Struck by an object
- Transportation incidents
The goal of any construction site should be to achieve a 100% safety ratings, here are a few ways that you can do this with your next crane rental.
Safety Steps You Need To Take
Use Certified Operators - Certified crane operators will know how to use the equipment you have rented to get the job done. Their certification training will make sure that they know how to properly set the crane up, as well as the safety precautions that will need to be taken while it is in place.
If you do not have a certified operator on your staff, hire a crane service. Not only will they have the equipment to get the job done, they will have the personnel to run the equipment.
Select The Right Crane For Your Job - There are a wide variety of crane to choose from to get your job done. Some of these include:
- Vehicle mounted cranes
- Rough terrain cranes
- All terrain cranes
- Crawler cranes
- Telescopic cranes and more
All of these have very specific requirements as to their lifting capacity, span, lift height, hook coverage, travel pattern and more. In addition to the specifications of the machine itself, you also have to consider the "envelope" or the amount of space your crane will take up on your job site.
A crane consultant from your crane rental company will be able to help you choose the right machine for your product. They are trained to make recommendations that will not keep you from renting the wrong machine, but that will allow you to rent one that will help to increase your productivity while maintaining your safety.
Ensure The Proper Setup - Even if you have the right equipment on your job site and with the right person running it, if your crane is not properly setup, you still run the risk of having an accident. Make sure the crane is set up properly each and every time you use it. Ensure that the setup is being inspected and double checked prior to the machine being used.
Resist taking short cuts or allowing your staff to take shortcuts just in order to get the job done faster. Just remember, if there is an accident, your job site could be completely shut down.
One of the easiest ways to get your crane work done is to rent a reputable crane service to do a turn key job. They are trained to do it quickly as well as safely. Reach out to companies like A C Jones Trucking Inc for more information.
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