Construction Cranes: Common Hazards and Safety Tips

Cranes are incredible heavy equipment; they have been a favorite piece of equipment for the construction crew since they were invented. It helps in lifting the load as heavy as 18 metric tons and as high as 230 feet. You will see the use of the crane in almost every project be it a residential construction or industrial settlement. They also give leverage to extend their capacity according to the need of the job.

Besides all these fancy features, the equipment hazards risk always move with it. One slight negligence can push you into severe and major accidents. Regardless of having all the operating skills, your crew member must know about the hazards and safety precautions. 

In this article, we are listing some common hazards of a crane and safety tips to follow. 

Common Hazards of a Crane

All the heavy equipment has some hazards that should not be neglected. A crane for sale is used to carry and lift heavy objects and loads up to a certain height. Some common types of hazards are as under:

• Overloading

You can imagine how dangerous it could be to lift a heavy load to the maximum height. A crane makes the job easier but it’s dangerous and may be deadly. 

The crane boom can trip due to the overloading of weight. The heavy load can fall from the top and may hit the worker standing right under the crane. This injury or accident may be deadly. Avoid carrying a load more than the capacity of a crane. Also, try to make it stabilize before moving the boom above. There must be a digital screen on the crane to show the weight capacity and load measure during the lifting.

• Lose Fitting Parts

When the parts of the equipment or crane are loose, they may get disconnected at any time and hit the people working on the site. Before starting the crane, make sure all the parts are tightly screwed and secure. If anything finds loosely attached, fix it immediately. Most of the fatalities on construction sites are due to these heavy equipment hazards, so need to be very careful while using one in your project.

• Electrical Hazards

Electric hazard is an unavoidable risk at the construction site. The equipment needs power to run and is supplied by electricity. Make sure the electric connections are safely installed. Also, make sure when you lift the crane boom with load, do not come in contact with the overhead power lines. It is a common accident seen on the site.

You also need to follow all the OSHA guidelines about electric safety and site safety. Train and inform your crew members as well about all the safety precautions. Read all the protocols and manuals when you get a crane for sale.

Footnote

Cranes are the heavy equipment that helps the workers in almost every other construction project. They help in carrying and lifting heavy objects to a certain height. Along with all the beneficial features of a crane, some common hazards are sticking with it as well. You need to be very careful while using a crane. In this article, we have mentioned some common hazards and tips about the crane. Read them and understand the things you should be careful about.