How can you ensure employee safety around heavy cranes?

by American Crane And Safety OSHA rigging and signal training

Rigging is the process by which massive objects are lifted from the ground to an elevated workspace during construction projects. If not done properly, the rigged object can fall, creating a risk of potential harm or death to employees.

That being the case, before you attempt any kind of industrial rigging project, you should offer your employees certified rigging safety training. The following are a few tips to help you maintain a safe job site.

The first thing you will want to do when rigging up a heavy load is to determine just how much load you will be lifting. This is important because the rigging sling that you will be using is determined by the weight of the object. If the object weighs too much for the sling you employ, you will be putting the lives of your employees in danger.

Rigging safety is also dependent on a careful inspection of the type of sling you use for the job. There are six types of rigging slings on the market: namely, natural fiber rope, metal mesh, synthetic web, chain, wire rope, and synthetic rope.

Rigging made from synthetic rope or natural fiber rope is not very strong and is likely to get weakened by abrasive substances and friction. So, you may want to inspect it for melted fibers and cuts ahead of using it.
Wire rope and metal mesh slings, on the other hand, are hard-wearing and less likely to have any frayed or broken wires, deterioration or excessive wear. That being said, they are not very flexible, so you must be careful not to bend them.
Chain slings are hard-wearing too. They are also flexible and can be molded to the shape of the load, but you have to be careful that it is not subjected to sudden shocks as they can weaken the chain. You should inspect it for chips in the links and stretching.

Apart from the sling, make sure that you thoroughly look over any clips or fittings that will be used for rigging, as well.

From time to time, you should offer onsite rigging safety courses to your employees to brush them up on rigging safety tips. After all, safety standards are in constant flux, and not identifying what is still in use and what has been done away with could cost lives.