Cranes and Rigging Safety Part 2

It has become evident that even though more stringent regulations and the manufacturer’s specifications have been implemented in the past few years in regards to crane and rigging operations, those positive steps have had little effect in changing the attitudes which cause accidents.

Construction Safety in crane and rigging operations cannot be legislated. The proper attitude must be a constant companion and must be developed into a way of doing things around crane and rigging operations. The intention of the remainder of this section of the Safety Flash is to assist in the development of the attitude “TO DO THINGS SAFELY AND CORRECTLY” the first time.

Equipment Selection

The first basic ingredient and one of the most important steps in any crane and rigging operation is the selection of the “RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB.” That is to say, selecting the correct crane and rigging materials and related equipment to accomplish the lift or lifts successfully.

The following selection criterion is a suggested crane selection checklist to assist managers and supervisors in procuring the “RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB.” We are going to discuss rigging selection in depth later on.

In choosing the most suitable crane for any operation, the size and characteristics of the crane should be considered in relation to:

• The weights, dimensions and lift radii of the heaviest and largest loads to be lifted by that specific crane.
• The maximum lift height, the maximum lift radius, and the weight of the loads that must be handled at that height and that radius.
• The number of lifts that have to be made and with what frequency.
• The type of lifting to be done. For example, is the precision placement of the load or loads a critical factor in the operation.