This is a guest post by Nathan Gladwin of Harold Potter Ltd. Harold Potter provides overhead cranes and lifting equipment for the construction, manufacturing and engineering industries. Hopefully this article will make us all more aware of the specifik risks and dangers to be considered when working with large machinery and often at height.
We routinely find stories making their way into our offices concerning work place safety or occupational accidents at work, especially involving cranes and construction workers, which is both concerning and relevant to ourselves. So with this in mind what equipment do we recommend for your crane operating staff?
Well this entirely depends on the precise usage, application and job. What you will require in a manufacturing environment will differ from the safety PPE kit and equipment from a construction site or that of a shipping port.
Know the Relevant Guidelines and Regulations
First of all ensure your staff are trained and kept updated with the latest safe working practises and guidelines, risk assessments are conducted as appropriate in line with the government and Health and Safety Executive requirements. This will save you a lot of time and expense should something go wrong.
In addition, everybody involved should have the necessary knowledge of the sorts of things that can and do go wrong, so they can avoid what others don’t. Hard hats are quite standard in almost any crane situation nowadays. They will prevent you from sustaining serious head concussions from basic knocks, trips and falls and indeed could save your life from more fatal accidents.
For example, in 2008 in New Zealand an engineering crane operator was killed after the straps securing a heavy load gave way causing a bolt to be projected at high velocity striking the individual in the head. This killed him instantly. It could have been prevented.
Head Protection Is Fundamental
If you’re working in a confined space reliant on cranes swinging and manoeuvring heavy loads, then adequate head protection will undoubtedly save lives from flailing load hooks, or even the impact or collision with the items and materials being lifted. Safety shoes, boots or trainers will prevent your feet from being crushed from heavy loads… think steel support beams, re-enforced concrete, loaded brick palettes or engines.
Just ensure you’re purchasing the adequate grade for the operation you carry out. A warehouse worker or police office will not wear the same as what a construction worker will wear. If you can’t be heard, it is vital you can be seen and that you’re wearing the most appropriate hi-visibility clothing. Safety visors will protect your eyes from any shrapnel, shards or fine falling debris.
If a company plans on operating a crane then they are required to follow legislation directly relating to the usage of cranes including the LOLER (1998) guidelines, and this is the responsibility of the employer not the employee. There are a number of organisations that specialise in providing the industry with relevant health and safety professionals so we would recommend you utilise them in order to avoid costly mistakes.
Such mistakes result in loss of life, insurance claims, and expensive settlements. On top of that the HSE have powers to issue fines where official regulation guidelines have been breached.
Thanks Nathan – If you would like to be a contributor to constructionbytes.com then see here
Image by Paul Holloway
