Mill Operator Crane Operation Safety: Both to you, anyone helping you, and the equipment that you are working around. When you are learning this job, some of the skills that you should be developing are, how to stop a swinging load, accuracy when moving your load into position, and finally safety awareness.
The parts to a bridge crane are very basic. The BRIDGE, which travels lengthways, the TRAVEL or as some call it, the CARRIAGE. This will carry the load back and forth across the width. The HOIST which lifts and lowers the load and the
CONTROL WAND. This is the control panel.
What I am going to do now is go over some of the do’s and do nots involved.
- Don’t lift a load unless you can clearly see the entire thing or you have someone directing you.
- If you have a person hooking your load up and directing your hook movement, he or she is the boss. Don’t move your hook unless directed to this person is sometimes called a hook tender or crane chaser.
- If you can’t see your hook tender don’t move until you can.
- When lifting a load be sure that nothing can fall off of the load.
- When moving material around equipment use a guide rope whenever possible.
- Never ride or allow anyone else to ride a load.
- Never walk under a suspended load.
- Always be sure that any material that has been piled is secure and will not fall over.
- Always check slings and cables for damage. Discard any that show any signs of wear.
- When walking with a loaded crane walk beside your load, keeping an eye on it and where you are going, never walk backing up.
- When you are finished using a crane be sure the hook and the controls are up out of the way. This will prevent anyone from hitting their heads or damaging the controls.
