How to Avoid the Hazards of Working Around Material Handling Operations

The highest number of crane accidents occur due to crane load, and crane part collisions or crane collapses, followed by slip and fall accidents, tip-overs, and electrocution. Moreover, crane parts and mechanical failures contribute to over 90% of the total crane accidents in the US.

Crane owners and project managers must take full responsibility for protecting their workers during material lifting operations. They must strategize and implement a crane safety plan and hazard-mitigating protocol to prevent deadly crane accidents. Continue reading this post to learn about the most common types of material management hazards and effective ways to prevent them.

Worker Training on Risk Mitigation

A crane’s operational performance heavily relies on the condition and efficiency of its various mechanical components. Mechanical failures and sudden breakdowns can cause serious worker injuries and load collisions. Fortunately, these hazards are completely avoidable with proper worker training and crane warning indicator installation.

Always conduct thorough worker training and maintain a stringent code-compliant protocol to ensure that your crane operators are well-versed in crane risk mitigation. You should test their performance and assess your equipment’s efficiency before initiating a lifting operation. These two simple steps can help project managers and safety inspectors rule out mechanical failure hazards during a lift.

OSHA also recommends that crane operators must receive a 24-hour training program followed by monthly and annual refreshers. The regulatory authority’s 5 critical standards that apply to material handling worker training programs;

• Fall protection
• Preventing trenching cave-ins
• Preventing infectious disease transmission
• Eliminating worker exposure to harmful substances such as asbestos and lead
• Ensuring Healthy ergonomics for workers

Promote Correct Crane Worker Ergonomics

High temperatures and significant heights often cause Musculoskeletal problems in crane workers. Crane workers may sustain back and neck injuries due to repetitive motions, awkward sitting postures, and high-pressure cabin environments. They’re at a high risk of developing muscle strain and joint pain as a result of long shift hours and heavy material lifting.

A comprehensive fall avoidance plan, quality PPE gear, and crane safety devices such as an LMI or Anti two block switch system can significantly boost your crane operators’ well-being during a lifting operation. They should also have clear and quick access to first aid and emergency response kits for prompt risk aversion.

Create a Floor Safety Plan

Working as a crane operator or a supplementing crane worker such as a rigger, signaler, or safety inspector exposes you to several risks, including slip, trip, and fall hazards. Cranes are often deployed in proximity to other machines and material loads. Even the most insignificant error can lead to a nasty accident or material damage.

Experts and crane safety workers strongly recommend project managers create a foolproof floor safety plan and emphasize maintaining a clutter-free, clean area for crane operations. Additionally, you should provide workers with slip-resistant, fire-resistant boots for maximum safety and balance.

Equip your crane operators with the best-quality crane camera systems. You can buy the CCS2 and CCS4 systems available at Crane Warning Systems Atlanta. You can also check out high-precision RaycoWylie crane overload systems, crane load indicators, wireless wind speed indicators, and other RaycoWylie crane products on the company’s product page.

Pay Attention to Fire, Noise, and Chemical Hazard Prevention

Material lifts pose a fire hazard if the operating equipment comes in direct contact with a power line or chemical. Therefore, it’s important to remove all kinds of power lines, exposed switches, and chemicals from the lift area. Make sure your workers have access to and are trained to use fire extinguishers.

Material handling operations can also cause ear injuries and hearing damage. Equipment noise and high-frequency vibrations can affect a worker’s hearing ability. You can, however, easily mitigate this risk by providing your crane operation team with quality earplugs and earmuffs.

Get Your Hands on Precision-Oriented Crane Warning Indicators in the US

Crane Warning Systems Atlanta is a leading and highly reliable crane warning indicators distributor in the US. Based in Atlanta, the company has catered to multiple crane businesses nationwide and has helped them maximize crane equipment and crane operator safety.

Their range includes high-quality, high-performance, and durable crane safety devices such as crane overload indicators, crane capacity indicators, crane capacity systems, crane a2b systems, and crane anemometer. You can also check out their RaycoWylie crane safety products and buy quality crane wind speed indicators at the best prices.

Call Crane Warning Systems Atlanta’s team today for more details.

About the Author

This post’s author is an experienced crane operator with over 20 years of experience in the US construction sector. He has been a part of numerous material-lifting operations over the years. He regularly shares trends and news from the material management sector and educates crane operators about crane safety best practices.