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Working safely with cranes and slings

The slings that cranes use to hold suspended loads are also a key element in this kind of material handling. Slings are made of a variety of materials. We determine what type of sling to use by the size and type of load, and the environmental conditions in the work area. For cranes and slings to perform properly, they have to be in top condition. So, good inspection and maintenance are especially important. Let’s review some of the key safety issues related to cranes and slings. We'll talk about how to select and use them, and how to identify equipment that needs replacement or repair. Our goal is to use this expensive and essential equipment correctly and maximize its useful life. General hazardsThere are two main hazards when we use cranes and slings:1)       Dropping the load.2)       Hitting someone with the load or the equipment. We also want to avoid damaging the load or the equipment itself. That can be very costly both in terms of equipment repair and replacement and in our ability to meet our productivity and quality goals. These hazards are present any time we skip a step or ignore a problem at any point in the inspection, maintenance and use of this equipment. To avoid danger to the operator and others in the crane's vicinity, we all have to understand the safety procedures and follow them closely. OSHA regulationsOSHA has very detailed rules governing the selection and use of cranes and slings (29 CFR 1910.179, 180, 184). We can't begin to cover every point, but we will look at some of the most important. OSHA issues many hundreds of citations for violating these regulations each year, though they don't rank in the agency's "top 10." Most citations relate to equipment inspection – an area where it's very dangerous to fall short. As we'll learn, OSHA is very specific about what we must inspect frequently (sometimes daily) and what requires periodic inspection. To prevent accidents with cranes and slings, you need a combination of thorough inspection, trained and skilled operators, and safety-conscious employees. Identifying hazardsThe best way to identify a crane and sling hazard is to keep your eyes open. Anyone who works around an operating crane has to be constantly aware of its movements. Stay out of the way of the machine and its moving parts. If the operator sounds the crane's warning signal, get out of the way fast. It's also a good idea to become familiar with the crane signalman's hand signals. They're much like the ones used by traffic cops and can alert you to the crane's movement. The other key to potential crane and sling hazards is the equipment's rated capacity, or the maximum load it can handle safely. OSHA, the company and good sense prohibit overloading, because it could make the crane overturn or drop its load. Equipment manufacturers rate each piece of equipment in terms of how heavy a load it can carry. OSHA requires the rated load to be "plainly marked" on each side of the crane, as well as inside the cab where it's visible to the operator. If a crane has more than one hoisting unit, the hoist or load block also has to be marked with the rated load. You have to be able to read this rating from the floor or ground. Slings also have rated capacities that you can't go over without violating OSHA rules and putting people in danger. Manufacturers must attach permanent, durable rating information to alloy steel chain slings, along with their size, grade and reach. The maximum load capacity for wire rope, natural fiber rope and synthetic fiber rope slings is set out in a series of charts in the OSHA regulation, based on size, construction, etc. On metal mesh slings, some type of durable marking also identifies rated capacity for several different types of hitches. Synthetic web slings have markings or codes to show rated capacities for each type of hitch and type of synthetic web material. Slings also have limitations as to the temperatures they can handle, and the environmental conditions in which they can be used safely. Check all these restrictions carefully before choosing or using a sling. 
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