Material Handling Industrial Overhead Crane Safety Tips

Aug 07, 2024 — Uncategorized

One of the most popular cranes made by crane manufacturers in India is industrial overhead cranes. They are used to carry extremely heavy loads and are an integral part of operations. Therefore, it is important to use them in the safest manner. Factory workers know how deadly crane accidents can be, so they take precautions while operating. However, despite the precautions taken, many industrial overhead crane accidents take place daily. Workers get injured, or worse, lose their lives, or materials get damaged.

According to the government data, poor implementation of safety protocols results in the death of 3 workers daily on-site. From 2018 to 2020, 4,000 injuries and 1,109 deaths occurred in factories.

The following data has been arranged according to different industries:

The following data has been arranged according to different activities and location of crane accidents:

The following data has been arranged according to different types of industrial accidents:

What can be done to increase safety and reduce the number of injuries and deaths?

These accidents occur due to a multitude of reasons ranging from maintenance issues to poor operations of the overhead cranes. There are many accidents that also go unreported or misreported, especially in the unregulated sector. The only way to reduce accidents is by the strict implementation of best practices across the industry. From the factories and manufacturing units to infrastructure and real estate projects, these general best practices can make a huge difference when implemented correctly.

Best Practices to Avoid Accidents
i. Overhead Crane Maintenance – Maintenance is one of the major issues that causes overhead crane accidents. Regular maintenance by professionals from good crane maintenance companies in India is a must. This will ensure that the cranes work well, there are fewer accidents and breakdowns, and the life of the cranes increases.

During maintenance, a thorough inspection needs to be done of all the components. From the calibration of the cranes and their mechanical systems to braking and acceleration systems, everything needs to be visually inspected and practically tested. Ensure you have a complete maintenance checklist and those involved in the maintenance activities following this list.

ii. Overhead Crane Training – A well-trained employee is one of the biggest counters to unsafe working environments. So, when all your workers are properly trained in using the overhead crane, not only will there be fewer accidents, but they will ensure a safe, hazards-free working environment and work will also happen faster and more efficiently.

Workers should follow all the rules and regulations while using the overhead cranes. They should respect the hoisting, lifting, and loading capabilities of the crane, and regularly check all the moving parts of the cranes. They should also look for slacks on the cables and ensure all the devices are in place.

iii. Moving and Hoisting Loads – Employees should be well-instructed on the following rules regarding moving and hoisting:

Ensure all the work areas where the activity is going to be held are clear.

• All lift the loads from the centre.
• Don’t lift the load to unnecessary high heights.
• Smooth movements at all times without jerks as materials can be heavy.
• Never move the loads over the workers’ heads. The floor should be clear.
• Do test runs with a smaller load to check
• Have clear signals amongst the employees involved in the tasks.
• Set heavy materials on blocks to ensure no damage to the floor.
• Never leave unattended any hoisted loads.
• If there is a power cut, shut all systems down till the power is back.

There will be additional safety measures in places based on the type of material that is being handled. For example, things like sensitive chemicals and delicate materials will have extra measures on top of the existing measures.

Maintenance is one of the most important issues to prevent crane accidents. You should hire Sparkline as your crane annual maintenance contractor in India. We are one of the top industrial overhead crane manufacturers and will ensure that all the cranes you have remain in good working condition, are safe, and deliver service for a long time. Contact us today to know more about industrial overhead crane safety.