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Bridge cranes

The most common injuries from bridge cranes are crushed fingers and fractured hands.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. High hazard plant
  3. Safe work procedures
  4. Slings and lifting attachments
  5. Crane operation
  6. Maintenance
  7. Training

1. Introduction

Hands and fingers are most likely to be injured when a person attempts to adjust a sling as it tightens on a load. Manually adjusting a sling as it tightens is an unsafe work practice. It should not be allowed under safe work procedures.

Most of the accidents involving bridge cranes are the result of incorrect slinging procedures and unsafe lifting attachments.

2. High hazard plant

A bridge crane with a safe working load (SWL) of over 10 tonnes is considered to be high-hazard plant for which the following are required:

  • the design of the crane registered by the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection (WorkSafe) or other similar Australian regulatory authority;
  • the crane must be inspected and tested before it can be used;
  • a record must be kept for the crane in regards to regulation 4.34;
    • maintenance;
    • alterations;
  • maintenance and inspections carried out according to section 7 of Australian Standard AS 25530.3-2002 Cranes, hoists and winches - Safe use - Part 3: Bridge, gantry, portal (including container cranes) and jib cranes);
  • the owner's name and address; and
  • as far as practicable, instructions and training provided for operators.

The following questions are to help toolbox meetings to identify workplace hazards and to reduce the risks.

3. Safe work procedures

Does your workplace have a daily checklist covering:

  • testing of brakes - both for hoisting and travelling?
  • testing of limit switches with no load on the hook?
  • checking the pendant controller for correctness of travel motion - and comparing it with direction indicators?
  • testing the emergency stop switch function?
  • ensuring the hook safety latch is operable?

4. Slings and lifting attachments

Do safe work procedures ensure the following safety steps for slings are ALWAYS carried out?

  • determine the weight of the load to be lifted and ensure it is within the safe working load (SWL) of the crane?
  • select the right sling and attachments for the lift?
  • inspect each item of lifting equipment before attachment to the load?
  • balance the load to avoid overstress on any legs of the sling?
  • reduce the working load limit of chain slings if operation involves the movement of molten metals?
  • protect slings from damage by padding sharp edges with corner saddles or wooden blocks?
  • hook unused slings to the oblong link or sling rings?


Do safe work procedures ensure the following unsafe slinging items and practices are NEVER used?

  • steel wire rope slings that are kinked, worn, corroded or damaged?
  • fibre rope less than 12 mm diameter for slinging purposes?
  • chains dragged from under a load or across floors?
  • chains dropped from a height?
  • bolts or shackles for joining or shortening chain?
  • shortening a chain with knots?
  • chains with links worn more than 10%?
  • chains with elongated links?
  • any slinging chain without the approved SWL tag attached?
  • hammering a sling into place?

5. Crane operation

Are the following safe work procedures for cranes ALWAYS carried out?

  • keeping hands and fingers away when slack is being taken out of a sling?
  • everyone standing away from the load before the lift is made?
  • lifting devices fully seated in the saddle of the hook before the load is moved?
  • moving crane controls smoothly, and avoiding abrupt, jerky movements of the load?
  • ensuring the load is high enough to clear all objects in the path of travel?
  • reducing the safe working load of the crane if lifting molten metals?

Do safe work procedures ensure the following unsafe practices are NEVER used?

  • operating the crane if the limit switches are out of order?
  • dragging a load? Always ensure the crane is centred directly above the load.
  • carrying a load on the point of a hook, or inserting the point of the hook into a link of the chain?
  • raising loads higher than necessary to clear objects?
  • passing a load over people in the workplace, including the operator?
  • leaving a crane unattended while a load is suspended on the hook?

6. Maintenance

Before any repairs, adjustments or examinations are done on an bridge crane:

  • is a safe system of work established to protect those doing the work against the crane being moved or its power system being activated?
  • is there a "permit to work" system which includes locking out and tagging the isolation switches?
  • is there a safe means of access to the crane for maintenance workers?
  • is the crane located at the "out of service" position during maintenance?

Do safe procedures for maintenance ensure:

  • operators do not carry items in their hands when going up and down ladders?
  • items too large to go into pockets or belts are lifted or lowered by a rope?
  • loose parts or tools are prevented from falling to the floor?
  • the area below the working area is cleared and a barrier erected to prevent injury from falling objects?

Maintenance of items other than the crane itself, such as building lighting or air conditioning ducting, may be carried out from the bridge of a crane, but only provided a secure working platform is fitted.

7. Training

National training guidelines have been developed. They are contained in the publication "Occupational Health and Safety Competency Standards for Operation of Loadshifting Equipment and Other Types of Specified Equipment" [NOHSC:7019(1992)].

These guidelines cover the minimum occupational health and safety competencies required for safe use and operation of bridge cranes (defined in the guidelines as Bridge and Gantry Cranes). All training should be carried out under these guidelines. A person slinging a load for an bridge crane must be trained as a dogman if required to exercise judgement regarding the method of slinging a load, or the type and size of the sling. Training should be carried out under the "National Occupational Health and Safety Certification Standards for Users and Operators of Industrial Equipment" [NOHSC:1006(1992)]. 

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