Overhead Crane Safety 101: Environmental Considerations

Working in any kind of large-scale construction environment often means needing large construction equipment, including overhead cranes. If you've never used an overhead crane before, the whole process can sometimes feel intimidating. It's important that you understand the environmental safety inspection process to keep everyone on your work site safe. Here are some safety tips you need to know.

Ensure Clear Site Access

When you consider the size of an overhead crane as well as the size of the vehicle required to deliver that crane, you can see why site access is an important consideration before you rent or buy an overhead crane.

The last thing you want to encounter is difficulty getting the crane to the job site because of obstructions on the access road. If you're working in an undeveloped area, you'll need to create an access path that is easy enough to navigate without causing damage to the crane or any other equipment.

Check The Ground Stability

Like most large construction equipment, overhead cranes are heavy. That weight can pose problems in work environments where the soil is soft, loose, or otherwise unstable. Before you bring an overhead crane out to any work area, make sure that the soil is strong and stable enough to withstand the weight of the machines.

This is important for safety because cranes can tip over if they get stuck in soft or shifting soil. This can cause injuries to your crane operator as well as any work crew members that are in the immediate area. 

Identify Any Overhead Threats

One of the things that many novice crane renters don't think about is the necessary overhead clearance to use a crane on any job site. Make sure you know the maximum crane extension height of the unit you're renting, then have the overhead area throughout your job site checked for clearance issues.

There are all sorts of overhead hazards that you need to watch out for. Electrical and other utility lines, tree branches, and other obstructions can get in the way of the crane and obstruct movement. You may need to have some trees cut back, or re-route your crane's operational path to ensure that you avoid any overhead utility lines.

Check the area daily for any obstructions or other issues that must be dealt with.

These are some of the most important considerations if you are renting a crane for a major project. Talk with a local crane safety and inspection service for more help and to thoroughly assess the work area.