Running head: Crane, Derrick, and Hoist Safety

Crane, Derrick, and Hoist Safety

In APA Style

Greg Fickey

Morehead State University

IET 422

Abstract

Moving large, heavy loads is crucial to today's manufacturing and construction industries. Much technology has been developed for these operations, including careful training and extensive workplace precautions (OSHA).  Cranes are dangerous and are one of the leading causes of death and injury in the construction and industrial fields.  Many of these accidents can be avoided and have preventable causations.     

According to OSHA 1910.179(a)(1), a crane is a machine for lifting and lowering a load and moving it horizontally, with the hoisting mechanism an integral part of the machine. Cranes whether fixed or mobile are driven manually or by power.  OSHA 1910.179 (a) (2-14) lists a number of different cranes that are used in industry.  There are automatic cranes, cab-operated cranes, cantilever gantry cranes, floor-operated cranes, gantry cranes, hot metal handling cranes, overhead cranes, power operated cranes, pulpit operated cranes, remote operated cranes, semi gantry cranes, storage building cranes, and wall cranes. 

OSHA 1910.181 (a) (1-9) lists various types of derricks that are used in industry.  A "derrick" is an apparatus consisting of a mast or equivalent member held at the head by guys or braces, with or without a boom, for use with a hoisting mechanism and operating ropes. Different types are: A-frame derricks, basket derricks, breast derricks, Chicago boom derricks, gin pole derricks, guy derricks, shear leg derricks, and stiff leg derricks. 

1926.550 tells OSHA’s general requirements for cranes and derricks.  The employer must be familiar with the machines limitations and specifications.  When the specs for the machine are unavailable the limitations are to be used because they were created by an engineer experienced with the machine.  Rated load capacities, and recommended operating speeds, special hazard warnings, or instruction, must be posted on all equipment. Instructions or warnings shall be visible to the operator while he is at his control station.  Hand signals to crane and derrick operators will comply with the ANSI standard.  An illustration of the signals shall be posted at the job site.  The company or person that is using the equipment must appoint a competent person to inspect the equipment before and during usage.  If a defect is found it must be fixed or replaced before the machines use can be continued.  An annual inspection of the hoisting machinery must be preformed by the competent person on the job.  The wire rope must be inspected during the annual check and taken out of service if:

1.      In running ropes, six randomly distributed broken wires in one lay or three broken wires in one strand in one lay.

2.      Wear of one-third the original diameter of outside individual wires. Kinking, crushing, bird caging or any other damage resulting in distortion of the rope structure.

3.      Evidence of heat damage.

4.      In standing ropes, more than two broken wires in one lay in sections beyond end connections or more than one broken wire at an end connection.

All belts, gears, shafts, pulleys, sprockets, spindles, drums, fly wheels, chains, or other reciprocating, rotating, or other moving parts must be guarded if they are exposed to employees, or create a hazard. Also exhaust pipes are to be insulated or guarded if they interfere with an employees work area. The swing radius of the engine of a crane must be roped off to prevent employees from being struck and causing death or injury.  All employees are to stand away from loads about to be lifted or are suspended by the equipment.  The load capacity for each arm of a piece of equipment must be marked on each side of the crane along with a boom angle indicator.  A load rating chart will be provided with the machine and must be legible and visible to the operator.  Cranes or derricks that have treads must have a buffer that limits the travel of the tread.

All ladder or stairs must be provided for the operator to reach the cab, and the glass in the cab must be safety glass or an equivalent.  Guardrails and non-slip surfaces must be provided for platforms around the machine.  Inside the cab a 5BC rating fire extinguisher must be accessible. 

When the crane or derrick is being used under power lines they are to be assumed live unless the person owning the wire or the power company deems the wire dead and it is visibly grounded.   When working near a power transmitter tower where the equipment or material can be charged the tower must be neutralized and the crane must be tested for electrical current.  The crane or derrick must be grounded and ground jumper cables must be attached to materials being handled by the boom if it is being operated around transmitter towers. 

No modifications or additions which affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment will be made without the manufacturer's approval. If changes are made, the plates, tags, or decals, must be changed to comply with the modification.  No safety features can be reduced. 

Hoist or hoisting, as defined by OSHA is all crane and derrick functions such as lowering, lifting, swinging, booming, or suspending a platform for employees to work from.  The use of a crane or derrick to raise a personnel platform is prohibited unless other means of getting to the work area are deemed more dangerous because of structure design or worksite conditions.  Hoisting of the personnel platform shall be performed in a slow, controlled, cautious manner with no sudden movements of the crane or derrick, or the platform.  Load lines supporting the platform must be able to support seven times the intended load.  Load and boom hoist drum brakes, swing brakes, and locking devices must be engaged when the personnel platform is in a stationary position.

Table 1

            As the table above shows there were 35 fatalities in the private construction industry where cranes played a role in the death of an employee.  These deaths only represent 3% of the 1,178 fatal work injuries in the construction industry in 2007.  More than half of all fatalities in the private sector involving cranes occurred in the construction industry (Levine).  217 construction workers have died in 2008 due to cranes (Peeks).

  Table 2

            The majority of crane related construction deaths is caused by contact with the material being lifted or contact with the crane itself. 

      The construction and immigration boom of 2008 lead to a spike in crane related deaths.  Across the United States, construction ranks as the most dangerous industry, representing about 20 percent of all work-related fatalities, according to federal statistics (James).  The rise in construction fatalities can be explained by a deadly mix of untrained immigrant workers, lax attention to safety regulations and profit-minded contractors who cut corners in all areas from labor to materials (James).

            The most famous crane accident is the Big Blue crane disaster at Milwaukee stadium in 1999.  Instead of hauling the roof of the building one truss at a time the contractor decided to weld sections of the roof together and haul it up in large pieces.  As seen in the video there is a stiff wind blowing.  As the crane is rising you can see some of the operators bailing out of the crane.  You can hear a brake or gear snapping due to the twisting of the boom and then in the background you can see three workers waiting in a bucket plunge to their death. 

            Another famous crane disaster occurred in March of 2008 when a large crane collapsed in New York City killing two.  The crane was improperly attached to the building when it collapsed.