Safety First When Operating Cranes And Other Lifting Equipment – Part 1

Material handling is an important aspect of every construction project. This process may include moving trash, debris,earth, brush trees and other tasks. As construction progresses, it may require installing parking areas, roads, sewers, foundations and many other utilities. It is really challenging to get the materials wherever needed, because it can be really demanding and a time-consuming task. One important aspect that sometimes complicates the material handling process is the safety.

Safety is the most important consideration when material handling equipment is used, such as all terrain cranes or excavators. Working with excavators for example, requires a lot of attention, because as soon as these machines start operating, even the tiniest mistake can lead to serious accidents. Full inspection with attention to detail before using excavators is vital and should never be overlooked.

The inspection procedure is simple. It usually involves following the checklist provided by the manufacturer. The inspection is needed because it can identify cracks, loose or missing parts, oil leaks, missing or cracked mirrors, missing, broken or burned out lights, cracked windshields and any other damaged part that could affect the safe operation of the lifting equipment being used. And since excavators, cranes, loaders, all terrain and other crane types are some of the most commonly used material handling machines, lot of attention is required when these machines are used on construction sites. Read on to find out the main features and capabilities of these construction machines.

Excavators – Excavators are some of the most commonly used material handling machines. They provide quick and safe operation and can be equipped with many different attachments. The most popular manufacturers of excavators offer 2 material handling configurations: crawler and a rubber-tired model. The excavators are most commonly used for waste-handling applications and come with magnets and grapples. Although not very popular in Australia, the rubber-tired excavators are quite efficient material handlers. With a barrier clamp attached, the rubber-tired excavators can move very efficiently through barriers. These excavators are extremely mobile and can easily move from one job site to another in almost no time. Plus they don’t need to be transported by trucks.

If the excavator needs to be used for other applications, the operator can easily change one type of bucket with another attachment without leaving the operator seat. For example, the clam-shell buckets can significantly expand the capabilities of excavators. This means that the excavators can be used for various types of applications, including: demolishing buildings, pulverizing pavement and crushing concrete.

Continue reading to part 2 of this mutli-part special.