Safety pointers
By Alex Dahm03 March 2009
Mike Parnell, Industrial Training International (ITI) president, lays out six points that an employer should follow to help ensure a safe workplace:
1. Train and qualify all crane operators on the cranes they are asked to operate.
2. Train and qualify the persons who rig loads for cranes, whether they are carpenters, electricians, welders, pipe fitters, or boilermakers. There are few, if any, designated riggers anymore, who only perform that task.
3. Ensure that field and shop supervisors are trained to understand crane capacities, load handling dynamics, lift planning and proper inspections for cranes and rigging.
4. Support an active inspection and maintenance programme for all cranes and rigging equipment.
5. Management should always pursue the proper use of cranes and rigging equipment, and not pressure employees to misuse or abuse equipment.
6. Management should seek equipment which will replace current inventory with safety features that can minimize operator error, including, automated boom extension, computerised information panels, proximity warning devices, overload prevention systems and more.
