Forklift and Crane Safety

Most construction sites routinely deal with heavy equipment like forklifts and cranes. While this heavy machinery has the possibility to make the process faster and easier, it also can create a dangerous situation. There are some things on the jobsite you can to do lower the associated risk.

This begins with how you are boarding and descending from the equipment. At all times, you need to keep an eye on things, so you don’t get caught by the machinery or have a dangerous fall. To further protect yourself, you need to avoid extended reaching, jumping and horseplay on and around the machinery. At all times an entire foot and hand should be placed on the appropriate area to minimize the associated risk.

Your hands should be free of items at all times while climbing. If you need to bring objects up with you, make it to the top and then have someone hand the item to you. That way, you don’t create a dangerous situation where you or someone else may end up getting hurt or killed. It will also be important to have a spotter keeping an eye on the surrounding area to ensure nothing is overlooked and to calculate the swing radius of the vehicle so you can minimize risks.

Proper gear should be used at all times. Shoes should be nonslip and gloves should be worn for better traction. Clothing should be tight and loose dangling hair or jewelry should be avoided as it can get stuck in the equipment and pose a danger. Also ensure that everyone is wearing their brightly colored safety vests so that there aren’t any oversights.

When leaving the machine, it is important that all safety brakes are engaged and that the keys are removed. This helps to reduce the risk of unauthorized access and possible injury associated with the vehicle.

Forklift and crane safety is important for all jobsites. It is important to ensure that the company has policies in place that are easy to understand, so that they can be implemented and reduce the associated risks for all those involved.