Lifting and transportation is an activity with a high risk profile. Too often the front page of the newspaper show accidents during lifting and transport operations. But why?
Lifting and transportation is an activity where different disciplines with different expertise have to work closely together. When there are gaps in this cooperation it could result in higher potential risks. As an independent engineering and consultancy firm, Eager.one often act as a third party Subject Matter Expert. We always use the following check list to reveal what went wrong. And now we would love to share our knowledge on how to prevent a crane accident with you.
1. Data lifting load
- Mass & Center of gravity (CoG) on drawing
- Dimensions on drawing
- Location of lifting points, dimensioned with respect to CoG, on drawing
2. Crane data
- Crane(s) specified (make, type, configuration, boom length, (superlift) counter weight, number of reeving parts, etc.)
- Position of crane dimensioned to fixed point
- Sufficient space for crane and outriggers
- Crane can travel to position
- Allowable wind speed for lifting the specific load
3. (Dis)Assembly of crane
- Auxiliary crane and load carrying vehicles can travel to position
- Sufficient space available for (dis)assembly of boom including space for auxiliary crane and supply vehicles
4. Hook-up
- Rigging can be attached and detached in a proper way
- Lifting points are reachable in a safe manner for attaching and detaching rigging
- Rigging fits to the lifting points
- Rigging fits to the crane hook
- Rigging is of sufficient capacity
5. Lifting
- Sufficient space for delivery of the load below the hook
- Sufficient crane capacity during lifting, booming in or out and slewing
- Sufficient space for auxiliary crane for superlift counterweight handling
- Superlift counterweight tray is free from ground for slewing
6. Soil loading
- Access road sufficient level and compacted
- Crane location sufficient level and compacted
- Maximum occuring ground bearing pressure (GBP) below allowable and on drawing
- Additional crane mats (dimensions) specified
- Sufficient GBP below wheeled superlift carrier path
7. Clearances
- Sufficient clearance from load to surroundings during lifting, booming in or out and slewing
- Sufficient clearance from load and rigging to crane boom during lifting
- Sufficient lifting height
- Sufficient clearance from (superlift) counterweight to surroundings during slewing
- Sufficient clearance from crane upperworks (boom, superlift backmast or boom guying systems, etc) to surroundings during slewing
- Sufficient clearance from rigging to load including during tailing operation
8. Miscellaneous
- Additional (site specific) requirements
- Drawing header filled in correctly (number, project name, client name, etc)
If you would like to learn more about lift plans and avoiding accidents, take a look at our master classes “A professional liftplan in 8 steps”.