GGR Group are leaders in innovation within the construction industry and has brought dozens of accredited courses to the market. Through over 25 years of experience, GGR Group have learned time and time again about the importance of the safety precautions that need to be taken when operating a crane.

Safety should always be the no.1 priority whenever a crane is going to be operated. Due to their size, weight, and ability to move loads, it is paramount that cranes are handled with care as they pose a risk to people and infrastructure. When ignored, safety rules can lead to injuries and damage to the crane or surrounding environment. By staying safe you can reduce time and costs that may have been increased of injury or damages had occurred.

Site Planning and Preparations

Before bringing your crane onto site to begin operations your first priority should be assessing the location and making preparations to ensure the crane can be operated safely. Both new and familiar locations should always have an initial assessment as there may have been changes such as new obstacles or bad weather which can loosen the ground and make it slippery.

MC32S Pick and Carry Crane lifting a staircase.

Ground conditions should be assessed which includes the ground bearing pressure and how it will respond under the weight of a crane and its load. If weather such as rain and snow has affected the location you should assess whether the ground has become waterlogged or is the snow has created an obstruction or hazard. Once these assessments have been made you can devise a plan to make a safe course for the crane and workers to move through.

Load Capacity

All cranes and plant machinery have load capacities that must be followed, as overloading a crane can be fatal. The capacity of a crane will be tested many times before being sold to any customers so the capacities displayed on the manufacturer’s instructions and charts is correct and should not be used as a guideline.

By using a larger load than intended for your crane it can cause instability, especially if there is any load sway. Cranes are only designed to withstand certain load weights so if you surpass it by any amount, you run the risk of the crane tipping or damaging the machine. If these happen, you can cause a lot of catastrophic damage to surrounding infrastructure and injure yourself and others.

Read more on safe working loads here.

Communication

For health and safety rules to work on site communication is key. Communication comes in many forms on a loud construction site such as with hand signals and the use of radios. Before beginning any project, the best communication techniques should be established. For example, if operating a tower crane hand signals will be of no use if the signaller is out of sight. In this case, you would likely rely on radios, making sure to use all the correct terminology and avoiding jargon so as not to confuse each other.

When using radio communication before operations start you should always check everyone has enough battery life, there is no interference and voices are clear, as well as be sure everyone is on the same channel. It is also advisable if you notice there has been a lack of communication from either end for longer than normal you should stop moving the crane safely and reestablish communication.

Training and Certifications

To ensure a crane can be operated safely all those involved should have completed the relevant training for their roles. This may include slinger signallers, lift supervisors, as well as the operator who should all know the correct ways to do their jobs. At GGR Group we have a range of accredited courses available for operators no matter if they are experienced or a novice. Click here to learn more about our courses or follow this link to be taken directly to the crane courses we have available.

G120 Pick and Carry Cranes lifting in tandem.

As experts in crane operations and lifting solutions, we want all of our customers to achieve their lifts as safely as possible. At GGR Group we can provide advice and the best course of action for completing a lift following everything to code and current safety standards. We also provide contract lifts where we will provide operators, other relevant staff and lift plans to ensure your projects are completed safely. To find out more about safe lifts or speak to one of our experts click here.