Why Lifting Equipment Breaks
Lifting operations are inherent to this industry however both manual lifting and mechanical lifting operations can put workers at great risk of injury or death. This article captures 7 key risks associated with lifting operations and solutions to reduce these risks and costs associated.
1
LACK OF PLANNING
Risk assessments and lift plans are designed to reduce the risks associated with each lift and in most cases a lift plan has not been completed, or it has not been amended for non-routine lifts.
2
LACK OF TRAINING
Competency isn’t achieved through simply working around equipment for a long time. It’s also bad practice to take advice from others who might have never been trained properly themselves.
3
EQUIPMENT SELECTION
Poor equipment selection often stems from people using what is available, not what is best suited to the task. It is also common for people to not pay attention to the working load limit (WLL) of the equipment they are using.
4
MIS
CALCULATING THE LOAD
Loads come in all shapes, sizes and weights. Never guess how much a load weighs. Various factors go into the weight of a load and even if it is known, centre of gravity can lead to overload scenarios.
5
SHOCK LOADING
Shock loading usually stems from rushing, carelessness and a lack of knowledge. Understanding stability and centre of gravity are key, as is consideration of the lift path and journey of travel.
6
NO PRE-USE INSPECTION
Even if you have recently used a product, it is important to look at it again quickly before reusing it. A visual inspection is often the easiest and fastest ways to avoid injury and damage when lifting or moving heavy objects.
7
USER ERROR
Even when training and planning has taken place, safety comes down to the user making the right decisions on the day. In the end the responsibility to make sure that every lift is safe falls to the individual.
If you’re looking for a standard or custom-specified wire rope or cable assembly for your next project, contact a Lifting Specialist at Ranger on 1300SLINGS.
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