While anyone who regularly works with heavy lifting should be familiar with safety procedures, these are our insider tips on doing so with a mobile crane.

In today’s world, a crane is a machine that is used to lift and move heavy loads, machines, materials, and goods for a variety of purposes. From construction to manufacturing to shipbuilding and material loading, cranes are used in a wide variety of settings, sectors and projects. Like any piece of machinery or equipment, safely working with cranes is slightly more complex than pressing the ‘on’ button - so how do you get it right?


Working Safely With A Mobile Crane

To get into the specifics, a mobile crane is an instrumental piece of equipment, mounted on a truck base and controlled by pulleys and cables. One of the biggest benefits that mobile cranes provide is their level of flexibility and movability, especially in situations where multiple obstructions are present. Mobile cranes can be used to access narrow passages and sites that have limited space, making them a practical solution for many job sites.

However, working with them requires a fair amount of awareness and a conscious effort to adhere to certain parameters. According to Safe Work Australia, there are around 240 serious injury claims every year that are related to working with cranes. The most common causes of injuries include:

• Muscular stress while handling objects - 21%
• Being hit by moving objects - 16%
• Falls from a height - 11%
• Being trapped between stationary and moving objects - 8%
• Being hit by falling objects - 7%

If you want to avoid becoming a statistic, many workplace accidents can be avoided by minimising your exposure to risks before the job starts, and taking note of your surroundings. While certain factors will always be outside of your control, such as the weather or uneven surfaces, here are a few of our common safety practices to follow as a general rule.

Make A Lift Plan - Before you commence a job, outline a well thought out and in depth safety plan to follow. Decide who’s in charge of all pre-job safety planning prior to a mobile crane or stationary crane arriving on site.

Wear Appropriate PPE - Gone are the days of rocking stubbies and pluggers on a job site. These days, all employees must wear appropriate protective foot, head and eye apparel, along with any other PPE identified in your risk assessment.

Supervisor On Site - By having an appropriately qualified or experienced supervisor present on site when cranes are in operation, you’re more likely to avoid a workplace incident. Their role allows them to identify potential risks promptly, and have the authority to take action if required.

Ongoing Training - Workplace safety is often directly linked to awareness and education, so be sure to continuously train your employees to reduce the risk of an accident happening on a job site. Less injuries also increases employee satisfaction and reduces absences.

Stand Clear - While team members will need to assist crane operators at times, never stand directly underneath a crane load. Back this stance up by ensuring that operators know not to lift a load directly over an employee, and reduce the odds of a potential collision.

Do The Maintenance - Regularly servicing and maintaining all mobile crane hire equipment is essential in ensuring incident free lifts. It’s actually also a part of a crane hire’s legal responsibilities, so routine and periodic repairs are a non negotiable to ensure safety.

Communication Is Key - This is an important factor that is done on every site and before every job. Assumption is often regarded as the mother of all stuff ups, so ensure all communication is clear, concise and thorough when it comes to informing all employees of load and lifting limits. Following on, it’s then your job to enforce adhering to this.

Display Appropriate Signage - Hazard signs must be clearly displayed in all danger zones on-site warning employees, and even members of the general public, of the potential dangers or hazards ahead.

When working with any form of mobile crane provider, ‘safety first’ shouldn’t be negotiable - it’s an essential. However, not all providers were created equally, so where do you turn to?


Working With A Reputable Mobile Crane Hire Supplier

Lindores Mobile Cranes (LMC) is a  mobile crane and labour hire business that has unequalled experience in the construction industry spanning two generations. In operation since 2009, we’re a family owned business and are also proud owners of Brisbane’s only Humma crane.

At LMC, we pride ourselves on knowing what our customers require, and aren’t afraid to think outside of the box with suggestions in order to reduce costs and increase productivity. If you would like to explore your options regarding crane hire in South East Queensland or aren’t quite sure where to start, get in touch with us today.