Rigging and lifting can be very hazardous, but they have essential parts of shipyard employment. Since most rigging and lifting accidents are caused by human error, this article will serve as a basic safety guide for everyone.
There are many reasons rigging and lifting accidents happen. But with every accident, there is an associated risk of injury, falls, electrocution, and property damage. To have a zero accident workplace, here are the things you need to keep in mind:
Make sure your equipment is up to par
Mobile onset testing is available to ensure that all your gear is up to standards and will perform as expected. With this service, you will learn if your cables, chains, and wire ropes meet quality and safety standards. Since most rigging and lifting accidents are associated with breakages of this equipment, proper testing is a necessary part of the operations.
Lack of knowledge, training, and experience
Most accidents can be traced back to the rigger’s lack of knowledge, training, and experience. If your workers have proper training and experience, they will be able to recognize hazards in operations and react accordingly before an accident happens. All riggers must be well aware of hoisting and rigging hazards, the correct rigging techniques and equipment, surface conditions upon which the crane is operating, and the weight of the load and capacities of the crane. Most importantly, all your riggers must have the qualifications to do the work.
Have a lift plan
A lift plan will serve as a guide for routine and non-routine lifting operations, which determines the limitation on loads, lifting methods, and areas of operations. Having a detailed written lift plan will ensure that you have a properly documented plan with proper risk assessment. Lift plans should also take the travel area and potential lines of fire into account so that a collision is avoided while loads are in the air.
Remove or replace defective gear
Defective gear must be removed immediately from the site of the operation, as broken or damaged equipment poses the greatest risk of equipment-related accidents. Get rid of the following:
- Nylon slings with cuts or frayed areas
- Chain slings with stretched links
- Crane hook safety latch that does not automatically retract to a closed position upon release
- Wire rope slings with kinks or broken wires
- Hooks that are already bent from overloading
- Hooks that are bent or sprung
As with mobile onsite testing services in Georgia or any other part of the U.S., proper gear inspection should be routinely done to make your workspace as safe as possible.
Proper storage of rigging
Every rigger needs to be knowledgeable about the proper storage of rigging equipment. It is crucial for both the life of the equipment and the safety of everyone in the workplace. Keep in mind that rigging must be kept dry and stored in proper conditions, preferably on a rigging storage rack.
Rigging and lifting are critical parts of shipyard operations, but there are just so many things that can go wrong. Due to the high risk that is associated with this profession, these basic safety measures should always be followed to keep all workers safe.
