M918. Leader s Guide

Transcription

1 AURORA PICTURES M918 SAFE RIGGING PRACTICES Leader s Guide 1998, MARCOM GROUP LTD. SAFE RIGGING PRACTICES

2 This easy-to-use Leader s Guide is provided to assist in conducting a successful presentation. Featured are: INTRODUCTION: A brief description of the program and the subject that it addresses. PROGRAM OUTLINE: Summarizes the program content. If the program outline is discussed before the video is presented, the entire program will be more meaningful and successful. PREPARING FOR AND CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION: These sections will help you set up the training environment, help you relate the program to site-specific incidents, and provide program objectives for focusing your presentation. REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Questions may be copied and given to participants to document how well they understood the information that was presented. Answers to the review questions are provided separately. ATTENDANCE RECORD: Document the date of your presentation and identify the program participants by creating an attendance record. INTRODUCTION More than 90 percent of crane-related accidents are the result of human error. How we attach a load to a crane can make the difference between a successful lift and one of these accidents. If a load is not rigged properly, the load can be damaged, the lifting equipment can be damaged and co-workers can be injured. Employees can prevent rigging accidents by staying focused, taking the proper precautions and knowing how to rig a load safely. This video will show viewers how rigging loads safely and communicating clearly can help them avoid situations that place co-workers and property in danger. Topics include protective clothing, equipment inspection, slings and sling angles, using hand signals and lifting, moving and landing loads. PROGRAM OUTLINE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT When preparing to rig a load, the first step is to make sure that you are wearing the appropriate protective clothing. Avoid wearing sleeveless shirts because they can expose your arms to sharp objects and machinery. Tuck in loose or baggy shirts to prevent them from snagging on anything while you are rigging. Leather gloves will protect your hands against cuts and bruises while you are handling slings, crane hooks and loads. Safety shoes with steel toes will protect your feet in the event of a dropped load or contact with heavy equipment. A hard hat and safety glasses will help to protect your head and eyes from lowered hooks and anything that might fall from the load. HEALTH & STATE OF MIND Once you are dressed for the job, you should go over a mental checklist before you begin working. Ask yourself, Am I physically and mentally prepared to do my job? If you are taking medication, you should ask your pharmacist how it could affect your work. You need to ask yourself if you are emotionally prepared to work. When we are angry or upset, we can make hasty decisions that jeopardize the safety of those around us.

3 EQUIPMENT INSPECTION You need to make sure that the crane you are working with has been inspected. By catching problems such as leaks, we can help prevent breakdowns and rigging accidents. Make sure you also inspect the hook. Never use a hook with a broken or bent safety latch. Hooks are designed to carry the load in the center, so never lift a load on the tip. This could cause the hook to stretch or weaken. If the hook is stretched 15 percent from its original size or twisted more than 10 degrees, don t use it. Get another one instead. COMMON HAZARDS Lightning can cause problems for crane operators. Always keep track of the weather and stop crane operations during electrical storms. You should also be careful around overhead power lines and electrical equipment. Make sure you know the height of any power lines near your work site as well as the location of all electrical equipment. Accidental Drops are usually caused by problems with the angle of the load, which is the angle between the load and level ground. Ideally, the angle of the load should be zero with the load parallel to level ground. Never let the angle exceed 10 degrees because the load can slip and fall. SLINGS To set up for the lift, you must first choose a sling. A sling is a piece of equipment used to carry a load. Slings are made from a variety of materials, such as wire rope, chain, metal mesh and synthetic fabrics. When choosing the type of sling to use, it is important to consider its size, shape and the temperature it can withstand. The wire rope sling is one of the most widely used type of sling. It can be used to lift almost anything, except loads that exceed its weight capacity. Before using a wire rope sling, inspect it for broken or worn wires and check the end connections for corrosion or breakage. Do not use the sling if it has kinks, crushed wires or unwinding strands. The chain sling is used for lifting heavier loads. It is also used in very hot environments because it is less likely to be damaged by heat than a wire rope sling. Before lifting a load with a chain sling, inspect it for cuts or worn links. While the chain may look good on the outside, it might not be in good shape on the inside. Be sure to push the lings together and check where metal rubs metal. A metal mesh sling is the one to use when lifting objects that have sharp edges, such as bar stock or plate steel. Metal mesh slings also make it easier to balance a load due to their wide load-bearing surfaces. The synthetic sling is the most flexible sling and is often used when loads need to be protected from damage. Their lightweight and flexibility can also reduce fatigue and stress on the rigger.

4 ATTACHING THE LOAD When attaching the load, you must first determine which hitch to use. A hitch is the way the sling is configured to connect the load to the hook. The basket hitch is the most commonly used type of hitch. To make a basket hitch, put the sling around the load and then put both ends of the sling over the hook. To create a choker hitch, wrap the sling around the load and place one end of the sling through the other. Then tighten it down and secure the load. If a regular choker hitch won t keep the load tight enough, use a double wrap choker hitch. Wrap the sling around the load twice, then loop the end through the opposite end shackle and attach it to the hook. Vertical hitches are used on loads equipped with lifting attachments, such as eyebolts. With this hitch, the hoist hook is first connected to the sling and the sling is then attached directly to a lifting attachment on the load. Like slings, choosing which hitch to use is affected by the weight, size and shape of the load. You should always use some type of sling no matter what type of job you are doing. Never wrap the hoist rope itself around a load because the rope, hook or load could be damaged. As you hitch the load to the hook, you may want to place some kind of padding between the load and the sling to protect them. SLING ANGLES When two slings are needed to balance the load, you need to pay particularly close attention to the sling angles (the angles between the slings and the load itself). A sling angle of 90 degrees is ideal because it puts the least stress on the load. As the sling angle decreases the force exerted on the sling increases. For example, if you are using two slings to lift a load that weighs 2,000 pounds at sling angles of 90 degrees, each sling would have to support half of the weight (1,000). Your supervisor can give you a chart that lists the sling angle factor for various sling angles. By multiplying the sling angle factor by half of the weight, you can determine what the weight capacity of each sling must be if you are using two slings. If the sling angles are 60 degrees, the sling angle factor increases to Multiply this by half the load s weight of 1,000 pounds and you then know that each sling must be rated for 1,115 pounds at this angle. Sling angles of less than 45 degrees should be avoided altogether because they put an unsafe amount of stress on the slings. USING HAND SIGNALS Once the load has been rigged safely, it is ready for the lift. It is important that both the crane operator and the rigger know the standard hand signals. To signal that you want to hoist a load, raise one forearm upright, put your finger up and move your hand in a small horizontal circle. To indicate that you want to lower a load, extend on arm downward, point your forefinger down and move your hand in small, horizontal circles. To show that you want the crane to stop, extend one arm out to the side with your palm facing down and move it back and forth horizontally.

5 To call for an emergency stop, extend both arms out with palms down and move them horizontally. When you are using a boom crane, there are a few other hand signals you need to know. To raise the boom up, extend your arm and close your fist. Then raise up your thumb. To show that you want to lower the boom down, extend your arm and close your fist. Point your thumb towards the ground. LIFTING & MOVING THE LOAD Keep in mind that cranes are only intended to lift loads straight up and down. If you lift a load diagonally, you could cause structural damage to the crane. Make sure the crane is directly over the load before you lift. Verify that the load is rigged above its center of gravity. Make sure the weight of the load plus all of the equipment that you are using does not exceed the crane s weight capacity. Check the load chart or other documentation that will tell you the crane s limits. As you lift, pay attention to the angle of the load. It should not exceed 10 degrees from horizontal. The next step is to move the load. Moving the load is often easier if you use taglines. Taglines are ropes that can be used to control and position a load. Put tension on the tagline to prevent the load from spinning while the crane is in motion. Direct the load to its designation. Maneuver the load into tight places. Be sure to ask the crane operator to use very slow speeds when traveling with a load. This will help you safely guide it to its destination and help the operator to see where he is going. Make sure the crane operator stops periodically so that you can check to see that everything is still secure. Watch out for sudden starts and stops that could unbalance the load. To prevent injury, be careful not to direct a load over people or allow anyone to walk under it. LOWERING/LANDING THE LOAD Never leave a suspended load unattended. Always have the crane operator land the load when it gets to a stopping point or its final destination. Make sure to help the crane operator to lower the load slowly. Direct the operator to stop a few inches from the landing point to verify that the load is secure and that nothing is in its path. Then have the load lowered the rest of the way. After the load has been landed, remove the slings from the hook and return them to the proper storage place. If the slings are left on the hook, they could snag on other objects when the crane is moved. Make sure that the operator raises the hook high enough that no one will hit his or her head.

6 PREPARE FOR THE SAFETY MEETING OR TRAINING SESSION Review each section of this Leader's Guide as well as the videotape. Here are a few suggestions for using the program: Make everyone aware of the importance the company places on health and safety and how each person must be an active member of the safety team. Introduce the videotape program. Play the videotape without interruption. Review the program content by presenting the information in the program outline. Copy the review questions included in this Leader's Guide and ask each participant to complete them. Copy the attendance record as needed and have each participant sign the form. Maintain the attendance record and each participant's test paper as written documentation of the training performed. Here are some suggestions for preparing your videotape equipment and the room or area you use: Check the room or area for quietness, adequate ventilation and temperature, lighting and unobstructed access. Check the seating arrangement and the audiovisual equipment to ensure that all participants will be able to see and hear the videotape program. Place or secure extension cords to prevent them from becoming a tripping hazard. CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION Begin the meeting by welcoming the participants. Introduce yourself and give each person the opportunity to become acquainted if there are new people joining the training session. Explain that the primary purpose of the program is to help the viewer understand safe rigging practices and how following them can prevent costly accidents and injuries. Introduce the videotape program. Play the videotape without interruption. Review the program content by presenting the information in the program outline. Lead discussions about crane-related accidents that have occurred at your facility and how the procedures explained in this program could have been used to prevent them. Use the review questions to check how well the program participants understood the information. After watching the videotape program, the viewer will have a basic understanding of the following: The importance of wearing the proper protective clothing and maintaining mental stability when performing rigging operations; Proper procedures for inspecting rigging equipment, attaching loads, using hand signals and landing the load; Selection and use of different types of slings and hitches; The importance of sling angles and how they can affect load balance.

7 SAFE RIGGING PROCEDURES REVIEW QUESTIONS Name Date The following questions are provided to determine how well you understand the information presented in this program. 1. Over 90 percent of all crane-related accidents result from a malfunction of the crane or other equipment failure. a. true b. false 2. Which sling is especially designed for lifting objects that have sharp edges? a. wire rope b. chain c. metal mesh d. synthetic 3. What type of hitch is used with loads that are equipped with lifting attachments? a. basket hitch b. choker hitch c. horizontal hitch d. vertical hitch 4. As the sling angle decreases, the force exerted on the sling. a. increases b. decreases c. stays the same 5. What are you calling for if you have both arms out with the palms down and are waving them horizontally? a. for the load to be raised b. for the load to be lowered c. for the operator to stop the crane d. none of the above 6. As you prepare to lift a load, the angle of the load should be or less from horizontal. a. 45 b. 60 c. 15 d When is it safe to leave a suspended load unattended? a. when your supervisor indicates that it is okay b. if the load is less than 10 feet off the ground c. when no one is able to walk underneath it d. never

8 ANSWERS TO THE REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. b 2. c 3. d 4. a 5. c 6. d 7. d