Upgrades and Safety Innovations to Heavy Construction Equipment

Rigging Operations: Four Crucial Safety Tips for Your Construction Site

17 January 2019

Veronica Leon

If you are planning on using rigging machinery on your site during your construction project, you should prepare adequately to promote workplace safety. Under ideal circumstances, you should hire a trained, qualified and experienced rigger for your equipment operations. If the operators have knowledge of the correct use of lifting machines, they will anticipate and prevent potential incidents. In addition, it is important to uphold the right rigging procedures and precautions on your worksite. Here are simple tips for avoiding mishaps on your site.

Understand Your Equipment

You should understand the rigging equipment before commissioning operations. If you are not knowledgeable about your machinery, there is a higher risk of a workplace incident. You should pay particular attention to the load capacity. Often, rigging accidents occur due to overloading of the equipment. The loading limits should be outlined in the owner's manual. You should also check on other aspects, including load radius, angle capabilities and boom length.

Plan for Load Spotting

When your riggers operate your heavy construction equipment, they might not be able to have a complete view of the surroundings. In simple terms, their field of vision can be limited, depending on the design of the equipment, size of load and worksite conditions. If the operators keep using the machinery with a limited view, there will be a significant risk of an accident. Therefore, you should engage spotters to help the riggers in directing the loads to avoid wrong placement and subsequent accidents.  

Inspect the Equipment

Choosing the right lifting equipment is not enough to guarantee personnel safety on your worksite. It is essential for you to make certain that the rigging machinery is in good condition. Remember, heavy construction machines are exposed to a lot of stress on the worksite. As a result, there is wear and tear on the components. If the deterioration is ignored, the equipment could fail. You should avoid complications by checking up on the lifting systems to ensure that the components are in good working order. If there are problems in the machinery, consult an expert and plan for immediate repairs.

Choose Suitable Storage

Finally, you should think about the storage of critical rigging components such as the hook and hoists once your lifting project is completed. Vulnerable parts should be protected from damage due to poor environmental conditions. Moreover, these parts will become a hazard if they are left in the open. You should choose a protected space for component storage to promote machinery durability and minimise workplace accidents. 

For more information, work with a company that has riggers for hire. 

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