Increasing Safety And Efficiency Of Truck Mounted Crane Operations
Truck Mounted Cranes are one of the best tools for increasing efficiency and versatility in many construction, supply, and shipping operations
. However like any other heavy machinery used in these industries, there is are some inherent risks and minimizing them can improve total efficiency and create a safer environment for your workers and customers.
Operator Training and General Awareness
One of the benefits of having a crane mounted on delivery, shipping, or moving trucks is the lower need for additional manpower because of the increased lifting capacity given by the crane itself. However this can lead to situations where employees need to fulfill multiple tasks like having the drivers assistant can become the crane operator at same time being a sales manager or associate.
All employees that will work on the crane should have training on how to use the crane safely especially in relation to the vehicle itself. A great example of this is how to properly load the plant bodies of the trucks without creating instability especially during transport and quick movements. One cannot just place equipment and other loads on the vehicle without proper planning as that will most likely lead to broken loads or worse, injuries.
Regular Crane Maintenance and Inspections
Cranes are particularly simple machines powered mainly by hydraulics and are extremely reliable. However as with any other large machine it has moving parts that should be monitored and replaced outright whenever a problem is detected. One way to do this is to have a regular maintenance schedule where a trained professional or employee can look over the various parts of the machine in order to clean it up or inspect it. A single burst hose can wreak havoc on the operation of the crane and can even lead to accidents and injuries if kept unresolved. Companies employing a large amount of truck mounted cranes and related machines should keep crane spares and parts to ensure the minimum amount of down time and continuously supply value to the company.
Getting the Proper Equipment for the Job
One of the most effective ways of ensuring the safety of a truck mounted crane is ensuring that it would be properly equipped for the types of loads it will carry. Good crane suppliers and fabrication companies have computer aided design services that will not only create a compatible crane for the vehicle, but also ensure important factors such as the proper division of the load on the chassis and axles of the vehicle and the proper placement of outriggers and counterweights.