Volume 1, Issue 3

April 2008

Crane Safety
Construction And Industrial Crane And Rigging Safety Training Series

Mobile Crane Setup

Over 53% of all mobile crane failures are the direct result of not following the manufacturers recommendations on crane setup. The load chart ratings will only apply to mobile cranes if there are no deviations in the machine from specifications unless specifically approved by that specific crane manufacturer. Never compare one mobile cranes load chart to another cranes chart, you will be making a very serious error in judgment. The target and bubble levels supplied with mobile cranes are not accurate! They should only be used for initial leveling of the crane. The operator must verify the cranes level with a carpenters level. Always check your cranes level on critical lifts and constantly during the daily operations of your crane. The crane vibrations and load dynamics can cause the crane to become out of level very quickly and without notice. A mobile crane can lose over 50% of its capacity if out of level by more than 3 degrees with long booms operating at a minimum working radius. If your mobile crane is equipped with outriggers if is strongly recommended that they be used on every lift regardless of the weight of the load or application of the crane. Outriggers provide a much more stable base than setting up on rubber tires. The majority of all mobile crane accidents are a direct cause of poor outrigger usage or outriggers not used at all. A lost of 44% of the cranes capacity can be lost if the operator retracts a single outrigger by only one foot.

Setting Up Mobile Cranes On Outriggers:

The rules for mobile crane setup are extremely simple!

1% level must be maintained. Tires must be clear of the ground! Outriggers if used must be fully extended. All outrigger pads must be locked in place to the cylinders! Proper blocking must also be used to account for the tremendous bearing pressures that will be applied to the ground by the crane and load!

The importance of leveling the crane cannot be over emphasized. A level crane whether setup on tires, on crawlers and on outriggers is critical to the safety of every lift.

Inside this issue:

Crane Setup Wheels Clear of the Ground Rough And All Terrain Cranes Is Your Outrigger Blocking Correct! Importance of Locking Outrigger Pads Ground Support Is Critical For Mobile Cranes Mobile Crane Setup Is Everyone's Responsibility 1 1 2 2 2 3

Wheels Clear of the Ground!

Another poor setup practice of mobile cranes is the misunderstanding of the requirement that the tires must be clear of the ground if the load charts full capacity ratings are to be applied. tipping axis for the outriggers if the operator allows the wheels to remain on the ground the weight is not released by the tires causing an inside tipping axis on the tires and capacity is lost and the operator is not only placing the safety of the crane in jeopardy but the entire worksite. The operator is required to use the rubber capacity chart that is supplied by the crane manufacturer. If no On Rubber chart is supplied for your machine it is not setup properly in accordance with ANSI/ASME crane standards nor the manufacturers recommendations and the cranes capacity is dramatically reduced.

Use Your Cranes

The wheels of all mobile cranes must be clear of the ground to allow the cranes outriggers to establish an outside the wheels

Load Chart
On Every Lift

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Rough Terrain, And All Terrain Cranes

Rough terrain and all terrain cranes that allow the crane to maneuver through rough terrain conditions have the same requirements for lifting as does any other crane. They must maintain level and be on firm level supporting surfaces in order for the crane manufacturers lifting chart to apply. The name rough terrain for many operators and project personnel seems to imply that it can be used for lifting in rough terrain areas and surfaces! Incorrect these machines are not rated any differently than any other mobile crane. The requirement of being on firm level ground and level within 1% must always be maintained. Not all cranes have separate load charts for working on rubber configurations. The commercial boom truck for example must be operated on outriggers and stabilizers in order for the load chart to be applied by the manufacturer. When working on rubber charts special procedures must be followed by the crane operator. These include checking the tires against the load chart for proper size, grade and tire pressures that must be maintained in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations prior to operating their crane. It is strongly recommended to always use outriggers regardless of the weight and terrain. When lifting on rubber tires the one thing that should always be performed is to place wheel chocks under the wheels of the crane prior to operating the crane - this is seldom performed in the construction industry.

Is Your Outrigger Blocking Correct!

Probably Not!
The majority of mobile crane setup violations and deficiencies noted are directly related to poor outrigger blocking found during annual inspections at construction sites. Crane Operational Services, Inc. reports 48 to 51 percent of all crane deficiencies are due to poor outrigger blocking. It is the operators responsibility to always make sure the blocking is level to guarantee a right angle of (90 degrees) between the cylinder and the outrigger float. If the cranes outrigger cylinder and pad does not meet at right angles the float collar can fail or the float can slip along the blocking and damage or cause the cylinder to fail. Mobile cranes also apply severe vibration to the ground and supporting blocking. This could cause the crane to vibrate completely off the outrigger blocking causing excessive damage. Additionally, if the cranes outriggers are not properly secured to the outrigger pads serious crane damage can occur.

Importance of Locking Outrigger Pads!

It is extremely important to make sure that all outrigger pads or floats are properly connected and secured to the outrigger jacks while under load. If not, the crane could temporarily lose stability and become dislodged from the outrigger pad causing damage to the cranes cylinder, pad, outrigger beams and possibly even cause the crane to completely overturn.

Damaged Outrigger Pad

Poor Blocking Caused This Crane To Lose Level

This outrigger is not locked to the outrigger as required by the manufacturer.

Volume 1, Issue 3

Ground Support Is Critical For Mobile Cranes

The crane will only support the load if the ground will support the loaded crane. The ground on which the crane sits must be reasonably level, well compacted, and stable to support the weight of the crane and its load without collapse or subsidence. No construction site has adequate ground conditions for mobile crane operations. Weather conditions, soft ground, waterlogged ground, working near foundations, embankments, trenches, excavations and shoring locations all require special precautions to be in place prior to setting up or operating a mobile crane. All mobile crane manufacturers recommended adequate blocking to be used under the outrigger floats. The ANSI/ASME B30.5 crane standards require all outrigger blocking to be a minimum of 3 times the size of the outrigger pads used on the crane. All outrigger blocking must also be fairly rigid, and tightly spaced. The ground bearing pressures generated by a crane on outriggers are extremely high. Much of the total weight of the crane and load can be transmitted to only one outrigger during operations. Since the area of the outrigger float is relatively small it will generate high pressures. As mentioned above the ground conditions at construction sites cannot withstand these bearing pressures without deflecting or sinking. Outrigger blocking must be supplied under all outrigger pads/floats to distribute the crane loads over as large an area as possible. Avoid span and corner blocking at all times. These methods of blocking outriggers will fail at approximately half or more than their design. Using blocking with voids can severely damage your outrigger pads/floats. It is more than possible that the cylinder could penetrate through the pad severely damaging the outrigger cylinder and pad assembly. The crane could also lose its stability and overturn which, is the single leading cause of operator deaths. Always avoid setting up your crane on rocks, piles of spilled harden concrete, man hole covers, railroad tracks, steel plating and other conditions that can compromise the safe operation of the crane. If you decide to use steel plates as a base, always use a buffer of wood between the plate and outriggers to reduce the sliding action which could be caused by the swing torque and vibrations caused by the dynamics of handling the load. Metal on metal will cause the crane to slide or skirt off the steel plating! Avoid setting up outriggers on rocks, unlevel ground. These conditions will damage the outrigger pads.

99% of all Mobile Crane Setup Failures are preventable!

Mobile Crane Vibrations can cause your crane to skirt and slide off its outrigger blocking!

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Mobile Crane Setup is Everyones Responsibility

It is not only the crane operators responsibility to make sure that his/hers crane is set up in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations its is everyone's responsibility at that jobsite. No longer can out of sight - out of mind attitude be tolerated. Project managers, foreman, safety coordinators and superintendents also have shared responsibilities regarding the operation of cranes. Additionally, signal personnel, riggers and ground support personnel must be aware of the hazards of poor mobile crane setup - the setup of that crane can and will affect the entire jobsite! We constantly place the blame on the crane operator, which is totally unfair and very dangerous. Operator licensing programs will never be a success unless we give those individuals that operate these machines the support, backup and management they deserve. Anyone who is responsible for cranes and rigging at any jobsite must be trained and deemed competent by their employer! Prevailing OSHA, ANSI/ASME codes and standards require training for all employees associated with cranes and heavy equipment, not just operators! Cranes can be the safest machine at your construction site, if setup and operated properly. Always follow your cranes manufacturer recommendations. Thousands of successful lifts are completed everyday at our worksites without incident. However, when a crane accident takes place, the regulatory process begins all over again. Anyone associated with cranes can tell you we have enough regulations which are simply not enforced.

Crane Operational Services Training Programs have been endorsed by the following agencies and companies; Crane Safety Programs offered for: Mobile Cranes, Overhead Cranes, Construction Tower Cranes, Maritime Cranes, Steel Mill Cranes, Space and Communication Cranes. Additional Safety Training Programs for: Signal Personnel, Rigging , Aerial Lifts, Forklifts, and Heavy Equipment. OSHA 10 and 30 hour safety training programs. All programs can be on-site or open enrollment. For further information contact Crane Operational Services, Inc.

MOSH

CSM College of Southern Maryland

MCET Maryland Center For Environmental Training

Crane Operational Services, Inc.

Inspection, Testing, Certification And Training Services 9303 Philadelphia Road Baltimore, Maryland 21237
OSHA Compliance Training & Inspections In Maryland: 780-0092 - Nationwide: 800 247-7365 - Fax Line: 410 780-0262 E-mail: bob@craneoperationalservices.com Accredited By The United States Department of Labor Under 29 CFR Part 1919 Certified Training Programs