What are the top 5 steps you can take to improve safe use of industrial hoists in your facility? From the purchasing desk to the production floor, these five actions will improve your team’s understanding of proper hoist usage.
Safety Steps Implemented by Your Team
5) Purchasing for Safety -- Hoist safety starts with selecting the best equipment for the job. While using a hand chain hoist for a long lift is cheaper, it’s also dangerous and time consuming. The strain on the operator and possible injury due to excessive pulling of the hand chain can cost in medical bills more than the cost difference between the hoists. Never purchase a manual hoist when an electric hoist is required.
4) Daily Inspections –Daily inspections involve the hoist operator examining the equipment before each use. When any sign of wear or damage is found, the hoist is flagged and management notified to call for help. Use of a damaged manual, electric or air hoist is negligent and can result in a preventable accident. In our experience, operators get injured, loads and building get damaged, often when the hoist was operated “just one more time”.
Hoist Safety Provided by Professionals
3) Preventative Maintenance – For the highest-grade safety, outsource your hoist preventative maintenance to an overhead material handling firm who performs the PM on a set schedule. Having a maintenance plan in place is the best defense against surprise breakdowns leading to costly stoppages or hazardous situations.
2) Operator Training -- Have your crane and hoist operators trained by a qualified organization. An untrained operator, using a hoist in an unsafe manner, can damage equipment or worse, cause a catastrophic accident. Training classes taught by hoist industry professionals typically last 5-6 hours but make a world of difference for workplace safety.
1) OSHA Inspections -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that all lifting equipment be inspected at least once per year. Production equipment should be inspected quarterly or monthly, depending on use. A qualified hoist inspector will offer a tag-out service for failing equipment, a follow up quote on necessary repairs and documentation to prove compliance.
The golden rule of overhead lifting is to always take care of your hoisting equipment. The health and safety of your employees depend on it.
About Shupper-Brickle Equipment
Since 1969, Shupper-Brickle Equipment has supplied bridge cranes, hoists and comprehensive services to the Mid-Atlantic States and worldwide. Our in-house engineering team designs customized lifting solutions, and our factory-trained technicians perform repairs and turn-key installations. Contact us for both routine and unusual overhead lifting challenges.
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