Safety Tips for Lift Equipment

How to survive a visit by OSHA

2011-11-03T09:17:00.002-04:00

As fines grow and enforcement gets stricter, construction and agriculture businesses are prime targets for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
"Nebraska is one of the worst states for fatalities in these two industries, so if you're in construction or ag and you haven't been hit yet by OSHA, you probably will be," Teague Lottman told about 40 people - mostly business owners and managers - during a First State Bank and Trust University session last week.

Lottman, an Inspro Agribusiness agronomy claims specialist and loss control specialist, said he's seen higher fines and more aggressive enforcement efforts from OSHA.

"We've seen that this year big time," he said. "The higher ups have this mentality that if you own a business, all you care about is profit at the cost of your employees' safety, that's how they think. Here in the Midwest we're not like that, but that's the mentality they have. When they come out to your business, that's what we've got to deal with."

Lottman said he makes four or five presentations a year and talks to individual business owners on a weekly basis to help them prepare for and survive OSHA inspections.

"These fines are putting small business out of business," he said. "They want to comply, they don't want their employees to get hurt, but I've had some older contractors that just went ahead and retired because of the fear of OSHA.

"I think most companies do things safely, but they don't document that they do it safely, so they have no proof. That's the big thing; document what you're doing," he said.

OSHA will inspect a business or job site for several reasons, Lottman said, including incidents of catastrophic or fatal accidents, employee complaints, or high hazard industries.

When OSHA determines imminent danger is present, "It's just like the police and probable cause, they have the right to come right on into your place, whether it's a job site or a work place, and they can do a full-blown inspection and there's not a darn thing you can do about it," Lottman said.

Employers, he said, have the right to ask for identification when an OSHA representative shows up.

"You can ask them to wait," he said. "If it's a routine inspection they will usually give you 30 minutes, maybe sometimes an hour, to get in order. But if it's imminent danger, they're going to start immediately."

Employers can insist on a warrant, but Lottman advised against it.

"I guarantee they'll go get one," he said, "and then they'll be back with all their friends and they'll go through your business with a fine-tooth comb."

Employers have the right to advisors or legal counsel, accompanying OSHA during the inspection, and opening and closing conferences to determine what will be inspected and why, and to discuss the results of the inspection.

"Fully exercise your right to walk around with the inspector," he said. "First that shows him that you care about safety and you don't allow anybody just to walk around on your premises. It also gives you a chance to see what he's looking at, write it down, take notes, ask questions."

Having a safety manual is crucial and Lottman suggested including a cell phone usage policy.

OSHA will look for disciplinary plans geared toward unsafe employees, a complaint system where employees can point out concerns and a safety committee.

"In Nebraska, if you have 10 or more employees, you have to have a safety committee," he said. "You've got to meet at least quarterly and you've got to document it."

Lottman said companies should have a team that knows what to do when OSHA shows up. Conducting a mock OSHA inspection is also a good idea, he said.

OSHA will look for proper signage, Material Safety Data Sheets, maintenance records, lockout/tag out procedures, shields and guards and a written fall protection plan.

"If you're at a job site, you're at a disadvantage, because if they pull up to a job site it's because they caught you doing something wrong," he said.

"If you're a subcontractor ... pack up your stuff and leave. If you're the general contractor, remember that you're in charge of the safety of all your subs, so if the sub gets fined there's a chance that you could also get fined," he said.

Sweep augers are a focal point in the ag sector, he said.

"The way the rule states right now ... you cannot be inside a grain bin with the sweep auger running or any moving grain, or it's going to be a willful violation. If there is an employee in there and there's a fatality, whoever sent him in there is going to go to jail and that's all there is to it," Lottman said.

Source: Chris Zavadil, Fremont Tribune

NUCA's Safety Director's Forum

2011-09-30T10:24:00.003-04:00

NUCA's Safety Director's Forum (SDF), Oct. 17-18 in Chicago will help utility contractors and create and maintain accident free workplaces and jobsites. Who should attend? Construction safety personnel looking to master the intricacies of the utility construction industry's most fundamental activity - safety; owners and CEO's of utility construction firms; and anyone actively involved in safety in today's utility construction and excavation fields. For details and to resister, click here

Construction Fatalities Decline by About 10 Percent

2011-08-30T10:38:00.002-04:00

The number of construction fatalities declined by nearly 10 percent between 2009 and 2010, and by almost 40 percent during the past five years, according to AGC.

August 26, 2011 (original post on ConstructionEquipment.com)

The number of construction fatalities declined by nearly 10 percent between 2009 and 2010, and by almost 40 percent during the past five years, according to an analysis of new federal data prepared by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials pointed to an industry-wide commitment to improving workplace safety as a key reason for the safety improvements.

“This industry has made safety a top priority in good times and bad, and the new data shows those efforts are helping save lives,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “But even one fatality is too many, which is why this data also serves as a somber reminder of the work that still needs to be done.”

Sandherr noted that the number of construction fatalities in 2010 was 751, down from 834 in 2009 and 1,239 in 2006. He added that the number of construction fatalities was declining faster than the total amount of money invested in construction projects during the past five years. While construction spending declined by 31 percent between 2006 and 2010, the number of fatalities declined by nearly 40 percent.

The construction industry has taken a range of steps to improve workplace safety during the past two decades, Sandherr said. He said that safety planning is now considered an essential part of all pre-construction plans. Construction workers also undergo rigorous and ongoing safety training both at construction sites and within company training rooms. Many firms also now regularly participate in association-led safety stand-downs, stopping all construction activity during a particular day to hold intense safety training and drills.

The association has also worked to establish a host of safety programs and materials from which construction firms are benefitting. Sandherr cited the work the association has done to train construction workers in fall protection measures in helping cut fall fatalities from 447 in 2007 to 260 in 2010, a 42 percent decline. He added that the association offers a wide range of safety training programs and tools to construction firms across the industry.

Sandherr noted that the association remained committed to working with federal, state and local officials to continue improving workplace safety. “Nobody has a monopoly on improving workplace safety.”

Source: AGC

Inclinometer et al: USS Pampanito Clinometer Replication Project 2011

2011-08-08T10:06:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: USS Pampanito Clinometer Replication Project 2011

ANSI A92.2 2009 Standard 2 New Requirements!

2011-08-03T10:21:00.003-04:00

Here's what I found in the newest ANSI A92.2 2009 Standard- these are key safety requirements for utility bucket trucks and other similar aerial devices.

The Accredited Standard Committee (ASC) A92.2 Subcommittee for Vehicle Mounted Rotating and Elevating Aerial Devices of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has issued the long-awaited 2009 edition of the American National Standard for Vehicle Mounted Rotating and Elevated Aerial Devices.

Two new requirements for operator aids are a slope indicator and an outrigger interlock device.

4.5.4 Slope Indicator – An indicator(s) shall be provided that is visible to the operator during setup to show whether the aerial device is positioned within limits permitted by the manufacturer. The allowable limits shall be shown on the unit and in the manual. For units designed for mobile operation such an indicator(s) shall be supplied in the cab.

4.5.5 Outrigger Interlock Device – When an aerial device is equipped with outriggers, and their use is required to pass the stability tests of this standard, an interlock device shall be provided that prevents the boom from being operated from the stowed position until the outriggers have been deployed. Deployment may be sensed when the outriggers meet resistance or by receipt of an indicative response that the outrigger deployment is beyond a predetermined position. The lifting of an outrigger during operation shall not disable boom functions. An interlock override switch may be provided; however, the override mode of operation shall disable automatically.

Note: The operation of outrigger interlocking devices does not assure aerial device stability. It serves only to remind the operator that the outriggers have or have not been deployed. See Section 10.10 (3).

Crane History Preserved! Komatsu and Link-Belt join HCEA

2011-07-12T07:35:00.000-04:00

Bowling Green, OH -- The Historical Construction Equipment Association (HCEA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the history of the construction, dredging and surface mining equipment industries, announced that Komatsu America Corporation, Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company and Turner Construction Company have joined the HCEA as corporate members.

Komatsu America Corporation joined for five years and is headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1917 (fun fact: same year as Rieker Instrument Co. was established!), Komatsu is the world’s second largest manufacturer and supplier of quality construction, mining and compact construction equipment; along with representing these lines, Komatsu America also serves the forklift and forestry markets.

Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company originated in Chicago in 1906 with the consolidation of two firms established by William Dana Ewart to manufacture his patented detachable link chain. Now headquartered in Lexington, Ky., it has grown from the first Link-Belt crane, produced circa 1890, to become a leader in the design, manufacture and sales of telescopic and lattice boom cranes.

Turner Construction Company of New York is a leading international building and general contractor that was founded in 1902. Its extensive resume of projects includes Madison Square Garden and construction management for the world’s tallest building; the 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The National Construction Equipment Museum, operated by the HCEA in Bowling Green, Ohio, has a 1926 Link-Belt K2 crawler crane that has been fully restored by Museum volunteers, as well as several machines from Komatsu’s heritage. Its archives house substantial collections of records from Komatsu, Link-Belt and associated companies. Museum and Archives holdings are preserved and made available for public research and education.

Inclinometer et al: new product to aid in the prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)

2011-07-11T09:20:00.001-04:00

Inclinometer et al: new product to aid in the prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)

Hospital beds are sophisticated critical equipment for the care of those in need. If you are familiar with VAP, you'll appreciate this new medical device that incorporates a tilt sensor for monitoring Head of Bed angle.

Learn the Nitty Gritty on Lift Inspections

2011-03-28T13:14:00.000-04:00

Cover Story: Inspection Direction

Making sure aerial work platforms and telehandlers are reliable and safe depends largely on inspections performed before the key is turned over. Lift and Access interviewed experts to find out what types of inspections are needed and who's responsible for performing them.

Great article, click here to view the entire story...

Inclinometer et al: Rieker Inc Introduces New Wireless Remote Inclinometer Package at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011

2011-03-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Rieker Inc Introduces New Wireless Remote Inclinometer Package at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011

China'a Building Boom - too much to soon?

2010-12-20T14:59:00.002-05:00

As U.S. Debates, China Acts With A Building Boom

by Elaine Kurtenbach, Associated Press

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — Gravel-laden barges glide past the willow-fringed banks of the Grand Canal, plying a trade route built 2,500 years ago to bring grain from China's fertile south to its rulers in the north.

Now the 1,800-kilometer (1,125-mile) passage is part of an even grander scheme: a $150 billion plan to bring water from the mighty Yangtze river to the parched north in what is the world's most expensive infrastructure project.

Increasingly, a group of rising economies — from Brazil to the United Arab Emirates — is building the showcase projects that once were mainly the pride of the U.S., Western Europe and Japan. America's Hoover Dam made headlines in the 1930s; today, it is China's $25 billion Three Gorges Dam.

Just as railways and highways transformed America into an industrial superpower, the 21st-century building boom is laying the foundations for these rapidly growing economies to join the top leagues.

"Projects are getting bigger and bigger in the developing economies, not only to cater for demand, but also in anticipation of future growth," says Wilfred Lau, director at the engineering and design consultancy Ove Arup & Partners in Hong Kong.

Half of the 30 most expensive projects globally are in China, Brazil, the Middle East and other parts of the developing world, according to a list compiled by The Associated Press. A dozen are in the rich countries, and three others are energy pipelines that will link Western Europe with Russia and Turkey. The data comes from governments and companies involved in the various projects, and from AP archives.

Not all these projects will necessarily be completed, but cancellations would seem at least as likely among the cash-strapped governments of the West and Japan as anywhere else.

Topping the list is China's South-North Water Diversion plan, which would use the Grand Canal and two other routes to channel water to Beijing and other fast-growing northern cities. Alone, its price tag dwarfs the $65 billion for all five U.S. projects in the top 30.

Poor countries have always needed better roads, more electricity and other improvements, but few could afford them and many, like Haiti, still can't. Still, much has changed dramatically in the past two decades as global growth has shifted to countries such as China and Brazil.

The money flowing into their government coffers has enabled them to launch the major infrastructure projects that bring prestige, improve living standards and set the stage for the next level of economic development.

But there are limits: Such huge flows of wealth can be squandered on corruption or showcase projects that turn into white elephants. Some cite the $450 million stadium built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a case in point.

In China, India and elsewhere, subway, bridge and building collapses indicate that not all the construction is as solid as it should be. Ultimately, such investments need to be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable to pay off. And already some projects have been idled by the global financial crisis.

Big-ticket items aren't confined to the developing world. Britain's plan to spend 100 billion pounds ($132 billion) on offshore wind farms is the second priciest project on the list compiled by the AP, followed by Japan's 5 trillion yen ($62 billion) Daini Tomei Highway.

The $65 billion in U.S. projects includes a new $20 billion air traffic control system, which ranks 13th on the list, followed by separate $14 billion projects to upgrade flood barriers in New Orleans and build two nuclear power plants in the state of Georgia.

Overall, just 2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product goes to infrastructure construction. Europe spends 5 percent of its GDP, and China, 9 percent, according to a U.S. government report.

Developing countries, led by China, are devoting $384 billion to the biggest dams, highways, railways, bridges, canals and energy projects. Brazil is building a 518-kilometer (320-mile) $18.4 billion high-speed train link from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo and an $11.3 billion hydroelectric complex on the Madeira River, a major tributary of the Amazon.

One country where public works construction has lagged is India, which has only one project on the list, a $9.3 billion nuclear power plant deal it signed with France this month. Many economists see weak infrastructure has one of India's biggest handicaps — as well as a potential growth area for the world's construction industry.

Only one African project made the top 30, a 1,216-kilometer (750-mile), six-lane highway linking Algeria with Tunisia and Morocco and costing $11.2 billion. But even on the world's poorest continent, billions are going to new railways, roads, mines and public housing — often built with Chinese money as Beijing swaps financing and other aid for access to minerals, coal and oil.

The Boston Consulting Group says that more than half of the $40 trillion or so needed for infrastructure in the coming two decades is likely to be spent in the developing world.

In China, a 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package launched when the global financial crisis slowed exports is already bearing fruit. The Communist Party's routine suppression of public dissent means projects tend to get done — and quickly.

While U.S. states are talking about high-speed rail, China is set to double its network — already the world's longest — to 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) by 2020.

Inevitably, some see big drawbacks to the building boom. They worry that too much construction is unwieldy, resulting in schools or clinics that collapse, and that services such as old-age homes and firefighting equipment can't keep up with rapid urbanization.

Continued spending at the current pace is unsustainable, said Nicholas Lardy, a China expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington think tank.

"They're not building bridges to nowhere, but if they keep this up for a few more years they might be," he said.

Major projects also often extract an environmental toll.

The classic example is southern Egypt's Aswan Dam, completed in 1970, which generates much-needed electricity and controls flooding, but also prevents nutrient-rich sediment from replenishing the eroding Nile delta, the country's most productive farmland.

Some question whether China's water diversion project, due to be finished in 2050, is worth the risks.

The plans call for sending 45 trillion liters (12 trillion gallons) of water a year from the Yangtze to the north. Wang Weiluo, a Chinese hydrologist living in Germany, says cities such as Shanghai, which lies downstream from where the water will be diverted, will see their own water resources reduced.

It's not clear that southern China can spare that much water, especially with the glaciers that feed the Yangtze melting, said Kenneth Pomeranz, a China water expert at the University of California, Irvine.

But alternatives, such as hiking the price of water, are politically difficult, and much prestige is invested in seeing the project to completion, he said. "It may well be a bad idea whose time has come."

PS (Skip Gosnell) Booming economies have definitely shifted from US and Europe, growing at an incredible rate in the Far East among others, so often outgrowing safety precautions. Far to often this ends with huge financial loss and human life. This is why Europe, Australia and the US have so diligently created rules and regulations governing the safety of workers and equipment - like the industrial revolution of our own US history, progress in countries like China is happening at break neck speed - we can help our worldwide neighbors with education on safety so mistakes we've already learned can be prevented overseas.

Inclinometer et al: Check out my @constantcontact newsletter

2010-12-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

Inclinometer et al:

Seasons Greetings from all of us at Rieker Inc!

Click to view our Christmas Card!

Digger Derrick Operator Training

2010-11-17T09:37:00.001-05:00

Digger Derrick Operator Training

Digger derrick operators need a wide range of skills and equipment knowledge to competently and safely dig holes, set poles and lift loads, especially around energized lines and equipment. “Basic Training for Digger and Truck Mounted Crane Operators” – a manual from the Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction (ISPC) – is a newly developed, comprehensive tool that will become a reference guide for digger derrick operators throughout their careers. OSHA regulation snapshots reinforce industry best practices throughout the manual, which also includes an operator field performance requirements checklist.

For more information about the manual, contact ISPC at 866.880.1380 or visit www.ispconline.com and click on the Safety Products tab.

Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction www.ispconline.com

OSHA Publishes Cranes and Derricks Final Rule

2010-08-12T16:01:00.002-04:00

OSHA Publishes Cranes and Derricks Final Rule

By Ilya Leybovich, as published on ThomasNet.com, August 12, 2010

After eight years of deliberation, and two years after a series of mass-fatality crane collapses, OSHA recently released its finalized set of guidelines for crane and derrick operation. The new rules are likely to have an important impact on several industries, particularly construction.

Since 2002, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has worked through its Cranes and Derricks Advisory Committee to develop new rules for addressing key hazards in crane and derrick operation. Several tragic crane collapses in 2008, as well as hundreds of deaths and injuries caused by crane misuse each year, put added pressure on updating the safety standards. Earlier this month, OSHA published the much-anticipated set of rules.

The new guidelines, known as Cranes and Derricks in Construction: Final Rule, replace the previous safety rules, which date back to 1971. The updated standards will go into effect on November 8 and will affect hundreds of thousands of workers across the construction industry and related fields.

"The significant number of fatalities associated with the use of cranes in construction led the Labor Department to undertake this rulemaking," Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said in an announcement of the regulations. "After years of extensive research, consultation and negotiation with industry experts, this long overdue rule will address the leading causes of fatalities related to cranes and derricks, including electrocution, boom collapse and overturning."

One of the key provisions of the new measure is that all crane operators must be qualified and certified according to the standards outlined in section 1926.1427. In addition, any secondary staff working in the vicinity of a crane, such as riggers and signalers, must also be certified. After the rule goes into effect, employers will have up to four years to ensure that all crane workers have the proper credentials.

"The new rule is designed to prevent the leading causes of fatalities, including electrocution, crushed-by/struck-by hazards during assembly/disassembly, collapse and overturn. It also sets requirements for ground conditions and crane operator assessment," OSHA notes. "In addition, the rule addresses tower crane hazards, addresses the use of synthetic slings for assembly/disassembly work, and clarifies the scope of the regulation by providing both a functional description and a list of examples for the equipment that is covered."

The regulations also require employers to determine whether the ground on which a crane is positioned can support the anticipated weight of equipment or loads, and to assess potential hazards within the work zone, including power lines and objects or personnel within the radius of hoisting equipment. Employers are required to participate in regular inspections to ensure crane equipment is in safe operating conditions and that all workers are adequately trained.

"The new standards are designed to ensure that workers are properly trained and certified to operate equipment, and that employers make appropriate assessments and inspections on site before doing so," the White House explains. "These common sense updates will lead to better safety for approximately 4.8 million workers employed at 267,000 construction, crane rental and crane certification establishments."

The new standards were developed by a committee of 23 experienced members of manufacturing and trade associations, which also relied on input from unions, academic experts and other stakeholders in the equipment field. The amount of time it took to establish the new guidelines, however, has created some local regulatory problems.

"During the long wait for a federal rule, some local legislatures have implemented their own rules," Cranes Today reports. "While some of these have met with industry approval, others have been accused of overstepping their authority. In Miami-Dade, a crane rule was struck down by a judge, on the basis that it 'superseded' OSHA. In New York City, a similar action is being taken by SINY, the Steel Institute of New York."

Resources

Cranes and Derricks in Construction: Final Rule
U.S. Department of Labor (Federal Register), Aug. 9, 2010

Demolition Crane Smashes Into Sharpsburg House

2010-04-08T16:10:00.003-04:00

Demolition Crane Smashes Into Sharpsburg House

Crane Was Demolishing Building Next Door

click to view video:

Posted: 6:19 pm EDT April 6, 2010Updated: 2:56 pm EDT April 7, 2010

SHARPSBURG, Pa. -- A 100-foot crane in Sharpsburg collapsed onto a house early Tuesday evening during a demolition.The accident happened shortly after 6 p.m. in the 200 block of North Main Street, authorities said.Crews of a sheet metal company were tearing down a building to make room for a new building and parking lot when a crane somehow tipped over, authorities said.The Winegarden family was inside the house as crews were demolishing the building next door.The crane tipped over and crashed into the second story of the family's home.

"At first, a couple of bricks came down and hit the house. I told my daughter we should leave the house just to be safe. We came outside and as soon as we came outside, that's when the crane came into the side of the house and smashed the side of the house," said James Winegarden."It was huge. It came crashing right on through. It was just very frightening," Liz Winegarden said.

No one was hurt.

The Red Cross is providing the family with a place to stay.

Inclinometer et al: New Backlit Inclinometers: When Night Visibility Must Be Maintained

2010-03-19T18:16:00.001-04:00

Inclinometer et al: New Backlit Inclinometers: When Night Visibility Must Be Maintained

Precision Circular "Bulls-Eye" Bubble Levels

2010-01-26T08:29:00.003-05:00

Rieker introduces Precision Circular "Bulls-Eye" Bubble Levels

Also referred to as a “bulls-eye” level, the C000X Series of Circular Bubble Levels provide accurate measurement of level in a rugged machined Aluminum housing (Anodized black). Several sizes available to fit any space requirement.

Manufactured to exacting specifications, the accuracy is guaranteed and maintained through the use of precision ground glass and machined Aluminum. Rigorous testing completed to assure high performance over long-term all weather conditions, including industry standard Salt Fog survivability per ASTM B117.

Each instrument is filled with a special damping fluid that controls the movement of the bubble, for smooth accurate readings. The fluid combined with large, clear markings make it easy to get quick, accurate readings under a wide variety of severe environmental conditions.

These precision circular vials have three mounting holes for installation convenience and calibration. Since most mounting surfaces may vary, for exact zero calibration the C000X-A models all come with Polyurethane bumpers and mounting hardware.

The Bucket Truck Survival Guide - In 5 Steps

2009-11-19T15:38:00.003-05:00

Bucket trucks come in various sizes, but their main goal is to make your job easier and safer by lifting you to those hard to reach places, usually much too high for traditional ladders. Although in most cases a Bucket truck is safer than a ladder there are still some risks involved if not operated properly and that was how the Bucket Truck Survival Guide was born. But maybe I should go back just a bit. Maybe you don't even know what a bucket truck is. If you have ever seen the utility company, typically the telephone and electric company, working at the side of the road chances are they were using a bucket truck. Or you may have even seen someone using the same type of truck when removing a large tree from their property. Essentially a bucket truck, also know as a cherry picker, boom lift, man lift, basket crane or hydraladder is a type of arial work platform that usually consits of a bucket at the end of a hyrdalic lifitng arm. Usually this piece of machinery is attached to a truck. Hence a Bucket Truck.

The following list of safety guidelines should be taken into consideration whenever operating a bucket truck.

The Bucket Truck Survival Guide - In Five Parts

Following these 5 simple steps, and with proper use, a Bucket Truck can be much safer than using a typical ladder to reach those hard to reach places.

Part 1 - Pre-Safety Check
Before using a bucket truck, a safety inspection should be performed:
1) Check for oil leaks
2) Look for broken or damaged parts
3) Check for any signs of wear
4) Look for rust or cracks
5) Check all controls to ensure they are working properly

Part 2 - Parking
It is essential to park on level ground when using a Bucket Truck. You will also have to pay attention when it comes to different weather conditions. Parking on the snow or ice is much different then parking on solid ground. Even in the summer months, ground area may be soft, so make sure you are aware of the conditions, as soft ground, such as mud or snow may cause tipping if the truck is not properly parked.

Part 3 - Fuel
As the trucks engine can power the hydraulic lifting arm you should ensure that the tank is full of fuel before heading out on a job. If there is an auxiliary motor to power the lifting arm you must alsoensure that motor has plenty of fuel.

Part 4 - Emergency Operation
There may be a time when the lifting arm could malfunction. It is always a good idea to familiarize yourself the emergency procedures. If the lifting arm fails to retract you need to know exactly how to lower the bucket if the power system malfunctions.

Part 5 - Post-Safety Check
After you have finished for the day you should do another safety check ensuing all the same things as you did on your Pre Safety Check. Also it is a good idea to keep the truck free of debris and cover the bucket when it is not in use.

Author Resource:- Corey Rozon is a freelance writer from Ottawa, Canada.
This article about digger derrick trucks and bucket trucks was written with the help of i80 Equipment.

Pompano Beach company fined in fatal crane accident

2009-11-05T11:27:00.005-05:00

Pompano Beach company fined in fatal crane accident -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Ray Qualmann Marine Construction Inc. allowed an operator who had not received training for the Link-Belt LS-58 crane to use it. The company also did not conduct an annual inspection that would have noted issues with the crane, such as rusting of a boom, a missing boom angle indicator and poorly welded lacings, according to an OSHA report.

- Boom Angle Indicators, although designs have been improved for added benefits like readablity, reliability and ruggedness, have been around for many years - like proper operator training, it is an important safety device that can help prevent damage, injury or loss of life.

Crane Safety Programs

2009-08-14T15:39:00.002-04:00

Maxim Crane's "Building Blocks to Safety & Health" and "S.T.A.R.T.*" programs ensure a safer work environment for our employees, clients and vendors. In addition to these programs, our corporate safety initiative includes:

Expanded safety program
Pre-phase planning
Supervisory Incentive Award programs
Supervisory training
Employee Incentive Award programs
Extensive employee training
Employee Discipline Program
Substance abuse program
Branch safety committees
Safety professionals in each region
Safety meetings: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly
Over 90% NCCCO certified crane operators
Comprehensive safety check for all equipment

*S.T.A.R.T.: Supervisor Training in Accident Reduction Techniques and S.T.A.R.T. II for all field employees

The Maxim commitment to "Continuous Improvement" through an ever expanding fleet, CCO Certified Operators, a Zero Accident Policy and a team that is committed to providing customers the crane and services that meet or exceed their needs has made Maxim Crane Works the #1 Crane Rental company in the United States.

Bare Crane Rental
Crane Rentals
Operated and Maintained Crane Rental

Load management safety system

2009-07-29T16:52:00.003-04:00

HAULOTTE Australia has introduced an Australian-developed automatic load management system (LMS) that is said to pioneer stringent operating standards, especially for suspended jib or hook loads over 3t.

The system is designed to ensure telehandlers are safe, and exceed mandatory Australian Standards AS1418.19, AS1418.5 and AS1418.10 covering suspended loads over 3t. The system programs the machine to electronically recognise the correct tool parameters and rating charts for each of the many tools and implements that can be fitted to telehandlers.

This includes lifting materials with the forklift attachment, to lifting suspended loads with jibs, to lifting people in elevated work platforms, to fitting a bucket and moving materials. The system analyses incoming data to automatically ensure the machine is operating within safe working limits.

click here for original post, 22 July 2009 : Load management safety system

Inclinometer et al: Digital Boom Angle Indicator

2009-07-16T15:16:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Digital Boom Angle Indicator

Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Mobile Crane Tip-Over, Boom Collapse, and Uncontrolled Hoisted Loads

2009-07-13T14:25:00.002-04:00

Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Mobile Crane Tip-Over, Boom Collapse, and Uncontrolled Hoisted Loads

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

WARNING!

Construction and industrial workers are frequently injured or killed when working on or around mobile cranes because of tip-over, boom collapse, and uncontrolled hoisted loads.

CRANE OPERATORS should take the following steps to protect themselves and other workers when operating mobile cranes:

Always use the crane manufacturer’s load chart provided for each crane.
Be sure you know or can calculate the weight of each load.
Never use visual signs of tipping as an indicator of lift capacity.
Before beginning a lift,
- follow the manufacturer’s procedures for proper outrigger deployment to ensure that cranes are properly set up and level, and
- make sure outrigger pads are supported on firm, stable surfaces before beginning a lift.
When multiple lifts are made from one location, such as during duty cycle operations, check the condition of the ground and blocking materials regularly and as often as possible to ensure the crane remains on firm, stable ground.
Always check for overhead power lines and other obstructions. Comply with OSHA regulations for safe working distances around power lines: 29 CFR* 1910.333(c)(3)(iii) and 29 CFR 1926.550(a)(15)(i), (ii), and (iii).

*Code of Federal Regulations. See CFR in References.

Crane tip-over at library expansion project. (Photo courtesy of The Blade/Toledo Ohio)

Avoid hoisting or moving suspended loads over workers and others within the crane’s swing radius.
Barricade the swing radius to keep unauthorized persons from entering areas of pinch points.
Follow a written engineered lift plan for all critical lifts.
If you are under age 18, do not operate a crane or assist in tasks being performed on cranes such as repairing, servicing, assembling, and disassembling the machine. For more information about Federal child labor laws, visit www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/index.htm; or call 1–866–4–USADOL.

Riggers and Ground Workers should take the following steps to protect themselves when working on or around mobile cranes:

Never work directly under a suspended load.
Watch for signs of problems during each lift.
Always check for overhead power lines and other obstructions. Comply with OSHA regulations for safe working distances around power lines.
Barricade the swing radius to keep unauthorized persons from entering areas of pinch points.
Follow a written engineered lift plan for all critical lifts.
Follow the correct procedures when setting up or dismantling a crane. Make sure boom sections are blocked or supported before removing pins. Stay out from under the boom at all times if possible.
If you are under age 16, do not perform any type of construction or manufacturing work. If you are under age 18, do not operate a crane or assist in tasks being performed on cranes such as repairing, servicing, assembling and disassembling the machine. For more information about Federal child labor laws, visit www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/index.htm; or call 1–866–4–USADOL.

EMPLOYERS should take the following steps to protect workers who work on or around mobile cranes:

Make sure your work sites comply with safety requirements found in pertinent regulations including OSHA 29 CFR 1910.180 (general industry cranes); 29 CFR 1917.45 (marine terminals); 29 CFR 1918.66 (maritime, cranes, and derricks other than vessel’s gear); 29 CFR 1926.550 (construction industry cranes and derricks); and ASME B30.5–2004, mobile and locomotive cranes.
Conduct training to ensure crane operators understand safe crane operation as well as the principles of set-up, rigging, hoisting, extending the boom, swinging a load, pinching and crushing points, swing radius warning barriers, power line safety, etc.
Conduct training to ensure riggers and ground workers understand the hazards of working around mobile cranes and that they watch for signs of problems at all times, especially if power lines are nearby.
Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for safely lifting loads.
Develop and follow a written engineered lift plan for all critical lifts.
When multiple lifts are made from one location (such as during duty cycle operations) check the condition of the ground and blocking materials regularly and as often as possible to ensure the crane remains on firm, stable ground.
Ensure that mobile cranes located on floating barges are positively secured and barge list (leaning or tilt) is accounted for.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommended assembly, disassembly, and maintenance procedures when working on cranes.
Comply with child labor laws that prohibit construction and manufacturing work by persons under age 16 and that prohibits workers under age 18 from operating or assisting in the operation, repair, servicing, assembly, disassembly, and similar activities associated with mobile cranes. For more information about Federal child labor laws, visit www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/index.htm; or call 1–866–4–USADOL.

Boom collapse during crane disassembly.

Mobile tower crane tip-over attempting to hoist water tank. (Photo courtesy of Iowa FACE Program)

For additional information, see NIOSH Alert:
Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Mobile Crane Tip-Over, Boom Collapse, and Uncontrolled Hoisted Loads

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2006–142.
Single copies of the Alert are available free from the following:

NIOSH—Publications Dissemination
4676 Columbia Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45226–1998

Telephone: 1–800–35–NIOSH (1–800–356–4674)
Fax: 513–533–8573
E-mail: pubstaft@cdc.gov

or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

New lift truck improves safety

2009-06-23T11:19:00.001-04:00

SafetyNewsAlert.com » New lift truck improves safety May 21, 2009 by Fred Hosier

Posted in: Forklift safety, Product and service news

New Crown RR 5700 Series Raises Expectations for Reach Truck Productivity

Traction Control System is First-Ever for Pantograph Reach Truck

NEW BREMEN, Ohio (May 21, 2009) - Crown Equipment, one of the world’s leading lift truck manufacturers, unveiled today the Crown RR 5700 Series of technologically advanced reach trucks that is intended to deliver greater material handling productivity, efficiency and safety. Specifically engineered for the unique challenges of a narrow-aisle warehouse environment, the Crown RR 5700 features the industry’s first traction control system, enhanced execution of load-handling functions, and the fastest lift and travel speeds among other available reach trucks.

The Crown RR 5700 includes several enhancements that improve operator confidence and control in performing challenging moves at heights greater than 36 feet. Most notably, the Crown RR 5700 is the first-ever pantograph reach truck with a traction control system designed to assist the truck from slipping on wet, dusty or sealed floors. The patent-pending Crown OnTrac^TM Anti-Slip Traction Control uses the integrated Crown Access 1 2 3® control system to compare the truck’s speed with the number of revolutions per minute the drive tire is turning to determine whether the truck has lost traction. By reducing tire spin during acceleration and preventing wheel lock-up during braking, the system reduces slipping and sliding. This decreases tire wear, increases efficiency, helps reduce the risk of accidents and product damage, and improves operator confidence in slick conditions, such as refrigerated or freezer applications. Other enhancements include:

- Lift and Travel Speed: The Crown RR 5700 travels seven percent faster, lifts 18 percent faster and lowers 16 percent faster than similar reach trucks. Cornering speed control in the Crown RR 5700 slows the truck’s speed as the steer angle increases so that turns can be negotiated safely. Truck performance settings can be customized to individual operator preferences.

- Operator Comfort: The Crown RR 5700 includes a suspended floorboard that absorbs vibration, and trucks can be outfitted with a ThermoAssist^TM package for improved operator comfort in refrigerated or freezer applications. S-Class trucks include a padded seat, which can be adjusted to three different positions to allow drivers to sit, lean or stand during truck operation. The S-Class operator compartment is 45 percent larger than those on other reach trucks and features a special footrest that offers postural relief while promoting a safe operating position. These ergonomic advantages, in addition to an adjustable arm rest, work together with safety features such as an entry bar safety switch and position hold to promote safe lift truck operation while maximizing productivity.

- One-Touch Rack Height Select: Available as an add-on element, a rack height selection feature allows operators to stop the forks at a specific rack level with the click of a button. While other systems require users to choose from two entry heights for each rack level: one for pallet pick-up and a slightly higher height for pallet put-away, the Crown RR 5700’s One-Touch Rack Height Select senses whether the truck is carrying a load and adjusts rack entry height accordingly. A tilt-position-assist function further facilitates pallet entry at upper rack levels by leveling the forks.

“The Crown RR 5700 is a major step forward in the use of the truck’s intelligence to improve performance and control,” said Crown Product Manager Maria Schwieterman. “The entire package is really more than meets the eye as the Crown Access 1 2 3 operating system provides a platform on which we can drive innovations such as the unique traction control system and rack-height select feature. When combined with the Crown InfoLink^Ò system, data can be collected and analyzed across multiple trucks via the Crown Insite^TM approach to improving fleet management and paving the way for true business intelligence within material handling environments.”

The Crown RR 5700 Series of trucks is offered in reach heights greater than 36 feet with lift capacities of 4,500 pounds. The Crown RR 5700 is available with AC-powered drive and hydraulic systems, and in a double-deep reach version called the Crown RD 5700.

About Crown Equipment Corporation
Crown is the number one brand of electric lift trucks in the United States and the seventh largest lift truck manufacturer in the world. Crown’s award-winning line of lift trucks has earned a reputation for exceptional product design, engineering and manufacturing. From the smallest hand pallet truck to the highest lifting turret truck, Crown seeks to provide users with safe, efficient and ergonomic lift trucks that lower total cost of ownership and maximize uptime. Headquartered in New Bremen, Ohio, Crown manufactures lift trucks that are sold throughout the world. For more information, visit www.crown.com.

Crane Inspection and Safety Compliance Technology

2009-04-06T11:29:00.003-04:00

N4 Systems Listed as "Top 25 Up and Comer"

Last update: 9:37 a.m. EDT April 2, 2009
TORONTO, ONTARIO, Apr 02, 2009 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- N4 Systems, today announced that it has been selected as a top 25 up and coming technology company by the 2009 Branham300. The Top 25 Up and Comers category recognizes the leaders of tomorrow within the Canadian information and communication technology industry. The companies are selected for their innovation, uniqueness and long-term potential.

"We are excited to be listed as a 2009 Branham300 Top 25 Up and Comer. Our flagship Inspection and Safety Compliance (ISCM) product suite, Field ID, has made huge leaps both in technology and customer base. Organizations, both small and large, are now using Field ID to stay safe. Field ID truly is making safety simple for users around the world", noted Somen Mondal, CEO of N4 Systems.

N4 Systems' COO Shaun Ricci added, "Our recent enhancements to Field ID are a testament to our commitment to making safety simple. With all the recent crane accidents, our crane inspection enhancements are revolutionizing the way crane safety is managed. We are thrilled that Branham300 has recognized our innovation and potential."

About the Field ID Safety Network:
The Field ID Safety Network provides the first complete safety traceability service for organizations of all sizes. The Field ID Safety Network provides never before seen safety traceability by connecting each party involved in the safety compliance process including manufacturers, distributors, inspectors and end users. The Field ID Safety Network allows users to eliminate compliance paperwork and greatly reduce errors, guesswork and liability inherent with paper-based compliance and inspection management. Most importantly, the Field ID Safety Network creates safer workplaces and prevents accidents.
About N4 Systems:

N4 Systems Inc. is the market leader in Inspection and Safety Compliance Management (ISCM) for companies of all sizes. For more information http://www.n4systems.com.

Jargon on the Job: A Potential Safety Barrie

2009-02-16T11:44:00.002-05:00

Jargon on the Job: A Potential Safety Barrier
By Lucy Perry, Publisher's Perspective, Lift and Access.com

February 10, 2009 – Purdue University researchers have found that specialized language used in safety training for construction workers may not be understood by newbies or non-English-speaking workers. It’s a situation that could put these workers in danger. The studies looked at mandatory 10-hour OSHA training, where words such as “PTO,” “bird caging,” “lockout/tagout,” and “lanyard,” are commonly used. I was interested in learning about the safety challenges presented by jargon used in training and on the job.

First the study looked at safety training issues for employees new to construction, examining the causes behind the high number of work-related deaths and injuries in construction. Previous studies indicated they are more likely to occur at the beginning of a construction worker’s career. The team conducted surveys with construction industry student interns before OSHA training, after training and before working on a construction site, and after working at their first internship. Results indicated the training is successful in creating awareness of safety issues, but many interns, mostly college construction engineering management students, didn’t understand terminology and acronyms presented. Yet safety instructors believed students understood the meanings of unfamiliar words before working on the construction site.

The second study looked specifically at Hispanic construction workers in Louisiana who were helping to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. The survey looked at this sector because it was prone to a high number of fatalities. They studied Hispanics’ perceptions of safety, their levels of safety training, and their familiarity with construction terms. The study offered the same list of words as in the student study and found that less than 20 percent of Hispanic workers understood any of the terms used in OSHA training, and some terms were understood by only 3 percent.

“Safety trainers must cover a lot of material in a short amount of time and, therefore, use a lot of jargon and acronyms,” the Purdue researchers reported. “These terms are familiar to them and those in the industry, but this lingo isn’t understood by everyone on the construction site. Not understanding any part of it puts workers at risk.”

Curious as to how critical an issue this really is, I turned to the American Society of Safety Engineers, which is working on the issue of literacy among workers. ASSE has found that workers who may be considered illiterate in English may also have never learned to read or write in their native language.

“This is an issue our members have been addressing for years, especially our Latino safety professionals group,” emailed an ASSE public relations staffer. Dwight Henson, an instructor for Industrial Training International, says he runs into two barriers to successful crane training: the individual who has not adequately learned to read and write, and the individual who cannot read and write in the language used in the workplace. “It’s not possible for an individual to safely operate a crane when he or she cannot read a load chart or the many pages of notes that crane manufacturers require operators to use,” says Henson.

Yet safety trainer Jeff York of Signal-Rite says in doing signalperson and rigger training, his staff has found that if Spanish-speaking students are taught how to deliver the signal, they can do just as well as English-speaking workers.

The researchers make a good point when they suggest that visuals—illustrating construction-specific words—would improve understanding. “We shouldn’t eliminate the acronyms and jargon from the training because these are terms workers will need to know, but what we can do is associate visual elements with these words so they are familiar with the terms and what they mean,” researchers said.

Fact Sheet No. 2: Hoists, Cranes and Pullers – Safety & Warning Labels and Test Certification

2009-02-06T09:33:00.000-05:00

This is the second in a series of Fact Sheets developed by the Crane, Hoist and Monorail Alliance concerning safe application and operation of overhead material handling equipment.

Why are Safety & Warning Labels and Load Test Certification important?

Hoist, crane and puller equipment have specific application instructions. Operators and inspectors need to know how to safely apply each device and they need to understand their limitations.

What safety and warning information should be considered when purchasing, installing or using Hoists, Cranes and Pullers?

Some of the items that should be noted when purchasing, installing or using Hoists, Cranes and Pullers are:
1) Load test certification
2) Rated capacity clearly marked on the product
3) Specific warning information
4) Product model number, serial number and date of manufacture
5) Manufacturer’s name and contact information
6) Manufacturer’s Operations Manual
7) Applicable standards or codes with which the product complies

How can you protect your workers?
You can protect your workers by:

Ensuring that all new products purchased comply with all applicable OSHA, National, State and local requirements.
Ensure that all operators have been trained for each type of equipment.
Use a preventative maintenance and inspection procedure for each type of equipment.
Maintain proper inspection and maintenance records.

What do Employees/Operators needs to know?

Employees and Operators need to know:
Proper equipment operator instructions.
Load limits and capacities of each payload.
Safe Rigging practices.
Operator inspection requirement at the start of each shift.
Equipment inspection and maintenance cycle requirements.

Where can I get more information?
Please refer to the Crane, Hoist and Monorail Alliance for additional information. If there is any question as to which standards or requirements apply please contact your local OSHA office.

Fact Sheet No. 1: Proper Inspection and Maintenance of Overhead Cranes and Hoists

2009-02-05T15:15:00.004-05:00

This is the first in a series of Fact Sheets developed by the Crane, Hoist and Monorail Alliance concerning safe application and operation of overhead material handling equipment.

Why is overhead crane and hoist inspection important?

Crane inspection and maintenance are essential to safe equipment operation. Operator safety can be improved and operator injury can be avoided if the equipment is properly inspected and maintained. In addition, manufacturing productivity can also be improved with scheduled maintenance to maintain proper equipment functionality and to help avert breakdown repairs. Failure to complete overhead crane and hoist inspections and proper equipment maintenance could lead to serious injury, death or destruction of property.

What are the standards for overhead hoist and crane inspection and maintenance?

The standards and reference manuals for the required proper inspection of overhead cranes and hoists are:

Occupational Safety & Health Administration – 29 CFR Part 1910.179 Overhead and Gantry Cranes
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers – B30.2 - 2005 Overhead and Gantry Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Single or Multiple Girder, Top Running Trolley Hoist); B30.16 - 2003 Overhead Hoists (Underhung); B30.17 - 2003 Overhead and Gantry Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Single Girder, Underhung Hoist)
Canadian Standards Association – CAN/CSA B167-96 (R2002) Safety Standard for Maintenance and Inspection of Overhead Cranes, Gantry Cranes, Monorails, Hoists and Trolleys.
Crane Manufacturers Association of America – CMAA Specification 78 - Standards and Guidelines for Professional Services Performed on Overhead Traveling Cranes and Associated Hoisting Equipment
State and local codes.
Manufacturers’ Operations Manual.

These standards and reference manuals outline the frequency of inspection, the items that shall be inspected, who shall conduct the inspection, and how to document the inspection.

How can you protect your workers?

You can protect your workers by:

Implementing a written and documented crane and hoist inspection and maintenance program.
Training the operator to perform the required pre-shift inspection of the equipment.
Training the operator to properly use the equipment.
Ensuring that the operator has read the manufacturers’ operation manuals.
What do employees/operators needs to know?
Proper pre-shift inspection techniques and items to be inspected.
Proper use of the equipment.
Contents of manufacturers’ operations manual.
Lock out/Tag out procedure.
How to document the inspections.
Who to contact in the event that a product requires service or repair.

Incident Prevention Web Site geared for Utility Safety

2009-01-30T14:25:00.003-05:00

Here is a very good resource for Utility Safety issues:

Incident Prevention is on a mission to be a major force in the reduction of job-related incidents within utilities, communication providers and related contractors.

Incident Prevention is proud to announce the co-location of iP Safety Conference at ICUEE in 2009. ICUEE 2009 is the premier international demonstration exposition and education resource for the construction and utility industries.

Network with utility safety, training and operations professionals. Expand your job safety knowledge by attending your choice of 20+ seminars.

new crane operator certification program accredited by ANSI

2009-01-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

A new crane operator certification program is now accredited by the American National Standards Institute. First introduced in late 2006, the certification is a collaboration of The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), North American Crane Bureau (NACB), and Prov.

"I would like to extend our congratulations on this significant achievement," said Vijay Krishna, program manager for ANSI Personnel Certification Accreditation. "ANSI looks forward to a continued partnership and is thrilled to have NCCER as an ANSI Accredited Personnel Certification Program."
" Having our crane operator program receive ANSI accreditation is a remarkable achievement for our organization," said Don Whyte, NCCER president. "It further validates that our program meets the highest professional certification standards for crane operators across the industry."

More information is available at NACB, Inc. at 1-800-654-5640 - www.cranesafe.com or NCCER at 888.622.3720 - www.nccer.org/crane

Altec acquires Lift-All

2009-01-26T10:30:00.001-05:00

Written by Alex Dahm - 13 Jan 2009

Boom truck and utility lift manufacturer Altec, Inc. in the US has acquired Lift-All, a Fort Wayne, Indiana-based competitor. Altec, which said the acquisition included Lift-All's products, manufacturing facilities and other assets, did not disclose the purchase price.

Lift-All manufactures utility vehicles, including material handlers, digger derricks, tree trimmers, insulated lifts and elevator units.

Around 100 people are employed at Fort Wayne and there are nearly 40 distributors in the US, Canada and Mexico. Altec said in early January it was undecided whether more people would be hired or if some would be let go. Further details of how it will integrate the two businesses are awaited but it is intended that all products will be brought under the Altec brand name.

"This acquisition provides Altec with a unique opportunity to broaden our product line and offer additional choice and value to our customers," said Lee Styslinger, Altec president and chief executive officer. "Lift-All has had a well-established reputation for producing reliable, quality products for nearly 30 years. Their equipment will be an excellent complement to Altec's products and services."

Altec, in Birmingham, Alabama, said it is the world's largest manufacturer of utility lifts, including boom trucks, and that it sells its equipment in more than 100 countries.

What does it mean to be Intrinsically Safe?

2008-12-16T09:45:00.002-05:00

The term "intrinsically safe" refers to equipment and wiring which is incapable of releasing sufficient electrical or thermal energy under normal or abnormal conditions to cause ignition of a specific hazardous atmospheric mixture in its most easily ignited concentration. This is achieved by limiting the amount of power available to the electrical equipment in the hazardous area to a level below that which will ignite the gases present. To be certified "intrinsically safe," a device or circuit must be so designed that no two simultaneous failures can cause an explosion.

In order to have a fire or explosion, fuel, oxygen and a source of ignition must be present. An intrinsically safe system assumes that fuel and oxygen are present in the atmosphere, but the system is designed such that the electrical energy or thermal energy of a particular instrument loop can never be great enough to cause ignition. Traditionally, protection from an explosion in hazardous environments has been accomplished either through the use of explosion proof conduits and enclosures (intended to contain an explosion), or via pressurization or purging (intended to isolate the explosive gas from the electrical equipment). Intrinsically safe apparatus cannot replace these methods in all applications, but in many cases can provide significant cost savings in installation and maintenance of the equipment in a hazardous area. The basic design of an intrinsic safety barrier uses diodes to limit voltage, resistors to limit current and a fuse.

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsic_safety
Example of CSA Certified Intrinsically Safe Inclinometer

A powerful lift truck is essential to your business's productivity.

2008-08-06T16:23:00.002-04:00

A safe lift truck is essential to your people's productivity.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) provides requirements for the safe operation of powered industrial trucks. OSHA is intended to make sure that every business in the United States has a safe and healthful working environment. It is recommended that you read and understand OSHA's Safety and Health Standards, Subpart N, Section 1910.178 - Powered Industrial Trucks. Individual states may have broader occupational, safety and health guidelines. You must also review your state directives and regulations.

In addition to the state and federal standards, there are industry standards, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) B56 publications which apply to material handling. This standard is denoted, ASME B56.1, "Safety Standard for Low lift and High Lift Trucks."

Various provisions of ASME B56.1 are restated and amplified in the National Safety Council's Accident Prevention Manual for Industrial Operation. This manual is highly recommended for study and ready reference by managers of companies using industrial trucks.

Aerial Device Test and Inspection

2008-08-05T13:53:00.004-04:00

Properly maintained and tested aerial devices are essential to the safe and economical operation of a fleet. Operators and their co-workers rely on the aerial devices to perform structurally, mechanically, functionally and dielectrically as intended.

WHY SHOULD AERIAL DEVICES BE TESTED?

Aerial devices have been designed and built with adequate safety factors however in-service accidents, overloads, and fatigue can cause problems to develop. Also, regular annual inspections are required by OSHA and ANSI. A thorough, regularly scheduled inspection and test program can identify developing problems before they cause injuries or downtime. Early identification of defects are less expensive to repair than if they are left to develop into major failures. Many equipment managers have experienced substantial monetary savings by using written test reports to obtain competitive quotations for repairing, rebuilding, and remounting.

I. STRUCTURAL TESTS

A. Visual Inspection: A complete inspection of accessible areas including:

1. Outriggers; Pads, structure, welds, bolts, hoses, cylinders, valves, pins and retainers.

2. Chassis; Truck frame, aerial sub-frame, suspension, PTO, pintle hook, and components of the brake, steering, electrical, air, hydraulic, exhaust, and cooling systems.

3. Pedestal; Mounting bolts and welds, pedestal structure, diagonal brace, attachment welds or pins, hydraulic swivel joint, hydraulic components, swing drive gearbox mounting bolts, backlash between swing pinion or bullgear, electric collector ring and brushes and lower control operation.

4. Rotation Bearing; Upper and lower bearing attachment weld and bolts, vertical movement of bearing, and proper torque on accessible bearing bolts.

5. Turntable; Turntable structure, bucket leveling cables, leveling cylinders, compensating chains or sprockets, and hydraulic system components.

6. Lower Boom; Boom structure, welds, lift cylinders and attachment, hydraulic system, leveling cables or rods, upper or extend cylinder and attachment, pushlinks, boom rest supports, tie-down straps, lower insulator and mounting, extension roller assembly and wear pads.

7. Elbow; Elbow structure, hydraulic hoses and leveling cables.

8. Upper Boom (Extension); Structure, welds, leveling cables or rods, wear pads, upper insulator and mounting, hydraulic lines and components, jib structure and mounting, tool circuit hoses and fittings, pole claw arms and mounting brackets.

9. Platform (Bucket); Mounting bracket bolts, leveling system, exterior condition, control operation and hydraulic lines and components.

10. Digger and Auger; Digger mounting arm and housing, gearbox, auger, digger wind-up bracket or rope, auger stop bracket, lock mechanism and control operation.

11. Winch; Mounting brackets, bolts, pins; gearbox, hydraulic components, load line, and controls.

12. General; Load rating chart, electrical hazard placards, MADDDC placards and upper or lower control operation placards.

The visual inspection includes removal of inspection cover plates as necessary to do a thorough job.

B. Acoustic Emission (AE) Test: AE is the accepted industry method for testing fiberglass and steel structures. The AE test includes attaching sensitive sensors to the structural fiberglass and metal components from the bucket down to the outrigger or chassis subframe. A test load of 1-1/2 or 2 times the rated load (specified by customer) is applied to the boom. A computer system monitors sounds emitted by defects that are growing during the test load. The computer selects the critical noise emissions and prints a summary report.

C. Magnetic Particle Inspection: Magnetic particle is a nondesctructive test method used to identify surface cracks on ferrous material. It is perfromed on all critical welds, plates and castings of items listed in Part B during the visual inspection.

D. Dye Penetrant Inspection: Dye penetrant is a nondestructive test method used to identify surface cracks and works on any structural surface including all critical welds, plates, castings made of non-ferrous material and any area requiring verification in Part C or Part E.

E. Ultrasonic Inspection: Ultrasonics is a nondestructive test method used to detect flaws in accessible critical pins. Use of ultrasonics reduces the number of pins that have to be removed for inspection. Pins with flat end surfaces and do not have drilled holes are best suited for ultrasonics.

F. Torque Testing: Torque testing all critical fasteners in accessible areas including upper and lower rotation bearing, swing gearbox, boom connections, and platform mounting.

II. FUNCTIONAL and OPERATIONAL TEST

A functional and operational test is performed to check the operation of controls, bearings, pins, bushings, cylinders, holding valves, bucket leveling mechanisms, outriggers, etc. This test will also find worn swing bearings or gearboxes, worn pins or bushings, and loose fasteners critical to the operation of the aerial.

III. DIELECTRIC TEST (AC OR DC)

A dielectric test up to 100kV as specified by ANSI standards. The dielectri test verifies the electrical insulating strength in the FRP upper and lower booms, bucket, liners, FRP extensions on digger derricks, tool circuits, and upper control system.

IV. OPTIONAL TESTS

Dielectric Tests: Bucket liners; Hydraulic oil to ASTM D1816 standards; Hotsticks.

Oil Spectroanalysis: Chemical analysis of oil in engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems. Determines type and amount of contamination.

DOT Inspection: A thorough inspection of the chassis as specified by Federal or State DOT. Includes a DOT sticker and one page report.

Stability Tests: Performed to meet the requirements of OSHA/ANSI specifications.

Thickness Testing: Ultrasonic thickness testing is a nondestructive test method used to determine thickness of materials where thickness is critical and difficult to measure with mechanical test equipment.

V. REPORT and CERTIFICATION

Defects found during the inspection and tests are classified for degree of severity and printed on a computerized report. Technicians will review the report with the customer designated representative. A signed and dated copy of the test report listing the defects discussed is left with the representative.

The report is reviewed by staff engineers and the final report is mailed to the designated customer representative. The testing company retains a copy of the test report on file. Units that need rework require verification of repair or retest in the customer file.

For additional information on Bucket Trucks please visit BucketTrucks.org.

Bucket trucks or "Cherry Pickers" fall under OSHA standard guidelines for safety

2008-07-31T10:52:00.001-04:00

Bucket trucks are used for a number of industries and can be seen along roadsides every day. For example, have you ever driven down the road and watched as the local telephone or utilities company rides in a bucket to the top of a pole to fix something? If so, then you have seen a bucket truck. This is exactly what a bucket truck is used for - lifting and lowering workers to places too tall for ladders.

These trucks are sold in a number of sizes and shapes, each to help make work easier. While the bucket truck is used for many different purposes, the most common is power linemen. By using this type of equipment, they can complete their work in a comfortable, safe, and efficient manner, primarily where steel or concrete poles are used.

The design of the bucket truck includes a storage bin that is perfect for holding tools and material needed by the worker. In addition, some bucket trucks are designed with a single or double-arm boom or a hydraulic outrigger jack, which provides extra stability. You will also find some designs that are powered by the actual truck engine while others are operated with an auxiliary engine that is mounted on the back section of the truck.

Just remember that while the bucket truck is easy to operate and can make the job much easier to complete, this is still a large piece of equipment that needs to be handled properly. When the manufacturer’s operation is followed, the worker will experience a smooth, safe ride while keeping maintenance to a minimum.

Bucket trucks fall under OSHA standard guidelines, which must be adhered to for safety. Some of the requirements for using a bucket truck under these rules include:

The truck should be used to elevate employees to any job site located above ground.
The bucket truck can be constructed of wood, fiberglass, metal, or reinforced plastic.
Bucket trucks may be modified for use other than the intended use but only if approval to the modification is received in writing by the manufacturer or equal authority.
For bucket trucks to be used near electrical power lines, strict requirements must be followed, which includes keeping to a specific distance, de-energizing procedures, only qualified employees using the truck, grounding any overhead lines, and so on.
The brakes must be set
Bucket trucks should never be driven while employees are still in the bucket
Controls must be clearly and visibly marked and defined by function
Controls should be tested every day prior to the bucket truck being used
Load and distribution should always be checked to make sure they fall within the manufacturer’s recommendations
Any employee operating the bucket truck must wear appropriate protective gear at all times to include safety goggles, safety boots, a hard hat, gloves, etc. to protect from falling objects
The employee must keep his feel planted firmly on the floor of the bucket at all times
The lower controls should not be operated without the permission of the employee in the bucket expect in the case of an emergency

These are just a few of the many rules that fall under OSHA guidelines to ensure top safety when using a bucket truck. However, when employees are trained and the truck used the proper way, this piece of equipment can provide years of support in the workplace. Just remember, this is a large truck and if not handled according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and OSHA guidelines, injury or worse could occur.

Therefore, while a bucket truck can save tremendous time and effort, it definitely needs to be respected for the powerful machine that it is. For the business owner, the key to safety is training. You can obtain a number of excellent tapes for drivers and bucket truck operators to watch through OSHA or directly from the truck manufacturer

Telehandler Popularity Increases Concerns of Safe Operation

2008-07-18T09:12:00.002-04:00

Could Telehandlers Be the New Skid-Steer Loader?
Published 07/10/2008 on HeavyMachineryinfo.com

Double-digit sales growth fueled by versatility that is attracting new owners has drawn a rush of marketers and compact machines Stability Triangle Determines if Telehandlers Tip

There are many facets to safe operation, but keeping them upright is key to keeping them productive In the late 1990s, OSHA required that telehandler operators be trained, but didn't specify what that training should include. Mike Popovich, training director at JLG, uses an all-encompassing five-step approach to teaching accident avoidance that asks five important questions:

Five Steps
Walk-around inspection — Is the unit safe, visually?
Worksite assessment — Is the worksite safe to operate in?
Function test — Is the unit safe, functionally?
Proper operation — Am I operating safely?
Proper shutdown — Is the unit in a safe place and shut down properly?
At the center of this regulation, and the five steps, is a machine that stands on a triangular footprint and lifts heavy weights to impressive heights. Of course, there are other dangers, but the key objective is to keep the telehandler upright.

The two front wheels and the rear-axle pivot point form a telehandler's triangular base. The rear wheels are not part of the base because the rear axle typically oscillates. As long as the machine's center of gravity (the point in three dimensions around which the machine's weight is balanced) remains oriented inside this stability triangle, the telehandler remains upright.

Adding a load to the forks while the boom is down moves the center of gravity forward and down. Raising the load will move the center of gravity up and to the rear, while at the same time causing the stability triangle to shrink. The higher you lift a load, the less margin for error you have because the stability triangle becomes smaller.

A small stability triangle leaves less room for the center of gravity to wander left or right if the frame is not perfectly level. Imagine the center of gravity as a plumb bob hanging from the boom. You'll always find the center of gravity somewhere on a perfectly vertical line between a point on the boom and the center of the Earth. If the frame's not level, the center of gravity will not be oriented over the machine's centerline. But the stability triangle is always aligned with the telehandler centerline.

With the boom raised and extended (the stability triangle very small), the frame only has to be slightly out of level to make the center of gravity drift to either side of the triangle. The laws of physics are as certain as gravity. The moment the machine's center of gravity moves beyond the boundaries of the stability triangle, the telehandler begins to tip.

At any jobsite, there are things affecting the stability of a telehandler other than where you put the boom. You may be on a 1-degree side slope, in a 5-mile-per-hour wind. There may be a little ice under your wheels, and one tire a little low on air pressure. If the machine goes over, there may be no single cause. It was a combination of factors that are all things you can catch and correct or avoid if you do all of the Five Steps.

A safe lift starts well before putting the boom in motion, or even before the operator assesses the site for hazards. Most of today's telehandlers are designed with a quick-attach coupler at the end of the boom. Before installing an attachment, be sure it's approved by the telehandler manufacturer and that its specific capacity chart is in the operator's station.

"It's an OSHA violation to run a machine if the proper load chart for that particular combination of machine and attachment isn't in the machine," Popovich says.

Make sure forks haven't been tampered with. Other than block forks, all forks should be used in matched pairs. Block forks are used in matched sets.

"Putting on and taking off attachments is critical," adds Marty Turek, curriculum developer/instructor, Operating Engineers Local 150. "You have to make sure it's secure."

The maximum capacity of a telehandler-and-attachment combination will be the lightest of these: capacity stamped on the attachment identification plate, the fork capacities stamped on the side of each fork (fork capacity is multiplied by the number of forks on the attachment, not to exceed the maximum on the attachment ID plate), maximum capacity indicated on the proper load chart, or the load rating of the telehandler.

Referring operators to the capacity chart can be easier said than done on many jobsites because the weight of the load is not always known. Construction sites require a lot of general lifting that obviously doesn't approach a telehandler's limits, though — miscellaneous materials and tools that need to be unloaded and kept out of the way. As long as the telehandler is properly equipped and maintained, the operator assesses the site for hazards and makes these lifts carefully, work can continue without knowing the exact weight of each load.

"But every experienced operator knows when they're about to lift something that's going to test a machine's limits," Popovich says. "The key is to find out how much loads weigh."

Truckers can be a reasonable source of information, as can project supervisors, and sometimes the subcontractor or crew chief that will be working with whatever's on the pallet. If general inquiry fails, though, there are few options for determining the safe boundaries for a lift.

Equipment manufacturers can't recommend picking up the load and extending the boom forward until you feel the rear wheels getting light. It is intentionally destabilizing the machine. It's not likely to result in immediately recognizable damage, but the practice is discouraged because if the machine tips forward and lands on the pallet, it can damage the load and accelerate boom wear.

But by extending the load to the point where it reaches the machine's stability limit, you can use the load chart to estimate its weight. Find the boom angle on the chart on the following page and follow it out to the zone matching the boom extension. The load weighs more than the weight limit printed in that load zone.

Handle this estimate with extreme caution. You've exceeded the safety factors built into the load chart, so the margin for error becomes very slight. Don't plan a lift at the furthest reaches of the stability range using this estimate, and observe stability-enhancing procedures dealing with frame level, tire pressure, load center and the like meticulously.

"Whenever you test the limits of the load chart you should do a test pick without a load on the forks — position the telehandler as you plan for the actual lift and run the forks up to where you plan to place the load," Popovich says. By noting the boom extension and boom angle at the extreme point of the lift, this exercise confirms the vertical height from ground level where the load is to be placed, and the horizontal distance from the front tires to where the load will be placed.

On the capacity chart, find the horizontal line for the height of the lift and follow it over to where it intersects the line for the distance. The point where the two lines meet should fall within a load zone marked on the chart. If it doesn't, the machine and attachment can't complete this lift. The weight indicated in the zone where the height and distance lines intersect is the maximum capacity for this lift. If the two lines meet on a boundary between zones, use the lighter of the two weights for this lift's limit.

Check the boom-extension and boom-angle limits of this load zone on the capacity chart. When the load is in the air, no matter what happens, do not exceed those boom-extension and angle limits or the machine will tip.

All of the loads shown on capacity charts are assigned with the assumption that the machine is on firm ground with the frame level; forks positioned evenly on the carriage; load centered on the forks; proper size tires properly inflated, and the telehandler in good operating condition. Failing to comply with any of these conditions could tip the machine over.

Once you've determined that the lift is within the telehandler's and attachment's capabilities, it's time to set up the machine. Never engage a load or lift a load more than four feet above ground unless the telehandler is level.

"One of the things we always emphasize in our training classes is, when you get ready to place a load: Park Brake; Neutral; Level," Popovich says. "We drill it into people just like that."

Stop the machine on a stable surface in the best place to lift and place the load, set the parking brake and shift the transmission into neutral. Before raising the boom, check the level indicator to see if the frame needs to be leveled from side to side. Many telehandlers have hydraulically tilting main frames that allow you to compensate for uneven terrain. Some have outriggers. Set the boom in the "carry" position — forks less than four feet off the ground — and level the machine. The machine should be ready to make the lift.

Never use the leveling system (sometimes called "frame sway") or outriggers to level the telehandler after the load is more than four feet off the ground. After the load is in the air, if you discover that the telehandler is not level, bring the load back down before leveling the frame.

"We instruct operators not to use the frame sway to position the load with the boom elevated," Popovich says.

The higher up you go, the closer the sides of the stability triangle are — you don't have to go very far to move the center of gravity outside the triangle. If you use the frame sway with a load high in the air, the boom only has to move a couple of degrees right or left and the machine may tip over.

If the telehandler isn't level when you reach the limits of the frame-leveling system, don't attempt the lift until the problem is solved. Reposition the telehandler on more-level ground, or have the surface where it is standing leveled.

Always lift the load slowly, watching closely for changes in the footing or other conditions that could cause the frame to shift out of level. Don't move the machine once the load is more than four feet off the ground. Placing a load at height requires a careful combination of multiple functions — boom down, boom out, while holding the forks level.

"One of the most important things to remember is to maintain constant engine rpm so the hydraulic flow remains the same," says Turek, from the Operating Engineers. "People in tense situations often want to let off the throttle, but the change in engine speed slows down the hydraulic flow, which changes what the levers do. You want to run at a high rpm all the time so the hydraulic performance is predictable, and feather the controls to control the lift."

Machines with the carriage-transfer feature, which slides the entire boom forward hydraulically, simplify the procedure. But the machine's load capacity is derated for any carriage position forward of the rear-most position.

Turek says most of Local 150's telehandler operators take the OSHA 10-hour safety awareness training and learn a lot about their job from the section on scaffolding. He recommends that program or any of OSHA's scaffolding-specific programs to all telehandler operators. Once the lift is complete, the boom should be retracted and lowered to the carry position before the telehandler is moved.

Telehandlers are designed to handle rough terrain, but that doesn't mean they can be driven without regard for the terrain. Risk of tipping or load loss is much greater when traveling on slopes. If you must drive on a slope, keep the load low and proceed slowly, with great care. Before you get on the slope, downshift to a lower gear and four-wheel drive. Engine braking will help control the telehandler's speed. Avoid turning on a slope, but if you must turn, make the turn as wide as possible and use extreme caution.

Never drive across excessively steep slopes under any circumstances. Ascend and descend slopes with the heavy end of the telehandler pointing up the incline. When there's no load on the forks, the counterweighted rear of the machine is the heavy end, so you should back up slopes. When the telehandler is loaded, the front of the machine is the heavy end, so you should back down slopes

Operator training becomes very important on a mixed jobsite — with rear-pivot machines and coordinated-steering machines on the same jobsite where everyone is allowed to run all the equipment. Someone accustomed to operating a coordinated-steer machine jumps on a rear-pivot machine. One really significant difference between the way those two machines operate has to do with what part of the machine extends outside the turning radius.

The load or the forks cut the widest swath in a tight turn on a four-wheel-steer machine. But on the rear-pivot machine, it's the counterweight or the outermost rear wheel that's at the edge of the turning radius. In either case, the operator has to look in the direction of travel to be sure the path is clear. But in cases where the operator is using a machine with rear-pivot steering, it's especially important to be aware of the counterweight.

The things an operator does to ensure safe telehandler use don't take a lot of time. Accidents tend to happen when people neglect basic safety requirements in the name of speed.

Regardless of brand (or equipment) safety training is priority.

2008-07-18T09:01:00.003-04:00

Case IH ProHarvest safety training for custom harvesters draws 500+
posted Friday, July 18, 2008 on www.OEMOffHighway.com

Case IH photo-More than 500 custom harvesters recently attended the 24th annual Case IH ProHarvest kickoff, held at the Great Plains Technical College in Frederick, OK.

Every spring, just before the wheat harvest begins along the border of southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, Dan Renaud picks a date to host the Case IH Pro Harvest kickoff in Frederick, OK. The kickoff is a half-day combine safety training program for custom harvesting crews. And the date changes every year, depending on the weather and the wheat crop.

What doesn’t change is the location: the Great Plains Technical College in Frederick. “This is our 16th year at Great Plains Technical Center, and the 24th year of the ProHarvest support program,” says Renaud, the Case IH Combine Specialist who organizes the ProHarvest kickoff. “We show up at the college and Jim Smith, [Agricultural & Mechanization Technology Instructor], opens his doors to us for a few days.”

Meanwhile, Bill Blankenship, who heads the local FFA Chapter, rounds up a posse of FFA volunteers. Together with Box Implement, the host Case IH dealer in Frederick, they plan and serve the Case IH-sponsored free breakfast to every custom harvester who comes to the kickoff. Just like the date of the kickoff, total attendance also depends on the weather. If the wheat is not quite ready or Mother Nature provides rain that means more attendees.

This year, more than 500 custom cutter crew members showed up for the breakfast and Case IH combine safety training over two days (the same program is repeated on day two). “This was our largest crowd in many years, and the more the merrier,” Renaud explains. “We don’t care what color combine you run. This is non-denominational training. Everyone’s welcome.”

Getting the attention of young crew members

Renaud says the goal of the ProHarvest kickoff is simple: Get the custom harvester crew members, many of whom are 18 to 23 years old, thinking about safety before they start the season. “Young guys this age think they’re invincible, so we review safety procedures, show them safety videos, and photos – some gory, some not – to remind them that accidents happen,” he adds. “We want to wake them up, raise the awareness of combine safety and get them started on the right foot.

Safety in Automation (Part 3 of 3) Safety Switches

2008-07-17T09:27:00.001-04:00

Safety Switch Technology With Sensaguard
Safety in Automation: New Products

The new Allen-Bradley SensaGuard family of RFID-coded, non-contact switches from Rockwell Automation includes a high safety rating, flexible design, extended diagnostics and RFID coding, while improving safety and reducing troubleshooting time and machine wiring costs.

The switches are Category 4/SIL 3 rated per EN954-1, TÜV functional safety-approved to IEC61508. Unlike lower rated switches, SensaGuard will shutdown a machine if a failure occurs before there is a demand on the safety device — which improves machine operator safety. They are especially suited for machines where multiple access doors must be monitored up to a Safety Category 4/SIL 3.

Safety Guard Switching Unit

Omron Scientific Technologies has introduced new G9SX-GS safety guard switching units. External outputs enable status indication of two safety input devices. Auxiliary outputs enable monitoring of safety inputs, safety outputs and errors, and detailed LED status indicators provide system diagnostic tools.

Additionally, logical AND connections help facilitate complicated applications in combination with other G9SX series units. Each G9SX-GS unit supports unique auto switching and manual switching functions.

Auto switching ensures safety and productivity in applications with coordinated operations by monitoring a machine or robot, plus the operator, to make certain neither enters the coordinated area at the same time. Manual switching is for applications that require limited machine access for operations such as maintenance and cleaning.

Safe Relays For Process Applications

Phoenix Contact now offers safe relay modules, approved to SIL3/IEC 61508, designed specifically for process applications. Optimized turn-on behavior eliminates high start-up current that a control system might interpret as a short circuit. The safe relays provide two channels of redundant normally open contacts and one normally closed status contact that can switch up to 250V ac/6 A in a 22.5-mm housing.

These compact safety relays are used to electrically isolate field applications from the control system or to adjust the voltage or power. In addition to being used in conjunction with safety-oriented control systems, these relays form an integral part of the safety chain for electrical and electronic applications in process technology and mechanical engineering.

Safe Camera System For 3-D Control and Monitoring

SafetyEYE is a camera system for three-dimensional safety monitoring from Pilz Automation, developed in conjunction with DaimlerChrysler. The system places a customized, three-dimensional protective cocoon around a danger zone with a single system. It is designed to replace a multitude of two-dimensional sensors currently in use today. The system offers functions for control and monitoring and allows detection zones to be configured flexibly and quickly on a PC.

More than just a sensor, SafetyEYE is the basis for a technology that safely detects objects in a three-dimensional zone and alters a robot or a machine's movement to prevent accidents. It is suitable for a wide range of applications from manufacturing operations, to the tire and packaging industries, to high-bay racking systems and automatic car parks. The system can also provide uninterrupted object monitoring and access guarding.

Safe Motion™ Technology With Safety-On-Board

Bosch Rexroth's IndraDrive with Safety-On-Board features Safe Motion™ technology integrated directly in the drive, including the latest international standards for safe stopping and safe motion.

These capabilities are available on a common platform that functions as a servo drive or frequency converter. The system has reaction times up to 400 times faster than conventional solutions that use contactors to produce a safe stop.

Because the Safety-On-Board technology is integrated directly into the drive, motion controllers, regardless of manufacturer, are able to leverage the technology. The drive has enough I/O for the safeguarding logic needed to interface to safety gates, panel switches and interlock switches. The machine builder only needs to learn one safety solution for an application and the machine is pre-certified, so the OEM doesn't have to worry about the safety certification process.

Powerlink Safety

The ACOPOS drive system from B&R Automation uses POWERLINK Safety to enable functions such as safe limited speed directly over the network. Wiring these safety-related signals to the drive is eliminated and the information is collected from its source via safe digital inputs and outputs. It is distributed to corresponding sensors, actuators or drive via the SafeLOGIC central processing unit.

Safety in the drive system comprises the following functions according to Category 3, EN 954-1: uncontrolled and controlled stops, safe stop and safe operation halt, safe limited step measurement and safe limited absolute position, safe limited speed and safe rotational direction. Functions like safe restart inhibit or safe output for the motor holding brake are integral parts of the system.

Safety Relay For Motion In Hazardous Areas

The new Allen-Bradley MSR (Minotaur™ Safety Relay) 57 speed monitoring safety relay from Rockwell Automation is designed to allow personnel to enter hazardous areas while motion is present. The MSR57 will be available later this year.

The device supports numerous input devices such as E-stops and light curtains, allowing switches and interlock switches to stop the motion, put the machine into safe speed and monitor personnel in the hazardous area during safe speed conditions. The MSR57 can be configured and monitored via Drive Explorer or an HMI device. During configuration, the user can set a variety of parameters to specific requirements for their application including type of input devices, door locking and monitoring, enabling switches and a maintenance (safe speed) mode. One example is that the MSR57 can unlock doors automatically when zero speed is detected.

Safety At Work E-Stop Safety Switches

Pepperl+Fuchs has introduced a new family of emergency stop switches with integrated Safety at Work (SaW) functionality. These intelligent switches are powered by the AS-Interface network and offer fast, error-free installation in field or panel-mount applications. Field and panel-mount models are available in high-intensity, wide-angle illuminated versions, as well as non-illuminated versions, to suit any e-stop application requirement.

Illuminated models are lit with a high-intensity LED to eliminate the need for auxiliary power, while reducing the number of required leads to two. For added flexibility, the LED is not activated by the button but is controlled by a PLC, which allows users to solve even the most unusual applications. Non-illuminate e-stops provide safe operation at a lower price point than illuminated models.

Field-mountable versions eliminate all wiring to save time and eliminate the possibility of incorrectly wiring the e-stop switch and feature an M12 connector that works in conjunction with flat-to-round cable adapters to reduce installation time to less than 60 sec.

Construction industry forms safety group

2008-07-16T11:02:00.001-04:00

The New York City Construction Industry Safety Council will establish a tower crane maintenance database that contractors will be able to consult before renting equipment.

July 01. 2008 2:32PM Daniel Massey

Buck Ennis

In the wake of two deadly crane accidents since March, the city’s construction industry on Tuesday announced the formation of an independent organization to promote safety on work sites across the five boroughs.

The 17-member New York City Construction Industry Safety Council will be made up of the city’s largest contractors, the Building and Construction Trades Council of New York, the Real Estate Board of New York and many of the trade associations that represent the construction industry. The council will bring industry leaders together for the first time to share safety procedures and expertise.

"Development cannot take place at the expense of public safety, and it’s going to take the industry’s cooperation to make construction sites safer," acting building commissioner Robert Limandri said in a statement. "The formation of the NYC Construction Industry Safety Council is a step toward that end, and I look forward to real results that raise the safety standards on job sites.”

The new group will be funded by its members, who, so far, have raised $500,000 to get it off the ground.

“We recognize that construction safety isn’t just a story because there was an accident,” said Steven Spinola, president of REBNY. “This is a long-term commitment to safety.”

The creation of the council comes as the city’s Buildings Department is preparing to propose a new series of crane safety regulations that will focus on maintenance and repair records. The City Council is also considering comprehensive construction-safety legislation.

The safety council’s first task will be to establish a tower crane maintenance database that contractors will be able to consult before renting equipment.

“Many of you have heard of the Car Fax system where you can go online and find out the maintenance information on any used car you’re going to buy,” said Louis Coletti, president and chief executive of the Building Trades Employers’ Association. “The concept is the same: a crane system to be able to get up-to-date information on cranes as they are delivered from site to site.”

The group will also research safety practices being used across the country and around the world and urge governmental agencies to adopt safety standards that all contractors should follow. For the first time, the group will bring contractors together to share safety information with each other.

"It used to be that our safety plan is a proprietary plan, my competitors’ safety plans are proprietary plans,” said Daniel Tishman, president and CEO of Tishman Construction Corp. “We’re now prepared to share best practices with each other relative to safety. Safety plans should not be a marketing advantage.”

Safety in Automation (Part 2 of 3) Networking Safety

2008-07-16T09:32:00.000-04:00

Networking Safety
Flexibility is a key benefit of implementing Safety at Work technology

With safety in the spotlight, advocates for networked safety have hardwired safety system technologies clearly in the crosshairs. They argue that safety relays, auxiliary contacts and redundant cable runs are all part of systems that deliver poor diagnostics, high setup complexity and create time-consuming installations.

But according to Helge Hornis, Ph.D., manager of Intelligent Systems for Pepperl+Fuchs, the key to acceptance of the technology is helping engineers understand how networking safety provides flexibility in terms of expanding the safety system, implementing multiple safety zones and improving diagnostics.

“The basics of flexibility mean that when you need to have another device (safe or non-safe) in your system, you simply run a spur from anywhere on the network in that new direction and put the new device on the network,” says Hornis. He says the networks provide diagnostics that are not only better than what was before, but also completely impossible.

“How do you detect a contact that is intermittent? In the past, you simply didn't. The flexibility the system gives the engineer, in terms of uptime and what they can do with the machine, goes way up,” he says.

Pepperl+Fuchs has developed safe systems using the AS-Interface Safety at Work networking technology for about five years. Hornis says the possibility of expanding the safety system in minutes is just one of the many advantages the technology brings to the plant floor.

Other advantages include a wiring reduction compared to hardwired solutions while maintaining Category 4 safety and detailed diagnostics down to the contact level without a single inch of additional wire. Multiple safety zones, dependent and independent, can be implemented with no additional wiring and systems have the ability to capture nuisance shutdowns due to faulty safety contacts or wiring connections at the safety device level.

Hornis says even though networked safety solutions have been around almost 10 years, some engineers still question if they are legally allowed to use networked safety and if it is actually safe. “There is too little understanding of the basics of network safety and how it can be safe if it doesn't use four wires,” says Hornis.

When Europe moved to allow networked safety under certain very stringent conditions, still forbidden in the U.S. at the time, it was clear machine builders that wanted to sell into Europe would need to be able to address these requirements. But once a machine is designed that utilizes a modern technology, why build one for the U.S. market which is really very primitive and doesn't give users the abilities of a machine sold in Japan or Europe?

“There is a strong trend toward safe systems and we have been selling these products for about five years,” says Hornis. “We're going through a major upgrade cycle now, where what we have learned over the years from customer input and requirements is resulting in new products and technologies.”

One example is remote safety relay technology that will be available by the end of the year. This new capability will allow systems that run on AS Interface, when there is a need to shutdown a motion safety somewhere else and no original plan to do that, to utilize a safety-rated output module (Category 4, SIL-3 and performance level “e”) in the field to expand the network.

The overall impact of safety networking is continuing to expand, as well. At the end of 2007, the total number of safety installations worldwide based on AS Interface alone totaled 50,000. The number of safety modules or safety inputs in the field totaled more than 350,000 units, numbers Hornis thinks makes Safety at Work the number one solution in terms of customer adoption rate.

Part 3 Continues...

Safety in Automation (Part 1 of 3) Creating opportunities for safe technologies

2008-07-15T16:21:00.003-04:00

Motion Control and Automation

Safety in Automation

The spotlight on safety is creating opportunities for safe technologies

Al Presher, Contributing Editor -- Design News, July 14, 2008

Safety technologies are benefiting from the surge of interest in machine safety, even though it is being propelled in large part by external forces, marketplace issues and regulations. But achieving higher levels of safe motion is also a good thing for OEM machinery builders and users because the end result extends beyond human safety, to material assets and reduced probability of machine failures.

This special section takes a look at solutions for safety in automation. The focus on safety is effectively providing an impetus for the adoption of technologies and products that ultimately will be the basis of new generations of safer machines.

Focus on Feedback Redundancy
Safety-related position measuring systems rely on pure digital, dual feedback

Redundant systems are critical to the goal of functional safety which minimizes and reduces the risks that can occur during normal or impaired operation of machinery. So, a fundamental requirement for axes of motion in safety-oriented applications is redundant position information to perform corresponding safety functions.

“A key requirement for safety is built-in redundancy,” says Tom Wyatt, national sales and product manager for Heidenhain. “To achieve safer machines, it has always been a requirement for feedback suppliers to come up with effective dual feedback systems for redundancy.”

Heidenhain has made a major ongoing commitment to safety-related position measuring systems using its EnDat 2.2 pure serial data interface. Drive encoders have achieved safety approvals with control category SIL-2 (in accordance with IEC 61508 or performance level “d” of ISO 13849). A linear scale product already available with the interface is in the process of gaining safety approvals from the various governing bodies and their goal is to get all products switched over.

“What we have done is taken a rotary encoder, along with a linear scale perspective as well, and built two encoders into one,” says Wyatt. He says, on the rotary encoder side, there are two independent scanning methods and pure serial communications, as well. The requirement on the driver control side is a dual processor system, so when a data packet is sent there are two independent data packets one right after the other on the same line from two independent measuring systems built into the encoder.

“You can imagine with a machine tool, that if something happens with a drive axis, there is always a runaway situation where damage can happen,” says Wyatt. “The combination of sensors and feedback systems prohibits runaway situations and puts the system in safety stop if something is missing. If the two data packets that come back from the encoder suddenly don't match or one is missing, immediately within microseconds the system is shut down.”

In the past two years since the initial approval of this position measuring technology by BGIA in Europe, the equivalent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the U.S., the focus has been on safe machines to meet European machine tool standards. He says the concept is now being looked at for all types of automation applications.

A key area for growth is the robotics industry because of the need for the work envelope for robots to be safe and the ability it provides for manufacturers to save space on the manufacturing floor by placing robots into tighter spots. But there is also interest in packaging for applications such as palletizing, all driven by the spotlight on European machine tool standards and the increased general focus on the need for safety approvals.

Wyatt says the technology has established itself but there are still certain levels to fulfill. The technology already achieved SIL-2 which is probability of failures and Category 3 which pertains to machine tool safety. But the whole idea is to reduce the probability of failure and along with that comes both higher levels of material safety and, of course, human safety.

“We continue to see safety as a rising issue down the road and safety is a big issue with high-end interfaces,” says Wyatt. “The probability of failure is really the only place you can improve and we are currently at 10-8 and 10-7 for SIL-2. The probability of failure is already next to nothing, but the next step is improving on that even though you can only go so far.”

Part 2 continues...

Deadly crane incidents put spotlight on industrial safety

2008-06-10T10:25:00.001-04:00

Recent tragedies in Florida and New York involving high-rise construction cranes have once again put a national spotlight on industrial safety.

A 20-foot section of a construction crane fell 30 floors in Miami Tuesday, smashing into a home below and killing two people. The accident occurred ten days after a crane collapsed in New York City, killing seven people. New York City is re-inspecting high-rise cranes following the deadly incident.

Laing O’Rourke, the largest privately owned construction firm in the United Kingdom, provides some basic points to consider when it comes to safe crane operations:

• Erecting a tower crane is a potentially hazardous operation, and any site activities that could impinge on the operation must be suspended while it is done.

• As an additional precaution, an exclusion zone must be established around the operational area.

• Procedures must conform to the manufacturer's instructions and to the method statement both supplied by the erection supervisor and approved by the project manager.

• The tower crane must be satisfactorily tested. If the crane is to be subsequently climbed and tied (connected) to the structure, a further test will be required each time before the crane is returned to service.

• If the tower crane is from an external supplier, the inspection and testing department must be given due notification. An examination must be made before the tower crane is delivered to site, and the test of the installed crane must be witnessed.

Since the crane collapse on the east side of Manhattan, city officials have increased safety and inspection requirements. The Buildings Department said a city inspector will now have to be present every time a crane is erected, jumped or dismantled. It will require the project engineer who submitted the original permit application for a crane to produce a “written protocol” for each jump, including guidelines for how the work should be done. The engineer will have to inspect the crane to certify that it was built and assembled according to plans. The city has already shut down several cranes for violations.

Source: ThomasNet.com March 28, 2008

Crane Safety featured in upcoming Webcast

2008-05-30T12:22:00.003-04:00

Crane Safety featured in upcoming free Webcast from Construction Equipment:

Shop and Field Safety Webcast
Event Date: June 04, 2008 at 11:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Duration: 60 Minutes
Register FREE:

*********************************************************************

Equipment facilities and construction sites are inherently dangerous places with all types of noise, fumes, toxic materials, and vehicles. However, dangerous does not have to mean unsafe. Everyone involved in the equipment industry has a responsibility to maintain a working environment that is free from, "accidents waiting to happen." If a possible accident situation is recognizable, it can be avoided.

In addition to Shop and Field Safety, Crane and Rigging safety will be featured in this webcast.

Participants will learn about:
Crane and Rigging Safety
• Training
• Load weight
• Operator Procedures
• Signaling
• Rigging
• Inspection

• Creating a safe shop environment.
• Knowing what to look for at the shop and in the field to prevent worker injury.
• Keys to safety regulation compliance.
• Motivating employees to be, Safety Vigilant
• Identifying best practices for high accident rate areas and equipment such as the shops, cranes, and forklifts.

Webcast will be followed by live Q&A.

*********************************************************************

PANEL
- Mike Anderson, Senior Editor of Construction Equipment magazine, will lead the discussion.

- Roger Thompson, Vice President of Bucher Willis and Ratliff Corporation

- Jack Butler, owner/operator of Butler Cranes & More

The Lift Safety Directive - European Commission, including CE markings

2008-05-20T10:57:00.003-04:00

Purpose and application

The Lift Safety Directive has been introduced by the The European Commission to ensure a harmonised standard of safety in the design and manufacture of lifts throughout the European Economic Area. In doing so, it fills an (intentional) loophole in the Machinery Directive which specifically excludes most forms of lift in order to allow for this (more specific) Directive.

The directive applies to all lifts intended for carrying personnel and any lift to which personnel have access. Lifts are defined as

"lifting appliances serving specific levels by means of a car moving between guides which are rigid and inclined at an angle of more than 15 degrees to the horizontal"

Additionally, lifts without guides but "moving along a fixed course even where they do not move along guides which are rigid" are covered as are some safety critical subsystems and components. These include devices for locking landing doors; devices to prevent falls; overspeed limitation devices; shock absorbers; safety devices fitted to hydraulic power circuits and safety switches.

Certain particular types of lift are excluded, the main ones being lifts specifically designed for military purposes, stage/theatre lifts; mine winding gear; and lifts fitted in a means of transport.

Administrative requirements

The Directive has both administrative and protection requirements. The administration requirements are that the product be marked with the CE logo, that a specified form of Declaration of Conformity be completed and that this declaration and supporting documentation be kept for a minimum of ten years. There is no clear requirement under the Directive for the production of a file of technical information, but it seems inconceivable that a manufacturer or installer will be able to fully demonstrate that due diligence requirements have been met without supporting documentation.

For lifts, responsibility for these procedures will rest with the installer. For specified safety components, it will be the responsibility of the manufacturer or his authorised representative in Europe to ensure that these procedures are carried out.

The Directive also lays down requirements for type testing and/or quality control procedures.

Protection requirements

The details of the essential health and safety requirements will be the subject of a series of standards. However, certain basic principles are defined in the Directive itself. These include:

The lift must be automatically rendered inoperative if it is overloaded.
The speed of the lift must be controlled and kept below limits.
Passenger lifts must have a counterweight (which can be a second lift).
The lift shaft must be inaccessible except for maintenance or in an emergency.
A free space must be provided at each end of the lift shaft.
The lift must be prevented from moving unless the doors are closed.
Lifts must be completely enclosed.
The lift must have a free-fall prevention device.
Buffers must be installed at the bottom of the lift shaft.
Doors must be incapable of crushing persons or objects and must be suitably resistant to fire.
The lift must be fitted with two-way communication.
The lift must have adequate ventilation and lighting, even in an emergency.
There should be an emergency override control system for fire and rescue.
The lift must be clearly marked to show the maximum load and the maximum number of passengers.
Safety components must be accompanied by an instruction manual.

The directive contains no specific provisions with respect to electromagnetic compatibility or electrical safety, and therefore equipment within its scope must also comply with the EMC and Low Voltage Directives.

Further information

This brief description of the Directive necessarily does not contain all the requirements or exclusions. For further information or assistance with CE marking your products, please contact us at Conformance and we will be pleased to do what we can to help.

The European Commission also have a site with useful information on their EUROPA server.

State (Pennsylvania) Lacks Crane Safety Regulations

2008-04-25T12:02:00.001-04:00

State Lacks Crane Safety Regulations

By: Jenny DeHuff, The Bulletin

04/03/2008

Philadelphia - In the wake of the recent Miami and New York City construction site crane accidents that caused multiple deaths, Pennsylvania still does not require any standard of safety regulations for either cranes or construction sites as a whole.

"Currently, there are no qualifications or tests mandated by the state or by any other municipality," said Anthony Lusi Jr., an assistant training director with the operating engineers Local 542 and a member of the building trades union. "It's an employer-driven ordeal."

Over the span of eight days, slipshod crane operations left nine dead and dozens more injured last month, warranting a closer look at how well safety regulations are followed when erecting a building.

Three states that share borders with Pennsylvania - New York, New Jersey and Maryland - use U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-recommended plans to ensure the highest safety standards are upheld on the work site.

Mr. Lusi, a 32-year veteran with the building trades and a member of the building trades safety committee, said Philadelphia has a "sizable" amount of cranes operating daily in the city.

He said most construction site accidents in the city are never reported.

"The numbers will be skewed," he said.

"It is the employer's responsibility to foresee potential hazards of unsafe positions, and that is the gray area where a lot of the balls are dropped," he said. "I think the cart is pulling the horse if we wait for these accidents to happen and don't taken responsibility and preventative measures."

Currently only construction site accidents resulting in three or more injuries and/or a death are required to go on record with OSHA. Under the OSH Act, an employer must "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment that are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm." Beyond that, work site safety regulations here are a crapshoot.

Leni Fortson, spokeswoman for the local labor department, said the Philadelphia OSHA branch and the city are working together to share information.

As to the safety measures taken at work sites, Ms. Fortson said she could not specify, since construction projects are overseen only to the degree the employer pays for it.

"We're looking to see whether the standards that are promulgated under the OSHA health act have been followed. We are constantly keeping and eye on all work sites, since construction is considered one of the more hazardous work sites," Ms. Fortson said.

While Pennsylvania does not opt to abide by the safety guidelines recommended by OSHA, Mr. Lusi said most union workers feel they exhibit "due diligence" in addressing safety on the job.

According to Gayle Johns, spokeswoman for Licenses & Inspection (L&I), the accidents in New York and Miami were related to tower cranes, which are stationary and used to construct, alter or demolish high-rise buildings. She cited three in operation currently - at the Ritz-Carlton Residences at 15th and Chestnut streets, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in West Philadelphia and at the 900 block of N. Penn Street.

"Philadelphia has no local legislation regulating the construction and operation of tower cranes, other than the general requirements in the building code to protect the public and adjacent property from the construction project," Ms. Johns said.

"Our inspectors are nationally certified in the construction codes, but cranes and equipment used to conduct the construction is regulated by OSHA."

If unsafe operations that threaten public safety are in effect at work sites, Ms. Johns said city inspectors will issue stop-work orders until problems are resolved.

L&I could not confirm numbers relating to construction accidents.

Mr. Lusi said he recalled one construction site death in 2006 in Delaware County and three deaths in 2005 in Montgomery County. He said a bill aimed at extending safety measures is stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee. The legislation, if passed, would make crane operators in the commonwealth more aware of regulations and safety standards that apply to the construction industry.

"The state requires us to be able to operate a vehicle with minimal skill," he said.

Additionally, Mr. Lusi said changes to construction site equipment, including cranes, "changes drastically from year to year," and it is at the employer's discretion to train or educate operators on the latest technology - an option not always chosen because of the financial burden of outsourcing training and testing mechanisms.

The city Office of Risk Management did not return calls for comment as of press time.

Jenny DeHuff can be reached at jdehuff@thebulletin.us.

New York Crane Collapse Kills Seven

2008-04-21T07:51:00.000-04:00

April 9, 2008

New York Crane Collapse Kills Seven – and Raises Engineering Questions

Filed under: Safety, Lifting Equipment — admin @ 4:24 pm

A 200-ft-tall construction crane collapsed on New York City’s East Side on Saturday, killing seven people. Hardly a freak accident, this tragedy marks the latest in a slew of crane accidents that have taken place across the country over the past few years. Engineers may wonder whether the fault lies in the design of the cranes themselves. Yet the cause of most crane accidents can usually be found out on the job site.

In this recent fatal accident, a tower crane working on a new 43-story residential building at 303 East 51st Street toppled onto a property across the street. As the crane broke apart during the fall a roughly 75-ft section demolished a building over on 50th street and damaged at least six other nearby buildings.

According to a statement sent by Carly Sullivan, assistant press secretary for the New York City Department of Buildings, a preliminary investigation indicates the accident occurred while workers were adding tower sections to extend the crane upwards, a process known as “jumping” or “jacking.”

“While crews were jumping the crane to the 18th floor, a heavy-duty steel collar, which wrapped around the mast of the crane and used to tie the crane to the side of the building, fell as workers attempted to install it. When the steel collar fell, it damaged a lower steel collar, installed at the 9th floor. The collar installed at the 9th floor served as a major anchor securing the tower crane to the building under construction. With the elimination of the support provided by the steel collar at the 9th floor, the counter-weights at the top of the crane’s tower caused the entire structure to fall southward,” the statement says.

Owned by New York Crane and manufactured by the Favelle Favco Group, the tower crane has been inspected at least five times during its operation at 305 East 51st Street. The most recent inspection of the crane occurred on just a day before the accident when inspectors from the Building Department’s Cranes & Derricks Unit inspected the mast sections that would be used to jump the crane upward. The Building Department issued no violations as a result of that inspection, and a prior inspection earlier this month found the crane had been erected in accordance with the city’s crane permit.

As of yesterday, the Buildings Department engineers were working with the New York City Police Department to recover the crane parts needed for a forensic investigation into the accident. With this evidence destined for lab testing and analysis, it may be some time before the cause of the accident comes to light.

But crane experts say it’s unlikely the the crane will be found to have failed due to any inherent design flaws. “Cranes are designed well by their manufacturers. In all the accidents I’ve investigated over the past 12 years, not one of them was the fault of the crane itself,” says Thomas Barth of Barth Crane Inspections, a firm that provides crane operator training as well as crane inspections and accident investigation services.

“Accidents usually occur when someone does something with the crane that the manufacturer did not intend the crane to do,” Barth says.

Often times that someone can be an operator. Barth argues many operators don’t have nearly enough training or experience to understand how to lift the loads safely and within the design limits of the crane. “Some of them don’t know jack about the cranes they’re operating,” he says.

According to Barth, one particularly common class of problems relates to a lack of awareness about the crane’s maintenance needs. For example, he says he’s seen many crane operators fail to account for wear in the crane cables, which they should do by measuring the cable and applying wear tolerances.

Graham Brent, executive director of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), likewise says the operator error can result in crane mishaps. He says these errors can involve trying to lift loads in ways the crane can’t tolerate. Modern cranes do have load sensors that in theory would prevent too heavy a load from being lifted. “But controls can be bypassed,” says Brent. “And sometimes a load that’s safe to lift in one quadrant of the crane’s operating envelope could be unsafe in another,” he says.

To minimize the occurrence of operator-induced problems, the NCCCO develops voluntary certification programs for all kinds of crane operators, including those who run the big tower cranes. Fifteen states have adopted the NCCCO’s certification guidelines as part of their formal crane licensing programs, and Brent says the organization has helped train “thousands more” operators across the country.

Training programs still have a ways to go. Barth says operators when he began in the crane business needed 4,000 hours of training to become certified on the most complex types of equipment. Nowadays he runs across employer training programs that seek to train crane operators in as little as few hours — though that short a period wouldn’t be common for the tower cranes.

New York State’s Labor Department has also run across training deficiencies. Last November, the department suspended 129 Crane Operator’s Certificates after discovering licenses were issued to individuals who failed the state’s practical exam.

Other crane toppling problems have nothing to do with the operator and everything to do with the on-site engineering. Barth cites a November 2006 Bellevue, WA crane accident that killed one man as an example. “The report on the Bellevue accident found that crane went down because it used a homemade steel base that did not meet the crane manufacturer’s criteria,” he says. The Washington Department of Labor and Industry’s investigation into the accident found the crane’s foundation, which should have been concrete, was designed to withstand only about one-fourth of the 210-ft tower’s load requirements.

Brent also says installation mistakes represent a leading cause of tower crane failures. “But the recent rash of tower crane accidents is unusual in that they occurred once the crane was erected,” he says, explaining most toppling accidents take place while the crane is being installed. “Once properly installed, tower cranes tend to be free of toppling accidents,” he says.

From: Design News International Engineering [mailto:dnonline@email.designnews.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 1:02 PM
To: Maxim Gots
Subject: NTSB Reports: Construction Materials Contributed to I-35W Bridge Collapse

Flatproofing improves safety

2008-04-07T08:58:00.001-04:00

Flatproofing improves safety, says Arnco

April 1, 2008
Increasing awareness of safety issues in the operation of large earthmoving equipment is boosting demand for flatproofing, says tire fill manufacturer Arnco.

"Flatproofing is profitable in eliminating flats and costly downtime, but it takes on greater value by adding ballast and protecting equipment operators and nearby workers," says Bob Giasson, Arnco's director of marketing.

Operator safety is a particular concern among operators of ground support equipment and telescopic boom cranes, say Arnco officials.

"Flatproofing makes equipment more stable," they note.

Mis-handled handling

2008-03-07T10:36:00.005-05:00

Tom Andel

I just interviewed Jim Shephard, president of Shephard’s Industrial Training Systems, for the next "Lift Truck Tips" column in Modern. We got to talking about how materials handling equipment is sold and how sometimes the salespeople are as clueless as their customers about the application of equipment in the customer’s environment.

For any materials handling sales transaction to be truly effective, the salesperson needs to know as much as possible about the customer’s policies and procedures—as well as its safety record—if that transaction is to result in a successful application. That means doing a materials handling assessment to find out which processes in your plant aren’t in synch with your people.

Where lift trucks are concerned, if an assessment isn’t done, specifications may not match up well with the process. This may result in overcapacity or turning radius problems.

What is the primary job for the lift truck? 55% of that lift truck’s life may involve one task. Once that’s determined, then you break down other tasks by percentages. You may find the lift truck you’re using is not designed to do some of those tasks.

Problems begin when your operators try to fit that square peg into the round hole that is your operation. That’s when operators start bending rules to get the job done. Even if the operator complies with proper operating procedures 93% of the time, that remaining 7% could result in a problem that explodes in your face because of an injury or significant product damage.

If a mis-applied piece of equipment or technology forces an operator to change a good material handling technique to a bad one to handle the product, it’s not the operator’s fault. Shephard told me he’s had five calls from attorneys in the last few months, looking for an expert witness associated with fatalities involving lift trucks. Jim’s doing his homework on these cases. Are you doing yours to avoid being the next one?

Originally Posted by Tom Andel, Modern Material Handling.com on February 21, 2008

Industries: Lift Trucks and Accessories, Materials Handling Mechanization, Services and Best Practices

Safety Management Forums

2008-02-25T14:55:00.004-05:00

Here's a nice web site forum for safety management, open discussions on safety issues, and a great resource for accident prevention information.

Utility Safety and Training Professionals now have a place to conduct online discussions with their peers from around the country. Simply take a minute to register (there is no charge) and make a first post to what will be a vital industry communications resource.

http://www.incident-prevention.com/forum.html

Safety Management

Our growing community of utility safety and training professionals is just beginning to share their job knowledge and experiences online. Please register to participate in our online discussion or simpy bookmark the site as your resource for information.

I thank you in advance for your part in building the Incident Prevention online community. Please email me if you have any ideas/concerns/comments on how we can improve our website.

Stay Safe and Have a Great Day!

Carla Housh
INCIDENT PREVENTION

Construction leads again in on-the-job deaths

2008-02-14T16:32:00.001-05:00

By Lauren Barrera, as posted on EquipmentWorld.com

Although the overall amount of fatal work injuries in the United States decreased in 2006, the construction industry saw an increase and accounted for more fatalities than any other industry.

The construction industry had 1,226 on-the-job deaths, up 2.8 percent from 1,192 in 2005 according to a new report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the fatality rate for construction actually decreased in 2006 to 10.8 per 100,000 workers from 11.1 in 2005. The decrease is due to an increasing number of workers in the industry, which rose from 10.3 million in 2004 to 11.4 million in 2006.

The BLS says that fatalities among electricians, roofers, painters and drywall and ceiling tile installers rose while the total decreased for carpenters, construction trade helpers, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters.

The total number of on-the-job deaths in the United States was 5,703, down slightly from 5,734 in 2005. The fatality rate also decreased slightly in 2006 to 3.9 per 100,000 workers from 4.0 in 2005. The overall U.S. fatality rate in 2006 was the lowest since the fatality census began in 1992.

More training needed for crane operators

2008-02-11T16:28:00.000-05:00

Crane operators don't have certification requirements, but hairdressers do.

By RONALD J. COWPER
Special to the Journal

Photos courtesy of Ronald Cowper

Poor set-up accounts for over 60 percent of all crane tip-overs.

U.S. Department of Labor statistics indicate that from 1984 to 1997 construction fatalities averaged about 1,150 individuals a year, of which crane-related fatalities averaged about 50 a year.

It was perceived that with the introduction of voluntary operator certification across the country, job-site safety, at least in the area of crane operation, would be greatly improved and the number of crane-related accidents would show a significant decline. In the period from 1997 to 2000, when it was too early in the certification process to properly evaluate any noticeable change in the pattern, crane-related fatality statistics remained consistent with the previous years.

With thousands of operators across the country currently NCCCO certified and more public agencies endorsing the certification program, one would tend to believe that, as OSHA suggests, “certification is having a significant and positive impact” in reducing crane accidents. However, information provided by craneaccidents.com, a Web site that monitors accidents, injuries and fatalities worldwide, indicates that from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2003 the average number of crane-related fatalities in the United States had actually risen to 55.5 per year.

Craneaccidents.com also reported that in 2003 alone 60 workers died in crane-related accidents while another 60 were injured in about 200 reported incidents. By the end of February 2004, the Web site reported that there have already been 15 crane-related fatalities, which is on pace for another above average year.

How can this be? What could be wrong with the system?

Crane operator certification

I have always been a firm supporter of certification for crane operators, but I, as well as many others, believe that the criteria for obtaining that certification needs to be more stringent.

Cranes have become more complicated and versatile, and individuals who are required to work around them have the right to expect that the people operating them are well trained, knowledgeable and highly skilled.

I do not believe the 1,000 hours of experience, with no specific training requirements, that is required to obtain CCO certification is sufficient to provide the experience base that a fully qualified crane operator needs to be able to make many of the varied and sometimes critical decisions. Good operators will tell you that, while the less qualified ones aren't about to fight to have the system changed.

Crane accidents cause damage, injury and death.

I also believe that the quality and amount of actual training being supplied is inadequate in many cases. There are too many one-, two- and three-day training programs that are geared to those less skilled individuals who just want enough knowledge to be able to pass the written test.

By comparison Ontario, Canada, has had voluntary crane operator certification for almost 100 years that became compulsory in 1983. Also, Canada has had a National Crane Operator Certification and Apprenticeship program since 1999 that requires a minimum of 2,000, 4,000 or 6,000 hours of hands-on experience and classroom training, depending on provincial requirements and the crane classification being applied for.

We know this system works because Canada's exceptionally low accident and fatality rate is envied around the world.

When I was first asked to conduct crane operator training in Washington state in 1993, it was with the expectation that compulsory certification was virtually a guarantee. Sadly it was not to be. Surely it makes little sense when plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics and hairdressers, to name a few, are required to be trained and certified but individuals who operate the most expensive and dangerous tool on the jobsite are not.

Management's responsibility

It is generally agreed among crane operators that although everyone involved in the lifting operation is interested in completing the job safely, the operators are frequently challenged by supervisors to perform lift procedures that are questionable.

Crane operators feel that too often jobsite supervisors are either not sufficiently informed in the functions and limitations of the crane or are more focused on getting the job done. Although upper management is most often not directly involved in the day-to-day site operations, any internal safety program must begin at that level or it will be doomed.

Training needs to be comprehensive and ongoing.

If management claims to promote safe working practices but tends to look the other way when productivity becomes more important, or when complaints of unsafe practices made to safety committees are not effectively acted upon, employees, including site supervision, may quickly assume that management is not too committed to safety.

It has been said, “what management permits, management condones.” But if something goes wrong, management will ultimately be held morally, legally and financially responsible for the safety of its project.

National Safety Council estimates put the cost of one lost-time accident at about $27,000, with punitive damages sometimes ranging into the millions of dollars. Management that is seriously interested in promoting jobsite safety will quickly learn that the money spent on just one lost time accident could easily cover the cost of providing comprehensive and ongoing safety training programs for their operators, site managers and supervisors.

Without that training and the unqualified backing of management to always do the job with the highest regard for safety, job-site personnel are inclined to continue in their ways, which allows serious crane accidents and death to continue.

Ron Cowper has been providing crane safety training programs to operators, riggers, site supervisors and Department of Labor compliance officers from across Canada and the United States since 1983.

"One-stop" safety site debuts

2008-01-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

"One-stop" safety site debuts
By Amy Materson

Caterpillar launched a new website June 5, devoted to safety and safety-related issues. The site, safety.cat.com, features excerpts from the company’s operations and maintenance manuals, videos and general safety information as well as guidelines for performing machine walk-arounds.

Kevin Brennan, senior consultant, Customer Safety Services, Caterpillar, says the website was designed based on requests from customers. “They said they wanted a separate safety site,” he says.

Visitors to the site can choose a product category from the Caterpillar product line and then find specific information related to a particular machine. Brennan says the site is not limited to the most recent offerings. “We do have information on the latest products, but historical products are included,” he says. “We go back as much as 40 years.”

The site has a multimedia section that includes the virtual walk-arounds and a safety label interactive section that gives about the symbols used on universal safety labels. A general topic section has downloadable, printable information on equipment maintenance, equipment operation, jobsite safety and personal safety.

Brennan says he expects the site to be used as a safety training tool. “The videos are three to four minutes long and can be used for safety presentations on jobsites,” he says. “It’s going to be a one-stop shop.”

Cat will update the site as videos and manual excerpts are added. Brennan expects the company to also launch Spanish and French versions of the site. For more information, visit http://safety.cat.com.

"...nice to see OEMs being proactive with safety, leading by example -- Cheers!
Skip Gosnell,
Marketing Director
Rieker Inc

A Counterfeit Backhoe -- Chinese Fakes are BIG

2007-11-12T10:50:00.000-05:00

[More from J.P. Fielder, senior communications director, from NAM President John Engler's trade mission to Japan and China. In China, Engler is heading a delegation that represents the President's Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, or ACTPN.]

Two very interesting points from the ACTPN delegation's meeting with James Fallows, senior editor for The Atlantic Monthly and arguably the most knowledgeable journalist about the interrelation of U.S. and Chinese manufacturing. (His July cover story was, "China Makes, the World Takes.")

First, Japan still dwarfs China in overall GDP and that we cannot lose focus on this important ally and manufacturing partner. This is something we discovered last week as the Japanese, from business leaders to government officials, were highly appreciative of Gov. Engler's visit.

Second, protecting intellectual property should be a priority for U.S. policy toward China, and there's plenty of work to be done. As a casual observer, I was struck by the prevalance of counterfeit products in China. Sure, everyone expects the swarms of vendors selling knock-off Rolexes, Coach purses and "Beijing 08" knit hats, but I became painfully aware of the issue while driving to the Great Wall during our one day of touring, on Sunday.

As we passed a roadside construction site, Al Bernard, an ACTPN delegate and senior vice president of Manitowoc, manufacturer of heavy cranes, pointed to one of the backhoes working at the site. "That's a counterfeit backhoe," he suddenly said. "WHAT!? How can you tell?" I asked. This side of counterfeiting is very new to me, as I thought it was an industry making cheap junk (think T-shirts, purses and poorly constructed watches) in a garage. Wrong! This is about real American products being ripped off and built in foreign factories. In this case, it was a Caterpillar backhoe, not exactly something you slap together in the back garage but something that requires a legitimate assembly line and manufacutring facility.

Caterpillar is a strong all-American company based in Peoria, Illinois. Chinese free-riding on the ingenuity of hard-working Americans, not to mention the millions in R&D, is just not right. The rampant counterfeiting needs to be addressed by the Chinese government and with consultation from the international community, if necessary.

Tagged: Caterpillar , Chinese counterfeits , Manitowoc

Posted by JP Fielder at November 5, 2007 4:58 PM

Hands-On Safety Conference & Expo

2007-09-20T11:05:00.000-04:00

Dedicated to Fostering a Culture of Safety

Incident Prevention is pleased to once again sponsor the premier gathering of safety professionals from across utility industries to further establish and foster a culture of safety.

Never before have we been faced with such a high level of attrition of established operations and safety professionals. Our goal is to provide a conference program of skills development, exposure to new concepts and a learning environment for both veteran operations and new industry leaders. With three dynamic seminar tracks - Safety Management, Worksite Safety and Training Development --plus bonus post conference workshops, the 2007 Hands-On Safety Conference is your best opportunity to become better at everything you and your company do related to safety. Make SAFETY FIRST in your company.

Register Online and SAVE $100 by using the attached coupon code.

AGENDA AT A GLANCE

See You in Phoenix!

ANSI Regulations regarding training of operators of aerial devices

2007-09-04T13:00:00.000-04:00

ANSI A92.2 2001 Revision
Effective August 1st, 2002
8.12.2 General Training
Only personnel who have received general instructions regarding the inspection, application and operation of aerial devices, including recognition and avoidance of hazards associated with their operation, shall operate an aerial device….

8.12.4 Familiarization. When an operator is directed to operate an aerial device he/she is not familiar with, the operator, prior to operating, shall be instructed regarding the following items and issues …

OSHA releases 2007 edition of construction standards

2007-08-31T15:47:00.002-04:00

originally posted on www.equipmentworldmagazine.com
By Barbara Ibrahim

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released its 2007 guide to construction industry standards, effective immediately.

Available in English or Spanish versions, the 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1926 features 470 pages of the newest regulations, in addition to special references for the 29 CFR 1903 on inspections, citations and proposed penalties; the 29 CFR 1904 on recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses; and the 29 CFR 1910 – or the general industry version.

To obtain a copy, call National Safety Compliance at
1-877-922-7233 or visit www.osha-safety-training.net/PUB/pubs.html .

OSHA Aerial Lift Training Requirements

2007-08-31T09:05:00.000-04:00

OSHA Regulations regarding training of operators of aerial devices and digger derricks.

1910.67 (c)(2)(ii)
Only trained persons shall operate an aerial lift.

1926.453 (b)(2)(ii)
Only authorized persons shall operate an aerial lift.

OSHA Training Requirements

Employers shall provide training in the various precautions, safe work practices, and use of personal protective equipment needed to perform the job.

The employer shall certify and maintain records that employees have been trained.

Formal training shall consist of classroom type training and/or on the-job training. Proficiency testing of classroom and "hands-on" skills is required.

OSHA 1910.67 (b)(1) and 1926.453 (a)(1) Incorporate ANSI A92.2 by reference

Inclinometer et al: Mobile Crane Inspection Guidelines for OSHA Compliance Officers

2007-08-30T15:37:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Mobile Crane Inspection Guidelines for OSHA Compliance Officers

Safety Bulletin: Electrical Continuity Hazard

2007-08-29T10:05:00.000-04:00

Always wear insulated protective equipment, use conductor cover-ups, and maintain required clearances when in the vicinity of energized conductors. Aerial devices and digger derricks with insulated booms can only isolate the operator from grounding through the boom and vehicle. They cannot provide protection against phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground contacts occurring at the boom-tip, above the insulated boom sections. Boom-tips of aerial devices and digger derricks, of necessity, must contain metal components. Metal conducts electricity. Moreover, under certain circumstances, and to varying degrees, electricity will track across or through non-metallic components (fiberglass covers and structures, hoses, etc.). Electricity can even arc through air. Thus, the boom-tip of an aerial device or a digger derrick must be considered conductive! If any part of the boom-tip contacts an energized conductor, the entire boom-tip, including the control handle, must be considered energized. If any part of the boom-tip contacts a grounded object, the entire boom-tip, including the control handle, must be considered grounded. Hydraulic fluid is flammable. If electricity flows through the boom-tip, it can cause the hydraulic fluid to burn or to explode. Contact by any part of the boom-tip with an energized conductor while the boom-tip also is in contact with another energized source or a grounded object can cause the hydraulic fluid at the boom-tip to burn or explode. These are among the reasons aerial devices1 and digger derricks are never considered primary protection for the operator from electrical contact. An operator’s primary protection comes through use of protective equipment (insulated gloves, insulated sleeves, conductor cover-ups) and maintenance of appropriate clearances. Do not rely on the boom-tip of an aerial device or digger derrick to protect you from an energized conductor or a ground. It cannot do so. Rely, instead, on the only things that can protect you, use of appropriate protective equipment and maintenance of appropriate clearances. 1 Except ANSI Category A units

Altec Boom Tip Cover Program

2007-08-28T10:31:00.000-04:00

Altec is committed to helping our customers work “safer and smarter”. This commitment to safety is reflected in our ongoing efforts to work closely with customers to develop products that help you protect your employees from the hazards of working around energized lines.

As you know, contact of conductive portions of an aerial device above the insulated upper boom (that is , contact at the boom tip) with energized conductors or grounded objects may result in serious injury. This is especially true when workers violate OSHA regulations by not covering conductors, not covering other potentially energized components or not wearing rubber gloves. Line crews should never rely on the boom-tip of an aerial device or digger derrick to protect them from an energized conductor or ground. The only real protection available is the use of appropriate protective equipment while maintaining appropriate clearances to energized conductors.

In an effort to provide at least some protection when line crews fail to use these proper work practices , Altec has developed boom tip covers in a kit form for field retrofit to Altec insulated aerial devices. These covers are compact, attractive and similar to existing covers on your aerial devices. The covers are not dielectrically rated and you should consider them to be conductive in your work methods. However, these covers may provide some protection against electrical hazards in the event that contact is made with uncovered conductors or other potentially energized components when crews fail to use correct work practices. As with all covers, they must be kept clean and in good condition to provide any protection.

Altec’s new cover kits are now available on a wide range of Altec models that are equipped with standard boom tip options. Cover kits will become available on additional models in the near future. In some instances, a special customized cover kit unique to a particular customer’s unit may be required. Please allow three to five weeks for delivery on completed cover kits.

In an effort to minimize the financial impact on our customers while raising the level of safety awareness , Altec is offering these new cover kits at a price that is at or below our cost. To learn more about cover kits and when kits for additional Altec models will become available, please visit Altec’s web site at www.altec.com and click on the “Safety First” icon from the home page. You can also contact Altec toll free at 1-877-GO ALTEC. Your Altec account manager will also be able to help you with additional information about cover kits.

If there is any way Altec can assist you in improving operator safety, please feel free to let us know.

Altec Industries, Inc .
Attn: Prevention & Product Safety
210 Inverness Center Drive
Birmingham, AL 35242
Email: josh.chard@altec .com

Toyota develops fuel cell lift truck

2007-08-24T09:01:00.001-04:00

Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. displayed a prototype of a fuel cell lift truck at ProMat 2007 in Chicago. The prototype, called the Toyota FCHV-F, was developed by Toyota Industries Corporation in cooperation with Toyota Motor Corporation.

“ Toyota’s commitment to the environment is widely illustrated through its vast motor vehicle and truck applications,” said Shankar Basu, president and CEO of TMHU. “However, this is the first example of a fuel cell lift truck that is designed to significantly reduce emissions.”

Using hydrogen as its main power source, the Toyota FCHV-F produces electricity without combustion and generates zero carbon dioxide emissions. Overall operating costs are reduced due to less fuel consumption and lower maintenance.

Maintenance is lower than electric lift trucks, whose batteries must be periodically charged, refilled with water and replaced. In addition, the fuel cell hybrid system ensures constant power delivery and performance, eliminating the reduction in voltage output that occurs as batteries discharge.

These and other features make fuel cell lift trucks ideally suited to conditions found at large distribution centers, where lift trucks often run continual 24-hour shifts. These individual plants will be able to establish their own hydrogen fueling stations and achieve significantly lower total logistics costs.

Toyota plans to continue to advance its fuel cell technology and bring a fuel cell lift truck to market in the next few years.

UpRight aerial lifts to be rebranded Snorkel

2007-08-16T15:52:00.000-04:00

By Amy Materson, originally posted on EquipmentWorldMagazine.com

Following acquisition for $100 million earlier this year by the Tanfield Group, Snorkel has expanded its line of aerial work platforms, adding eight former UpRight models to the company’s line. The models include electric scissor, mast and articulated boom lifts.

The move allows Snorkel to expand into a full-line manufacturer and offer smaller electric lifts as well as rough terrain scissors and big booms, says Darren Kell, chief executive of the Tanfield Group. Kell says Tanfield will benefit two ways, in fulfilling demand for these machines with Snorkel’s customer base and allowing Tanfield to compete for large rental fleet business.

Some of the new lifts will be produced at Snorkel’s Elwood and Wathena, Kansas, facilities.

Rockfall is a danger Manitou knows all too well

2007-08-13T16:52:00.000-04:00

By BILL VOGRIN

THE GAZETTE

August 6, 2007 - 2:19PM

MANITOU SPRINGS - Rockfall is not just a threat along mountain highways. In this mountain hamlet, 30-ton boulders have made headlines crashing into buildings.

There’s even a monster dangling over a row of houses and the Mason Lodge on El Paso Boulevard, lashed to the mountainside by steel cables.

Marsha Williams is well aware of it. The huge slab tilts at a frightening angle about 200 feet above the house she rents.

“I think about it at times,” Williams said. “But you can’t go through life worrying about that stuff.”

The boulder looks like any of a dozen or so on a ledge above the boulevard. It slipped in 1995 after a heavy rain.

Bruce Brian, who owns the 5 acres adjoining the cliff, recalls the incident, which led authorities to evacuate the home Williams rents, along with three others.

“At the time, people got pretty anxious about it,” Brian said, recalling how 92-year-old Homer Sharpton lived in the Mason Lodge for a time.

“When you’re told you have to leave your house because you might get crushed by a boulder, it creates anxiety,” Brian said.

Mining experts were hired to secure the boulder by lashing it with inch-thick steel cable anchored to bolts drilled deep into adjacent cliffs.

“They engineered it really well,” Brian said. “I’ve been watching it for years. It hasn’t moved since.”

Leonie Theelen and her son, Joe, have lived next door for 20 years. They don’t worry about the lassoed rock as much as the ones around it.

“They only cabled one,” Joe Theelen said. “Look at the others. There’s a hell of a big one up there that didn’t get cabled. Sooner or later, that’s going to go. I can’t think about it.”

Manitou’s public works director, Kelly McMinn, thinks constantly about rockfall.

There are streets in town where he won’t park — such as Lafayette Road and Lovers Lane just off Canon Avenue. He and his crews regularly scoop up chunks of rock that sheer off the cliffs above.

“In 2001, a big rock came off on Lovers Lane and squashed a little red car like a bug,” McMinn said.

“We’ve got a number of rocks we are concerned about. Unfortunately, none of them are on city property. There’s nothing we can do but tell the owners. They usually just shrug their shoulders at us.”

Actually, the city in 2001 bought two houses on Washington Avenue, above Lovers Lane and City Hall, after cracks developed in the street.

“A geologist said the hillside was starting to move toward City Hall,” McMinn said.

Experts said the weight of the two houses was contributing to the slide so the city bought and demolished them. It installed an inclinometer on the hillside to watch for movement.

The most spectacular series of falls may have been 20 years ago, when heavy rains loosed the hillside behind the 900 block of Manitou Avenue, across from the Arcade.

On June 30, 1987, a 6-foot-diameter boulder, estimated at more than 30 tons, rolled down and punched a hole through the wall of Dr. Horace Gardner’s ophthalmology office.

“We were lucky. It ended up a couple inches from the natural gas pipe,” Gardner said.

Days later on July 2, another rock came to rest against a gift shop next door.

Both buildings were evacuated and closed for weeks while miners and a giant crane broke up and removed the rocks and then went to work securing the cliffs behind the buildings with rock bolts.

Manitowoc pledges to tackle fake crane parts

2007-08-06T16:59:00.000-04:00

Manitowoc has joined the war on counterfeit crane components and is determined to see the practice stamped out.

It is the second company to raise concern about counterfeit parts after it identified Asian companies building unlicensed mast and jib sections for its Potain tower cranes. According to the company, counterfeit parts were on display at Bauma.

It is in no doubt that these items are not being sold as an alternative component, but passed off as original parts. Frans Vanwinkel, vice president of sales and marketing for Manitowoc in Europe, said: "They are copied to mirror as closely as possible an original Potain part, including designation and identification plate."

The company's engineers have "grave concerns" about the manufacturing quality of a number of the counterfeits. "There is a risk that they are not fit for task," said Vanwinkel.

While no counterfeit parts have been detected with European operators, Vanwinkel said: "The suppliers are now looking at Europe and customers will be tempted by the lower purchase cost without realising the potential risks involved."

Manitowoc has created an internal task force to tackle the problem and is raising awareness of the potential dangers with customers.

It has also reiterated its recommendation that customers source parts from an approved source. Vanwinkel stresses that this is not a ploy to increase parts sales and said: "With this counterfeit issue, people's safety is at stake and safety is the primary value of Manitowoc Crane Group.

"Consequently, we are determined to undertake any action that can help our customers and crane users to protect themselves and that can lead to the shut down of the counterfeit operation." He said the company is "actively leading initiatives within industry trade associations, whether at a European level or globally".

Colin Sowman (About this Author)

www.contractjournal.com

Monday, 06 August 2007

Forklift tips over, crushing operator

2007-07-27T15:26:00.000-04:00

Forklift tips over, crushing operator

A forklift operator was loading empty totes onto a trailer at night. The loading dock ramp was poorly lit, and the forklift did not have rear lights that could give adequate lighting for travelling in reverse.

The operator was backing the forklift down the ramp. Its right wheels went onto a ledge on one side of the ramp, and a difference in elevation developed rapidly between the right and left sides of the forklift. The difference increased as the forklift moved backward. The forklift tipped over and the operator, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the seat. The operator was trapped between the forklift and the ground, receiving fatal injuries.

Safe work practices:

Eliminate forklift tipover hazards wherever practicable. Where tipover hazards cannot be eliminated, implement other methods of ensuring forklifts will not contact the hazards.
Install the required general lighting in all work areas.
Ensure forklifts have the required lights.
Train operators to follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to prevent tipovers, and ensure they know how to react in the event of a tipover.
Ensure seatbelts and other operator-protection devices are used if the forklifts were manufactured with them.
Consider retrofitting older forklifts with seatbelts or other operator-protection devices. These are designed to reduce the risk of the operator's head and torso being trapped and crushed between the truck and the ground in the event of a tipover.

To see a slide show on this incident, visit the web site at www2.worksafebc.com/publications/multimedia/slideshows.asp?ReportID=33841.

Michelin plant begins testing hydrogen-powered lift trucks

2007-07-13T12:34:00.000-04:00

as posted on Modern Material Handling

By Staff

The trial of hydrogen fuel cells from Hydrogenics is the first of several to take place in facilities in South Carolina.
July 11, 2007

Michelin will be testing hydrogen-powered lift trucks at its South Carolina production facility this summer. The trial is the first of several planned for South Carolina companies during the next few months.

The set of trials is a joint project of hydrogen fuel cell maker Hydrogenics, materials handling equipment distributor LiftOne and lift truck maker Linde.

Funding for the project came from the Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge. The Challenge is a collaborative effort of the City of Columbia, the University of South Carolina, EngenuitySC and the South Carolina Research Authority.

“The amount of interest we have had in this project from so many of our South Carolina customers has been huge,” says Bill Ryan, LiftOne general manager. “We have had several serious inquiries as to when we will be launching our Fuel Cell and Training Center. We hope to have that center established this fall.”

“The promise of hydrogen-powered equipment has long been a dream of many of our customers looking to find more environmentally friendly ways of doing business,” Ryan adds. “Here today that promise has become more of a reality.”

LiftOne first announced its intentions to market Hydrogenics fuel cells at the ProMat trade show in January.

- Nice to see the industry making technological advances in fuel efficiency and power supplies. Skip

What next for crane safety?

2007-07-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

(27 June 2007 00:00)

www.contractjournal.com

Tuesday, 03 July 2007

Accidents involving tower cranes seem to have become an all too common occurrence over the past couple of years. Fatal accidents in Battersea last year, Liverpool earlier this year, and the collapse of a crane in Croydon on 2 June have shone a spotlight on the practices of tower crane owners.

According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), crane collapses such as these “are still rare” and there has been no significant increase in the number of accidents involving tower cranes. It says: “In six years there have been four fatal incidents where there have been eight fatalities.

“However, any incident is one too many, and because of the nature of tower cranes, when something goes wrong people get badly hurt or killed.”

The HSE cites the ICC RIDDOR database, which lists seven reported accidents involving the collapse of a tower cranes since 2004/05. However, CJ knows of seven accidents involving tower cranes in the past nine months, and has been told by industry bosses that several other incidents have gone unreported. Clearly the official statistics do not tell the full story.

A feature in the 28 February edition of CJ explained the factors contributing to the rise in tower crane accidents: the UK’s tower crane population has grown more than four-fold in the past 10 years, but the pool of competent, experienced and well-trained workers to erect, inspect, maintain and operate them has not grown at the same rate.

Plant consultant Tim Watson says: “It’s stretching the resources of the tower crane owners in finding experienced people.”

With the construction industry booming, tower crane fitters are under the same pressure as everyone else to get things done quickly and move on to the next job.

They work hard, for long hours, often driving many miles on the road every day before and after work. In this environment, the challenge is to ensure that safety is not compromised by short-cuts. With a tower crane, of course, an accident is likely to be more spectacular and cause more damage to life, limb, wallets and construction schedules than any other piece of equipment on site.

Canary Wharf incident

As previously reported, the tower crane industry has made a lot of effort to set its own house in order since the high profile fatal accident in May 2000 at Canary Wharf. A Tower Crane Interest Group (TCIG) has been set up within the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), which has published numerous HSE-approved guidance documents and been centrally involved in the development of both new standards and a new training regime, including a course and NVQ for tower crane erection, under the auspices of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CPCS).

However, this is not enough, admits Paul Phillips, chairman of the TCIG. “One of the biggest questions that has been raised about the Tower Crane Interest Group is that we’ve produced a lot of paper, but we are not in a position to implement it. It’s down to the companies to implement it,” he says. “You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink if it doesn’t want to.”

Tower crane owners do take safety procedures seriously. Method statements and risk assessments are diligently produced. Training is carried out. The procedures of Select Plant, for example, which owns the country’s largest fleet of tower cranes, are state-of-the-art. It has a 52-page document, The Safe Operation of Cranes, setting out its procedures. It is available on parent company Laing O’Rourke’s website for all to download.

It was Select, however, that was the owner and operator of the crane that collapsed on 2 June in Croydon on the site of Haymills’ Altitude 25 project.

While in previous tower crane accidents the Health & Safety Executive was able to point a finger at systemic failings in maintenance and operations, at Croydon it was pure human error – either collective or individual – and the HSE was swift to publicise the cause of the accident, which was obvious to anyone who studied the widely published photographs of the aftermath.

At the time of the Croydon accident, Select was raising the height of the top-slewing flat-top Terex-Comedil CTT 181 crane using a standard method known as climbing. With this method, a climbing frame designed by the crane manufacturer for a specific crane model or mast width is attached to the outside of the top mast section just below the slew ring.

Climbing higher

The top of the frame is then bolted or pinned to the upper section of the crane. The top mast section is then disconnected from the upper, so that the upper and the mast are connected only by the climbing frame. The climbing frame has a series of double-acting hydraulic jacks which rise up and lift the upper above the top mast section by the height of a single mast section.

A new mast section is then introduced into the frame and secured into place in the tower, then the whole process is repeated until the desired height is achieved.

For high cranes, climbing like this eliminates the need for a costly long-reach mobile crane.

Care is required because the climbing frame is not designed to withstand the same lateral forces as the mast. Therefore, when the top of the climbing frame is attached to the underside of the slew ring, the crane has to be in balance. “Most manuals will tell you the radius that the trolley has to be at with a balance weight on the hook – usually a mast section,” explains Tim Watson. “There is a reasonable margin of error, but not a massive one,” he adds.

There are risks involved, but it is not an especially difficult operation, says Phillips. Watson agrees: “They climb cranes all the time in continental Europe and seldom have problems.”

Select got this climbing operation wrong. As the HSE has confirmed, the erection crew failed to connect the top of the climbing frame to the crane upper, so that when the jacking began the upper was simply balancing on the frame with no physical connection, it over-balanced and fell backwards off the frame. That it came to rest on the roof of the neighbouring Croydon Park Hotel meant that the crane operator, whom the fire brigade had to rescue from the cab, was the only person injured.

The key question is how could the erection crew have missed out such a basic step in the procedure. “With Select, you just can’t believe it,” says the boss of a rival crane company. “It has very good safety systems. It does all the right things that you are meant to, but still there was an accident. Procedures and systems are not enough.

“You need people thinking on their feet. Forgot to pin it? How the hell can you forget to do that?”

Questions will doubtless be asked as to whether the Croydon crew had received adequate training on the workings of the specific climbing frame that was being used, as they are supposed to. Laing O’Rourke, Select’s owner, maintains that the Croydon crew was “adequately trained” and had “gained on-site experience before taking part in climbing operations”.

Design variations

Although such details as connection designs may vary between different crane manufacturers, the basic operational principles are consistent across all makes. “All climbing frames are different in detail and very similar in principle,” says Watson.

In other words, whatever the make, you still have to connect the frame to the upper, so it seems hard to attribute any possible lack of model-specific training as a cause here.

The over-arching question for the industry is how to eliminate the risk of someone, somewhere, having a senior moment. Everyone, in any walk of life, is prone to forgetting something, dropping something or just making a simple mistake.

It is an inevitability of life. With tower crane erection, however, the consequences can be catastrophic. Such risks are minimised by proper planning, procedures, training and site supervision, but can never be totally eliminated.

So what advice is there for contractors who may be concerned about the recent performance of the tower crane industry?

The HSE says: “Our advice to contractors is simple. They should make sure that the cranes they use are suitable for the specific site conditions, are subject to regular maintenance and thorough examination in accordance with the law, and that the crane driver is suitably trained and familiar with the crane which is to be used.

“They should make sure that all lifting operations are properly planned by a competent person and appropriately supervised. Cranes can be erected and operated safely provided they are properly erected according to the manufacturer’s instructions and by trained staff.”

Paul Phillips has an additional suggestion: if a contractor has concerns about using external climbing frames for tower cranes on a high rise building, they could consider designing the project around a crane inside the core of the building.

“If you’ve got a choice, internal climbing is safer,” he says. “You also save on mast sections [since the whole crane is jacked on to the floors of the building as they are built].

“The downside is that you need a large mobile crane or a special derrick system to remove it.”

Phil Bishop

New safety standards implemented in oil industry

2007-07-03T09:47:00.000-04:00

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has developed new safety standards to meet the demands of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

The new standards came as a result of an explosion at a Texas refinery that killed 15 people and injured 170 in 2005, the worst in U.S. industrial accident in 16 years. The safety board found nine trailers were 121 feet away from the unit that exploded, and workers in trailers 480 feet away from the explosion were injured.

It was recommend to the API that they require refineries to limit how close workers' portable trailers can be placed near hazardous operations. New standards for oil refiners, like Exxon Mobile Corp., suggest three "blast zones" where portable buildings can be placed, depending on construction material in a trailer and the size of a close by refinery unit.

Since 1992, 36 refinery accidents involving hazardous chemicals have caused 52 deaths and 250 injuries, according to the OSHA. The industry is considered the most dangerous in the country.

Georgia Tech creates program to improve workplace safety

2007-07-02T10:25:00.000-04:00

Because there are so many unknown and unusual hazards surrounding different occupations, Georgia Tech developed a consultation program that provides technical expertise and training to help Georgia companies create safe environments for their workers. The program is funded by the OSHA and is free to companies with less than 250 workers.

In 2005, 3,838 serious hazards were identified in over 350 companies. By the program's consultants finding these hazards, employers saved $3.8 million in potential penalties from the OSHA.

Georgia Tech's consultation program serves a variety of different companies including food processors, construction companies and nursing homes. Consultants evaluate safety programs already in place and help strengthen them as well as focus on three areas: safety issues, like fire protection, emergency response, electrical safety and machine guarding, fall protection and machine hazards; health hazards, including exposure to chemicals, noise and blood-borne pathogens; and ergonomic problems that can cause musculoskeletal disorders.

SAFE Stand Down largest in Texas history

2007-06-29T11:44:00.000-04:00

SAFE Stand Down largest in Texas history
The AGC organized the SAFE Stand Down in Texas, an event that gives workers safety and procedural training. The theme "Take Five to Stay Alive" promoted pre-task planning to reduce accidents and increase work safety.

This was the fifth event in Texas, and the first to go state-wide. The first stand down took place in 2005 when the region experience 32 jobsite deaths in 2004, and nine occurred in the first four months of 2005.

"Every Stand Down gets bigger and bigger," said Dino Sideris, safety director for Bob Moore Construction. "We saw how successful the training sessions were in the Metroplex and rolled the concept out to the rest of the state. It's very gratifying to know that the efforts we put in motion two years ago are now improving the welfare of more than 5,000 workers around the state. Ultimately, I'd like to see other states pick up this program as well."

According to the AGC, about 306 general contractors participated in the event, training 5,200 workers, which stopped more than $2.1 billion in commercial construction projects.

Crane Accidents Raise Concerns About Safety

2007-06-26T09:58:00.000-04:00

June 21st, 2007 @ 6:00pm

Whit Johnson Reporting, KLS.com, KLS TV/Channel 5

Two Crane accidents in two days are raising some serious questions about safety.

We have no official word on what caused these two accidents, but a new law calls for crane operators to have mandatory certification. With ongoing construction across the state lawmakers say the change is a step in the right direction.

The accidents can be deadly and the damage extensive. Sen. Gene Davis(D), Senate Minority Whip, says, "This is a bigger piece of equipment that when failure hits can risk a lot of life, limp and property."

Sgt. Victor Quezada with the Sandy City Police Dept. says, "If this would have hit a car there definitely would have been a fatality. There's no question."

On State Street in Sandy this morning a crane installing a sound barrier tipped over. Traffic was blocked off for hours while crews cleaned up the mess.

Sgt. Quezada says, "It looks like it came down across the lanes of traffic. Again, nobody was coming at the time which is a good thing."

Yesterday in Orem a similar accident although the consequences much worse. A crane fell on top of a house three people inside. In both accidents, no one was hurt.

Sen. Davis says, "The object is to have certified operators in the seat of these cranes to lessen the impact of these accidents."

For the last four years democratic state Senator Gene Davis has attempted to pass a law that would require all crane operators to hold specific certification. "A semi truck driver has to be certified a fork lift operator has to be licensed," Sen. Davis says.

In the last legislative session the final piece of the puzzle enforcement was put into place. Sen. Davis says, "It raised that whole issue of safety in the work site and safety in the construction areas."

Complete with fines and penalties it's in an effort to prevent accidents like these from happening again. Multiple agencies are still investigating both crane accidents. The new law requiring certification will take effect next week.

8th Annual National Work Zone Awareness Week held

2007-06-25T11:46:00.000-04:00

The National Work Zone Awareness week was hosted by the Virginia Department of Transportation in April 2007. It was created in 1997 and was designed to improve work zone safety through engineering, education, enforcement and coordination with public safety agencies. Some of the participating groups include the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Federal Highway Administration, American Road and Transportation Builders Association and the American Traffic Safety Services Association.

Work zone fatalities have increased by 40 percent from 1997 to 2005, according the Federal Highway Administration. In 2005, there were 1,074 work zone fatalities. However, the rise in work zone has fallen in highway fatalities. In 1996, there were roughly 5.5 deaths per 100 million miles of travel and in 2005, there were 1.46 deaths per 100 million miles of travel, according to highway officials.

Some of the things people had done in the past during National Work Zone Awareness week were tying orange ribbons to their vehicle's antennae and driving around with their headlights on. Now about 46 states participate in the event.

Yacht rollover preps sailor for race

2007-06-25T09:10:00.000-04:00

As posted on the Hamilton Spectator, The Canadian Press, TORONTO (Jun 20, 2007)

Riding inside a racing yacht as it is tips upside-down may sound like a new extreme sport, but for sailor Derek Hatfield, it's an important step toward the Vendee Globe solo around-the-world race.

Each of the Open-60 class yachts competing in the race must prove to organizers that, should the boat roll over, it can be righted by the skipper alone.

Yesterday morning, about 100 sponsors, support team members and spectators gathered at the Canadian Yacht Club to watch a heavy-duty crane tip over Hatfield's yacht, The Spirit of Canada.

Sealed inside the boat's cabin, Hatfield held on as the crane slowly tilted the vessel until it rolled all the way over with a splash.

"When you're inside there everything is disoriented because you're upside down and now instead of things being on the floor, they're above your head and it really gets quite dramatic," Hatfield said after the test. "But once you get upside down it takes a few minutes to find yourself.

"I start looking for my control unit on the floor, and of course it's above my head. You're initial reaction is to go looking for it where you last saw it."

With everything inverted, Hatfield had to operate the boat's mechanical canting keel, which can be moved left and right. At about 15 degrees off centre, the keel's weight began to lift the hull out of the water. A few more degrees and a tipping point was reached as the boat rapidly righted itself to complete a successful test, bringing cheers from those gathered.

"I jumped on the floor, on the ceiling actually, and then on a shelving unit and then it rolled right over and I was nice and safe inside the ship," Hatfield said. "Everything went according to plan, no damage inside the boat."

Hatfield will be the only Canadian of the 27 sailors in the Vendee Globe race, which begins in the Bay of Biscay in France in November 2008. It will take racers about three months to sail from France to the Cape of Good Hope, then south to Australia and South America and back up the Atlantic Ocean to France. No outside assistance is permitted during the event.

MineSafetyWatch: Mine Safety Stories

2007-05-31T10:30:00.000-04:00

MineSafetyWatch: Today's Top Mine Safety Stories

Inclinometer et al: Lift platform capable of safely lifting a picker as high as 10 meters (33feet) while on a 20º slope

2007-05-30T12:26:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Lift platform capable of safely lifting a picker as high as 10 meters (33feet) while on a 20º slope

Inclinometer et al: 4-Wheeler Modifications Includes Inclinometer

2007-05-25T10:23:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: 4-Wheeler Modifications Includes Inclinometer

New stand-up lift truck reflects Crown's commitment to design

2007-05-16T15:23:00.001-04:00

Crown introduces the RC 5500, a stand-up truck designed with the operator and maintenance crew in mind.

read more | digg story

Inclinometer et al: 4-Wheeler Modifications Includes Inclinometer

2007-05-15T14:56:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: 4-Wheeler Modifications Includes Inclinometer

Lift Truck Basics

2007-05-09T09:06:00.000-04:00

From the pages of Modern Materials Handling

Lift truck basics

By Corinne Kator, Associate Editor -- 5/1/2007

The first lift trucks, introduced in the 1920s, were simple pieces of motorized equipment designed to move pallet loads from point A to point B. Today, sophisticated lift trucks are available in a combination of designs, weight capacities and lifting heights and with a variety of safety and ergonomic features.

Perhaps the only universal characteristics of today’s diverse selection of lift trucks are the forks used to lift loads and the tires used to move them. (And even lift truck tires come in two varieties: cushion and pneumatic. Cushion tires are made of solid rubber and are best for indoor applications. Pneumatic tires, which are inflated with compressed air, are more expensive and preferred for outdoor work.)

This article provides an introduction to the design, application and cost of several types of lift trucks:

Counterbalanced lift trucks

Internal combustion trucks
Electric trucks

Narrow-aisle lift trucks

Reach trucks
Turret trucks
Orderpickers

Low lift pallet trucks (a.k.a. pallet jacks)

COUNTERBALANCED TRUCKS
The most common type of lift truck, also known as a forklift, is the counterbalanced, sit-down truck. A weight located in the rear of one of these trucks counterbalances the weight of the load, ensuring the truck doesn’t tip forward.

A typical counterbalanced lift truck has:

a capacity of 5,000 pounds,
a lifting height of about 16 feet, and
comes outfitted with lights, backup alarms and other safety features.

Counterbalanced trucks are powered either by internal combustion engines or electric motors.

Internal combustion counterbalanced lift trucks
More than 60% of the counterbalanced lift trucks sold in North America during 2006 were of the internal combustion type, according to James Malvaso, president of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) and CEO of Raymond Corp. This includes trucks for both indoor and outdoor use. The percentage of internal combustion lift trucks used for indoor warehousing applications, he says, is not nearly as large.

Internal combustion trucks run on a variety of fuels, including gasoline, diesel, liquid propane gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG). LPG is the most common fuel for indoor trucks. Larger lift trucks for outdoor use are typically gasoline- or diesel-powered.

Compared to electric trucks, internal combustion trucks are quicker and easier to refuel, but they must be refueled multiple times per shift. While they also produce noise and air-polluting emissions, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the California Air Resources Board have set standards that limit emissions.

According to “Rules of Thumb,” a pricing guide published by consulting firm Gross & Associates, a counterbalanced LPG truck with a 5,000-pound capacity costs roughly $19,000 to $24,000.

The ITA classifies internal combustion counterbalanced lift trucks with cushion tires as Class 4 trucks and those with pneumatic tires as Class 5.

Electric counterbalanced lift trucks
Electric trucks get their power from large, heavy lead-acid batteries, which provide much of their counterweight. These trucks are only suitable for indoor use.

While they cost more than internal combustion trucks, electric trucks are less expensive to operate, says Malvaso, due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. “Rules of Thumb” lists an electric counterbalanced truck with a 5,000-pound capacity at $25,000 to $30,000, including a battery and charger.

Electric trucks are quiet, produce no emissions and can usually run a full eight-hour shift on one battery charge. Removing, recharging and reloading batteries—which typically weigh around 3,000 pounds—can be cumbersome and time consuming, however, and traditionally require a dedicated space for battery handling. Newer fast charging technologies, however, are beginning to change that paradigm.

Electric counterbalanced trucks are classified as Class 1 lift trucks by the ITA. Class 1 also includes stand-up counterbalanced trucks and other electric trucks built for general use.

NARROW-AISLE LIFT TRUCKS
The ITA’s Class 2 includes a variety of electric lift trucks built for use in narrow aisles.

At 12 feet wide, standard storage aisles allow a counterbalanced lift truck to turn in the aisle and put away a load. Narrow aisles are typically only 8 feet wide—and very narrow aisles are only 5.5 to 6 feet wide—requiring specialized lift trucks that can put away loads without turning or that are small enough to make tight turns.

Three of the most common narrow-aisle trucks are reach trucks, turret trucks and orderpickers.

Narrow-aisle reach trucks
Reach trucks are the original narrow-aisle lift truck.

These trucks are small enough to turn in narrow aisles because they don’t need a large counterweight. Instead, outrigger arms extend in front of the trucks to provide stability. The outrigger arms, however, can prevent the trucks, depending on storage configuration, from getting close enough to the storage rack to deposit and retrieve loads. To overcome this, a reach truck is designed with a telescoping mechanism—called a pantograph—that allows the forks to reach into storage locations.

Prices for 4,000-pound capacity narrow-aisle reach trucks range from $25,000 to $32,000, according to “Rules of Thumb.” Operator training for reach trucks may take longer than for other trucks because of the complexity of the controls.

Turret trucks
The lift truck often chosen for work in very narrow aisles is the turret truck. These trucks have pivoting forks that turn 90 degrees on either side and traverse from side to side.

To put away a load, an operator drives down the aisle with the load facing forward and then stops at the designated storage location. The forks pivot to the appropriate side and lift the load to the desired height. Then the forks traverse to their full extension, depositing the load. The forks return to their original position before forward travel resumes.

Turret trucks can be completely operator guided or can run on a wire guidance system—an attractive option in very narrow aisles. In man-up trucks, the operator compartment rises with the load. In man-down trucks, operators remain at floor level.

According to “Rules of Thumb,” a wire guided, man-up turret truck with a 4,000-pound capacity costs between $65,000 and $95,000.

Orderpickers
While reach trucks and turret trucks are used for storing and retrieving pallet loads, orderpickers are used for handling individual items or cases. An orderpicker, also known as a stockpicker or an order selector, lifts the operator on a platform along with the forks. The operator picks items from bulk storage locations and places them directly onto a pallet on the forks of the truck.

Orderpickers can safely move forward while in an elevated position. They can be completely operator-guided or can run on wire guidance systems. “Rules of Thumb” lists a 3,000-pound capacity orderpicker at $19,000 to $28,000 and suggests adding $5,000 for wire guidance.

LOW LIFT PALLET TRUCKS (PALLET JACKS)
The simplest and least expensive lift trucks are non-powered pallet trucks, also known as hand pallet trucks or hand pallet jacks.

Non-powered pallet trucks use a lifting device—usually hydraulic—to raise pallets just a few inches off the floor. Operators then grab the truck’s handle and pull the load behind them.

Non-powered pallet trucks can cost as little as $500. Stainless steel pallet trucks required for food handling can cost up to $3,000, according to “Rules of Thumb.”

Electric-powered pallet trucks are also available. These trucks are:

easy to maneuver,
relatively inexpensive, and
available with forks long enough to accommodate two or three pallet loads.

Powered pallet trucks come in two versions, known as “walkies” and “riders.” The walkie is designed for the operator to walk along with the truck, while the rider has a platform on which the operator can stand. These trucks are often used in warehouses for order picking, with operators stacking cartons on pallets as they work their way down the picking aisles.

According to “Rules of Thumb,” powered pallet trucks range in price from $4,500 for a 4,000-pound capacity walkie to $13,000 for an 8,000-pound capacity rider.

Inclinometer et al: Formula for Safety

2007-05-07T12:29:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Formula for Safety

Inclinometer et al: Environmental Protection Part 2: NEMA Ratings

2007-05-04T10:34:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Environmental Protection Part 2: NEMA Ratings

Warehouse safety goes prime-time on NBCs The Office

2007-04-23T10:17:00.001-04:00

The TV comedys Safety Training episode points out the dangers of operating lift trucks and baling machines without proper training.

read more | digg story

When You Hear A Siren - Make the Right Move

2007-04-17T09:36:00.000-04:00

This blog was set up to create awareness about safety issues involving Lift Equipment. This particular post is safety oriented (from a very informative site about the LA Fire Dept) and appropriate in that it is about safety awareness; it's also the right thing to do. SG

During the month of April, we are again emphasizing Operation Right Move.

Sponsored by the Los Angeles Fire Department and California Office of Traffic Safety, Operation Right Move seeks to educate motorists about the importance of yielding to ambulances, fire trucks and police cars when they are responding to emergencies.

Nationwide, nearly 16,000 collisions occur each year because a growing number of drivers fail to Pull To The Right when emergency vehicles approach using their lights and sirens.

Learn how you can make The Right Move!

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

Implementing and Developing Industry Standards in the Design of Agriculture Safety Systems

2007-04-13T10:06:00.000-04:00

540 Implementing and Developing Industry Standards in the Design of Agriculture Safety Systems (A)

Industry standards for safety and performance dictate the development of new agricultural related safety products. The selection, interpretation, implementation, and the development of new standards will be discussed. The NIOSH automatically deployable rollover protective structure (AutoROPS) will be used as an example to emphasize the steps mentioned above.

Eugene A. McKenzie, Jr., Ph.D., P.E.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - NIOSH
Morgantown, WV

Timothy J. Lutz, P.E.

CDC NIOSH - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory
Pittsburgh, PA

Mahmood Ronaghi, MSME, MSAE

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - NIOSH
Morgantown, WV

The key here is that some form of safety prevention and/or awareness is being generated and no longer being hidden - this type of forward thinking, proactive and aggressive, will continue to grow and help prevent equipment damage, operator injury and death. There have been a number of preventative measures on the market for years that are finally being looked at as a serious safety measure for roll over protection. Such a small investment will save millions (possibly billions) in insurance, law suits, health care, and equipment replacement.
Skip Gosnell

What is ISO 9001:2000?

2007-04-11T16:54:00.000-04:00

The following is posted to continually promote what companies should strive for and use as a guide to offer better overall quality for the customers and employees alike!

What is ISO 9001:2000?

ISO 9001:2000 is an international standard that provides strict requirements for an organization's Quality Management System. The objective of the Quality Management System is to ensure a company consistently provides products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations as well as continually improve performance.

Quick facts:

ISO is recognized in over 150 countries worldwide.

In the United States alone, there are over 47,000 organizations certified.

Certification is voluntary.

Certification identifies the company's processes, not its products.

Certification is awarded by an independent third-party.

Example of what ISO means to a company and its customers:

Fire Facilities received certification for having met the requirements of
ISO 9001:2000. For years, Fire Facilities has dedicated itself to delivering top-of-the-line training towers to the fire industry. By achieving ISO 9001:2000 certification, we have affirmed this quest. Our Quality Management System will be tested for ongoing effectiveness every six months over the next three years. This quality initiative is a journey without an end.

As a customer, this assures:

tower designs go through standardized methods

products and processes are continuously improving

Trends are analyzed and monitored

A corrective system is in place

The system is focused on you, the customer

Certified Utility Safety Administrator Program

2007-04-10T20:59:00.000-04:00

The Certified Utility Safety Administrator Program (CUSA) provides formal recognition to utility industry safety administrators for their experience and knowledge of safety practices. It is the first industry-oriented safety certification offering individual professional recognition to those in the utility safety profession. CUSA is managed and directed by the National Safety Council and its Utilities Division.

NOTING HIGH RATE OF AGRICULTURE-RELATED INJURIES, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS URGE FARMERS TO PLAY IT SAFE

2007-04-09T12:43:00.000-04:00

American Society of Safety Engineers News	Diane Hurns 847-768-3413 or dhurns@asse.org
For Immediate Release

NOTING HIGH RATE OF AGRICULTURE-RELATED INJURIES, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS URGE FARMERS TO PLAY IT SAFE

DES PLAINES, IL (August 9, 2004) - With thousands of farmers young and old -- being severely injured and hundreds more dying from work-related accidents each year, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) urge farmers to be aware of and use injury prevention measures to help reduce accidents. Following the mining industry, agriculture is the second most dangerous occupation in the U.S. with a death rate of 22.7 people per 100,000 workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Most farm-related accidents are caused by machinery, with tractor accidents accounting for a high rate of fatalities.

And children are at risk. According to the National Consumers League (NCL), agriculture is the most dangerous industry for young workers. Citing Department of Labor statistics, the NCL notes that among young agricultural workers aged 15-17; the risk of fatal injury is four times the risk of that for young workers in other workplaces.

Recently, when a young worker was doing maintenance work on a large tub grinder his leg was sucked into the machine's rotor causing severe leg injuries. An eight year-old boy was accidentally crushed beneath a forklift truck driven by a family member last year.

Many tragedies occurring on farms can be prevented. A lot of farm deaths are tractor related, with the most common cause being tractor overturns, said ASSE Director of Member/Region Affairs and agriculture safety specialist Dr. Terry Wilkinson. Operating tractors equipped with an approved Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) along with wearing a seat belt can help prevent tractor tragedies. The seat belt keeps the tractor operator in the zone of protection provided by the ROPS. Additional passengers on tractors, especially children, can lead to tractor-related fatalities. Extra riders are at greater risk of falls and being run over.

Other equipment-related injuries can be prevented by making sure all guards and shields are in place and functional, Wilkinson said. Farmers should familiarize themselves with the equipment operator's manual, the best source for information for preventing tractor and farm equipment-related injuries and fatalities. Conducting regular equipment inspections can also help prevent farm-related injuries by detecting and fixing equipment problems before use."

Also, working around Power Take-Off (PTO) machinery can be dangerous if workers are wearing loose clothing, as an entanglement could occur. Caution is urged when working around fruit and grain bins, silos, and livestock. Officials recommend that children 16 and under not work in these areas due to the high safety hazards, unless they are properly trained and closely supervised.

Farmers handle a variety of agricultural chemicals and other toxic substances. Many materials are hazardous and can be fatal if not used and stored properly. Farmers are also exposed to dust, sun, noise, and other farming health hazards. In an effort to assist the farming community, ASSE offers these following safety tips:

Develop an awareness of hazards on the farm and prepare for emergency situations including machinery entanglements, fires, vehicle accidents, electrical shocks from equipment and wires, and adverse health effects from chemical exposures.
Reduce the risk of injury and illness with preventive measures. Read and follow instructions in equipment operator's manuals. Follow instructions on product labels for safe use, handling, and storage.
Enroll children in local farm safety camps. Be especially alert to hazards that may affect children and the elderly.
Conduct routine inspections of your equipment to determine problems and potential failures that may contribute to or cause an accident.
Conduct meetings with employees and family members to assess safety hazards, discuss potential accident situations, and outline emergency procedures.
Properly maintain tools, buildings, and equipment.
Provide approved Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS).
Use seat belts while the tractor is in operation on tractors equipped with a ROPS.
Make sure guards for farm equipment are put back on after maintenance to protect workers from moving machinery parts.
Review material safety data sheets and labels that come with all chemical products.
Communicate information concerning hazards to all workers. Prevent pesticide poisonings and dermatitis caused by chemicals by ensuring that protective measures recommended on the labels are taken.
Take the necessary precautions to prevent entrapment and suffocation caused by unstable surfaces of grain storage bins, silos, wagons and other storage structures.
Be aware that methane gas, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide can be present in unventilated grain silos and manure pits in quantities sufficient to cause asphyxiation or explosion.

Farmers are at great risk of contracting respiratory problems due to the amount of dust and chemicals they breathe in on a daily basis. Wearing protective equipment, which is readily available, can prevent acute and chronic respiratory illnesses. Protective equipment such as mechanical filters and chemical cartridge masks are air-purifying respirators that help protect lungs from harmful gases and dusts.

Farm hazards can be identified and corrected by utilizing a farm hazard checklist. Wilkinson said. We urge farmers to contact their state or local Cooperative Extension or Farm Bureau office which provide programs such as farm safety camps, resources, training, and more aimed at preventing farm-related injuries.

As most farms do not fall under the auspices of OSHA rules and regulations, ASSE urges parents to train young farmers well in all aspects of farming, including safety. Nearly two million children live and/or work on farms. On average more than 100 children die every year from farm-related accidents. ASSE urges young farmers to enroll in a local farm safety camp, often sponsored by the local County Extension Service, a University, or Farm Bureau. Also check the North American Guidelines for Agriculture Tasks at www.nagcat.org .

To assist young workers and their parents, ASSE developed a free brochure titled "Workplace Safety Guide for New Workers" which provides tips on how young workers and parents can identify workplace hazards and has key contact information. The brochure along with farm safety tips and facts are available on the web at http://www.asse.org , ASSE Newsroom, by contacting customerservice@asse.org , or your local ASSE chapter. Farm safety information is also available from NIOSH at 1-800-356-NIOSH or www.cdc.gov/niosh .

Risk, Safety & Health

2007-04-04T11:18:00.000-04:00

Risk, Safety & Health

Upgraded Boom Angle Indicator

2007-04-04T10:35:00.000-04:00

This upgraded 4120 Series Boom Angle Indicator from Rieker is commonly used on off-road forklifts, material handlers and telescoping boom lifts - providing a constant real time boom angle that will not rust, freeze, or otherwise "hang up" like old-fashioned pendulum styles - for increased safety on the job site:

meeting or exceeding OSHA's Safety & Health Regulations for Construction Cranes, Derricks, Hoists, Elevators, and Conveyors (1926.550)
highly visible backlit version complies with National Fire Protection Association 1901 Standards for Automotive Fire Apparatus

First of its kind design allows the operator to read the angle from below, above and the side. Oversize markings for easy read up to 30 ft away. These instruments are made tough and - not effected by outdoor elements. Made of 100% Polycarbonate material with a unique and patent pending technology, it is extremely durable, shock and vibration resistant. An added benefit of the shape and durability is more product will fit in smaller containers with less packing material - decreasing the cost of shipping. Each unit is properly dampened for smooth reliable readings, no sticking or holding up. It is designed for easy mounting with two screws, allowing for quick and efficient retrofitting in the field.

One of the best features is the weatherproof back lighting - making the 4120 highly visible at night or low light situations. These units are typically used on fire apparatus, specifically aerial ladder rigs - making the 4120 a rugged very cost effective way to comply with NFPA regulations. Available in either AC or DC for the following voltages; 24V and 12V (rated for 20,000 hours).

Cost Effective, Easy to Install, Visual Rollover Warning for Lift Equipment

2007-04-03T10:34:00.000-04:00

– 1017 Inclinometer Series –

Rieker Inc designs and manufacturers "ball-in-tube" curved liquid filled vial inclinometers using precise glass tube and ball construction with engraved markings and customer specified color warning zones.

All our tubes are filled with a special damping fluid that controls the movement of the ball, providing the industry's best roll for smooth accurate readings. The fluid combined with large, clear number and degree markings make it easy to get quick, accurate readings under a wide variety of severe environmental conditions.

One of our “ball-in-tube” models that continues to set the bar for early warning devices is the 1017. It provides ±10º range with degree markings in 2º or more precise 1º increments. Available with up to 3 color warning zones (Green (G0)/Yellow (Warning) /Red (No Go)) these inclinometers greatly improve the vehicle operator’s ability to detect dangerous roll over situations before equipment damage or injury can happen.

The 1017 is typically mounted in the operator cab of an off-road forklift (or material hander) in a clear line of sight – this quickly helps operators identify when they are transcending too great a slope for the equipment in an effort to prevent a 'tip over' (or side to side roll over). 1017’s are also mounted on the rear of bucket/utility trucks or aerial ladder rigs in order to determine platform level prior to raising the boom. These MIL SPEC instruments are painted with customer specified color warning zones to quickly identify the recommended safety limits for tilt set forth by the Original Equipment Manufacturer.

Commonly used on utility trucks, aerial lift trucks, fire/rescue vehicles, off-road fork lifts, crawler cranes, construction equipment, aircraft, boats, military and government vehicles for monitoring platform level, boom angle, and preventing tip-over. The 1017 is a simple, cost effective way to comply with OSHA, ANSI, and NFPA standards and/or regulations specifying the need for a visual angle indicator (inclinometer) on lift equipment.

Rieker^® Instrument Company, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of accurate, rugged, weatherproof inclinometers and tilt indicating instruments, since 1917. Rieker’s full line of tilt switches and inclinometers can be seen at www.riekerinc.com.

Safety Tips for Aerial Lifts

2007-03-28T13:45:00.000-04:00

Aerial lifts are frequently used in the industry for maintenance painting. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics about 26 construction workers (8% are industrial painters) die each year from using aerial lifts. Approximately 70% involve boom-supported lifts, such as bucket trucks and cherry pickers; 25% of the other deaths involve scissor lifts.

Aerial Lift Deaths from Boom Lifts

Half of the falls from boom lifts involved being ejected from the bucket after being struck by vehicles, cranes, or crane loads, or by falling objects, or when a lift suddenly jerked. Two-thirds of the deaths from collapses/tip-overs of boom lifts occurred when the bucket cable or boom broke or the bucket fell; almost one-third were due to tip-overs. Over one-third of the electrocutions involved an overhead power line contacting the lift boom or bucket. In most of the caught in/between deaths, a worker was caught between the bucket edge and objects such as roof joists or beams while repositioning the bucket.

Aerial Lift Deaths from Scissor Lifts

Three-quarters of the tip-overs of scissor lifts resulted in fall deaths; in the remaining accidents, workers died from being struck by the falling scissor lift. About two-fifths of the tip-overs occurred when the scissor lift was extended over 15 feet, mostly while driving the lift. In one-fifth of the falls the worker was ejected from the scissor lift, mostly when an object struck the scissor lift. Other fall deaths occurred after removal of chains or guardrails, or while standing on or leaning over railings.

Operator Training Is Vital

Frequently operators lack the training to know they are creating safety hazards. An aerial lift is a potentially dangerous tool when the operator has not read the operator’s manual. Contractors should provide required manuals to operators and maintenance mechanics. If they can not read or understand the language of manuals, ANSI safety standards allow others to explain the manuals. OSHA requires a qualified person to train all users on:

Any electrical, fall, and falling-object hazards.
Procedures for dealing with hazards.
How to operate the lift correctly (including maximum intended load and load capacity). The user must show he/she knows how to use the lift.
Manufacturer requirements.

If the hazards change, the type of aerial lift changes, or a worker is not operating a lift properly, workers must be retrained. Ask manufacturers and suppliers for specific instructions for the operation of special use aerial lift trucks. OSHA, NIOSH, the National Safety Council and their local affiliates, vocational-technical schools or other training institutions provide resources to learn this skill. (Find contact information below.)

In addition to the lack of training, many lift accidents are caused by misapplication of the machine, obstacles, and lack or use or incorrect use of outriggers.

Inspect Before Operating Lifts

Identifying and controlling hazards is very important for job site safety. OSHA regulations state that employers cannot force employees to use unsafe equipment. Generally a pre-start inspection is required for all types of aerial lifts at each job site. Check operating and emergency controls, safety devices (such as, outriggers and guardrails), personal fall-protection gear, wheels and tires, and other machine components specified by the manufacturer. Look for possible leaks (air, hydraulic fluid, and fuel-system) and loose or missing parts.

Contractors should immediately remove from service aerial platforms that do not operate properly or are in need of repair. A qualified mechanic must make all repairs using equivalent replacement parts. Substitution of parts is not wise; they have been known to cause accidents. De-energize and lockout/tagout aerial lifts before any maintenance or repairs. Each aerial lift must be inspected as the manufacturer requires – every 3 months or after 150 hours of use, whichever comes first.

Check the job site where the lift will be used. Look for a level surface that won’t shift. Check the slope of the ground or floor. A machine may not work properly on steep slopes that exceed slope limits set by the manufacturer. Look for hazards, such as, holes, drop-offs, bumps, and debris, and overhead power lines and other obstructions. Set outriggers, brakes, and wheel chocks – even if you’re working on a level slope.

Tips for Operating Aerial Lifts

Always close lift platform chains or doors.
Stand on the floor of the bucket or lift platform. Do not climb on or lean over guardrails, or ride on bumpers.
Do not exceed manufacturer's load-capacity limits (including the weight of such things as bucket liners and tools).
If working near traffic, put work-zone warnings, like cones and signs.
Do not modify an aerial lift without written permission of the manufacturer.
Be sure proper personal fall-protection is provided and used.
On bucket trucks, OSHA requires a full-body harness and lanyard or a restraining device to prevent falls. To help keep workers inside guardrails, OSHA allows restraining devices with a 2 ft. lanyard.

To prevent electrocutions painters, blasters, and other workers must stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Insulated buckets protect from electrocution due to electric current passing through you and the boom to ground. The buckets do not protect if there's another path to ground – for example, if you touch another wire.

To prevent tip-overs

Check the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do not drive with the lift platform elevated (unless the manufacturer assures you that it is allowed).
Do not exceed vertical or horizontal reach limits or the specified load-capacity of the lift.
On an elevated scissor lift, avoid too much pushing or pulling.

More Safety Tips

If hazards on a job site change, the type of aerial lift changes, or a worker is not operating a lift properly, workers must be retrained.
Prevent unauthorized use by locking a machine, keeping its keys off the job site, or securing it in an inaccessible area when not working
Keep the operator’s manual on the machine at the job site not in the office.
Refer to the industry consensus standard, ANSI/SIA 92.2, for more information.

What You Should Know If You Rent

Many painting contractors rent aerial lifts instead of buying them. Therefore, you may not know which model you will be using, and may be unfamiliar with operator controls and other key features that differ on each model. Also, you may not know the maintenance history of the lift. The dealer or company renting out the lift should:

Properly inspect and service the lift before rental.
Provide operator and maintenance manuals.
Make sure the operator controls are easy to reach and properly marked.

- Based on Hazard Alert for Aerial Lift Safety and PowerPoint presentation by the Center to Protect Workers' Rights.

Other sources of information

Center to Protect Workers' Rights (CPWR) (301-578-8500)
NIOSH (1-800-356-4674)
OSHA (1-800-321-OSHA or www.osha.gov)

Aerial/Worksite: New Standards - Digger Derricks

2007-03-28T12:28:00.000-04:00

written by By Joshua T. Chard, Ph.D.Director, Product and Corporate Safety, Altec Industries, Inc.
A newly enacted standard for digger derricks will soon be impacting training requirements in the utility and telecommunications industries.

Most digger derrick products in use in the United States are designed, manufactured, tested, and intended to be operated with reference to applicable requirements of the utility and telecommunication industries and national consensus standards. Now, a newly enacted standard for digger derricks will present a new challenge for utility safety professionals.

The new national consensus standard, outlined in ANSI A10.31 2006 Safety Requirements, Definitions and Specifications for Digger Derricks, was approved on April 27, 2006. This revised version of the standard is the first change since 1995. It incorporates many changes, including new requirements for training of operators, for employers and owners, and for manufacturers of digger derricks. Standards from ANSI (the American National Standards Institute/Scaffold Industry Association), SAE Standards and Recommended Practices and other national consensus standards are incorporated by reference into various Federal Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Rules and Regulations. It should be noted by utility safety managers that the user of a digger derrick, such as the employer or employee, is responsible for compliance with the literal requirements of the OSH-Act. From OSHA's standpoint, if a regulation recognizes an ANSI or other national consensus standard, that requirement is binding.

OSHA Rules and Regulations that are relevant to most operations of digger derricks are specifically cited in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910.67 Vehicle-mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms; 29 CFR Subpart R, Special Industries; 1910.268 Telecommunications; 1910.269 Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution; 29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial Lifts; and 29 CFR Subpart V, Power Transmission and Distribution; 1926.952 Mechanical Equipment and 1926.955 Overhead Lines. Additionally, some sections of 1926.550 also apply.

Under the General Industry Tele-communication Standard, training is defined as:

1910.268(c) Training Employers shall provide training in the various precautions and safe practices described in this section and shall ensure that employees do not engage in the activities to which this section applies until such employees have received proper training in the various precautions and safe practices required by this section.

1910.269(a)(2)(i) Training Employees shall be trained in and familiar with the safety-related work practices, safety procedures, and other safety requirements in this section that pertain to their respective job assignments. Employees shall also be trained in and familiar with any other safety practices, including applicable emergency procedures (such as pole top and manhole rescue), that are not specifically addressed by this section but that are related to their work and are necessary for their safety. The newly enacted standard outlines specific requirements for owners of digger derricks and employers of equipment operators:

8.12.2 General Training Only personnel who have received general instructions regarding the inspection, application and operation of digger derricks, including recognition and avoidance of hazards associated with their operation, shall operate a digger derrick. Such items covered shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following issues and requirements:
1. The purpose and use of manuals.
2. That operating manuals are an integral part of the digger derrick and must be properly stored on the vehicle when not in use.
3. A pre-start inspection.
4. Responsibilities associated with problems or malfunctions affecting the operation of the digger derrick.
5. Factors affecting stability.
6. The purpose of placards and decals.
7. Workplace inspection.
8. Applicable safety rules and regulations, such as Part 4, ANSI/IEEE C2, National Electrical Safety Code (applies to utility workers as defined in ANSI/IEEE C2). The above standard is an example; other industries using digger derricks have safety rules pertinent to that industry.
9. Authorization to operate.
10. Operator warnings and instructions.
11. Actual operation of the digger derrick. Under the direction of a qualified person, the trainee shall operate the digger derrick for a sufficient period of time to demonstrate proficiency in the actual operation of the digger derrick.
12. Proper use of personal fall protection equipment when the digger derrick is equipped with a platform(s).

8.12.3 Retraining The operator shall be retrained, when so directed by the user, based on the user's observation and evaluation of the operator.

8.12.4 Familiarization When an operator is directed to operate a digger derrick he is not familiar with, the operator, prior to operating, shall be instructed regarding the following items and issues: 1. The location of the manuals. 2. The purpose and function of all controls. 3. The safety devices and operating characteristics specific to the digger derrick. These requirements for training appear general and may leave safety professionals with training responsibilities wondering where to begin. Often, OSHA will reference a national consensus standard for additional information when regulations are not specific. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the owner or employer to determine who is qualified to operate this equipment. In fact, OSHA can cite employers for failing to follow a consensus standard under what is referred to as the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. For example, under SEC. 5. Duties, "(a) Each employer (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." The standard has new training-related requirements for manufacturers as well. Section 6.10 Training and Training Materials, says "Manufacturers shall develop and offer training materials that aid dealers, owners, installers and users in the operation, inspection, testing and maintenance of the digger derrick." The manuals provided by digger derrick manufacturers provide important specific instructions and warnings to help meet the requirements discussed in the new standard. Many manufacturers also provide safety and operation videos and computer-based training aids. The material presented in these training programs is intended to assist persons in understanding the basic concepts of safe and efficient maintenance of their equipment.

These programs alone are not necessarily sufficient to certify or qualify any person as an operator of digger derrick equipment. Additional general skills and training in the basic use of mobile hydraulic equipment and a thorough practical understanding of the actual unit being used and the contents of the Operators and Maintenance Manual is required. The new standard means that companies with digger derricks will have new operator training requirements to meet. Proper operator training is not only important to meet the requirements of standards, though. It is the right thing to do from an ethical and a business perspective. A properly trained operator is less likely to be injured, injure others or damage equipment or property. ip

Editor's Note: Copies of the complete ANSI A10.31 2006 Safety Requirements, Definitions and Specifications for Digger Derricks standard are available from the American Society of Safety Engineers, 1800 East Oakton Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018-2187, (847) 699-2929 or at www.asse.org.

Iowa OSHA News

2007-03-27T10:41:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007
Posted by Amelia Figueroa, National Business Compliance Department

According to a report out of Des Moines, Iowa OSHA and the construction industry are partnering in a new, statewide training effort. The purpose of this new collaboration is to increase the safety awareness and reduce the number of fatalities in the construction industry.

Tragically, according to Iowa OSHA, the Iowa construction industry had more fatalities last year than any other state in the union. In the past ten years, forty-one Iowans have lost their lives to falls.

On a recent Wednesday, Iowa OSHA and members of the construction industry met at the Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines to kick off the partnership. An important part of the program is the Fall Protection Summit. This program includes testimonials from those who did not use fall protection equipment and the impacts from that decision. It also discusses proper fall protection and how to implement procedures. OSHA case studies are also discussed, along with the fall investigation process. There is also an overview of fall protection requirements and a roundtable discussion.

“Fall protection training is a necessary component for the safety of those working in the construction industry. By investing in a collaborative effort to educate the industry on fall prevention, we can reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries related to falls,” said Iowa Labor Commissioner David Neil.

The Fall Protection Summit is being offered free of charge to encourage individuals in the construction industry who face the everyday need to have protective procedures and systems to attend. Several summits are scheduled. If you are interested, please contact the Iowa Workforce Development office in your area.

Iowa Workforce Development envisions a future where Iowa has safe workplaces, and a productive and economically secure workforce. Working together with professionals in the construction industry is just one way that the Iowa Workforce Development helps prepare Iowans for an ever-changing future.

New Heights (part 2 of 2)

2007-03-26T23:05:00.000-04:00

New Heights Part 2

Posted on Fire Chief Magazine, By Kent Pauli

Safety features

The truck-leveling assist system is another feature that many manufacturers are offering more regularly. When stabilizers are placed at the scene, the operator can:

Manually level by sight, using the vehicle's inclinometers.
Push a button.

When the second choice activates the leveling assist system, the truck will level within the grade it is on. The system factors in the various grades fore and aft, as well as side-to-side, so the operator doesn't need to go to all sides of the truck and check for level. This can be a major time-saver when seconds count, while providing greater accuracy.

Safety is a factor in ergonomics decisions like pull-out, drop-down steps and the NFPA's slip-resistance requirements for walking surfaces. Open, clear and safe walkway surfaces for egress up and down the aerial device is another important safety feature that customers request. This often involves the elimination of impediments to keep walkways completely free for firefighters. When firefighters are moving tools and/or people up and down an aerial, it's important to remove any electrical cables, electrical tracks and cylinders that could reduce the walkway width or cause trip hazards.

Scene lighting also affects safety. There's been an increased use of indicators and strobes, and corresponding higher wattage requirements, including 110- and 220-volt lighting to the tip. The indicator strobe — a flashing light that sits under the basket or at the tip of the ladder — lets the turntable operator or someone on a roof know exactly where the aerial is located at all times and under any conditions. The use of lighting at the tip of the aerial has become more popular and has significantly improved firefighters' ability to focus light on the scene to improve safety and visibility during adverse conditions.

The ability to illuminate the rungs for improved visibility during low-light conditions is also requested in many specifications. This can be accomplished by placing lights on the sides of each section, or by using luminescent material that will illuminate during low-light conditions.

Luminescent materials reduce electrical connections and amp draw for the vehicle. They're either applied as an additional tape between rung covers or incorporated directly into the rung cover. Some of these materials will illuminate in low-light conditions for up to 12 hours without needing a light source to energize the material.

The use of 12-volt high-intensity discharge lighting in place of 110- and 220-volt lighting also is becoming more popular with many departments. The benefit of using HID technology for scene lighting is that the light output is typically more than three times greater, without the wattage requirement. With this type of technology, users are no longer required to run a generator to provide scene lighting from the aerial.

Equipment storage

As firefighters continue to expand the use of the aerial apparatus, requests to mount different types of loose equipment at the tip of the aerial or in the basket will continue to increase. To allow for the vast amount of equipment at the tip, aerial loose equipment allowances have continued to increase.

The ability to mount equipment on the aerial closer to where it will be used is a significant benefit to firefighters. By mounting the equipment where it's needed, firefighters no longer have to carry it from the apparatus compartments to the tip of the aerial, making their climbs up and down the aerial device safer. Their fireground performance also becomes more efficient.

Aerial baskets are being designed to provide increased space for firefighters to maneuver during operations. The baskets have been designed to incorporate full heat shields to improve protection and moveable controls so that the basket operator can have the best visibility possible. Basket doors have been improved to allow for easy entry and exit without requiring gates to be raised and lowered. In addition, stokes basket mounts, rapelling arms, winch mounts, roof ladder mounts for below-grade accessibility and lifting eye mounts, are all very popular.

Both aerial ladders and platforms are being designed to incorporate ground ladder mounts in the fly and base sections. Using a roof ladder from this location is easier than pulling it from the ladder storage on the ground and carrying it up the aerial. Stokes basket storage brackets or boxes on the base of the aerial also are very popular with many departments. Again, this allows for the stokes basket to be stored closer to where it will be used. It also frees up up valuable compartment space.

Finally, ax and pike pole mounts in the fly section give fire departments the ability to store more equipment where it is needed, as well as increase the amount of equipment the vehicle can carry to the scene, because they don't take away from the other storage requirements that are planned for the apparatus compartmentation.

As fireground operations continue to change, the requirements for manufacturers to design new options will continue to increase. Safety for firefighters, new NFPA standards and new technologies continue to require aerial manufacturers to upgrade their aerial systems and options. Design of these components and systems are relied on during the dangers of each response.

Testing these new designs, components and systems for reliability is absolutely critical. For the sake of the safety of firefighters and first responders, manufacturers should only offer any technology when it has passed the grade and gone through extensive durability and performance tests.

Kent Pauli is the aerial product manager at Pierce Manufacturing, Appleton, Wis., where he has worked in various capacities for nine years. He is active with multiple NFPA committees, in addition to serving on the Pierce team that worked toward receiving the Standard of the Canadian ULC-S-515-04, which sets the standard for requirements and performance for all aspects of fire apparatus, including the aerial. He has an engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Inclinometer et al: Hidden Roll Bar Protection Potential Hazard for Fire and Rescue?

2007-03-25T11:47:00.000-04:00

Inclinometer et al: Hidden Roll Bar Protection Potential Hazard for Fire and Rescue?