Crane and Rigging - Safety for the Maritime Industry
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[♪ music ♪]
[Maritime Training
Services Inc.]
[In case of any conflict between
the requirements shown]
[in the movie and the company's
safety management system (SMS),]
[please follow the company's
SMS requirements.]
The transfer of equipment
and stores from shore to ship
or lifting equipment
and tools on board,
require the use of
specialized lifting equipment.
The crane is the most common
piece of lifting equipment
we'll find
on any vessel.
Properly used, they can save
hours of back-breaking labor,
in addition to ensuring
personal safety.
[Crane &
Rigging Safety]
In this program, we'll learn
about the types of cranes
we're most likely to
encounter on a daily basis.
We'll also learn
the importance in
knowing a crane's
Safe Working Load,
also known as
Working Load Limit.
And how to calculate
the weight of a load
if that number
is unknown.
We'll see how to maintain
safety during lifting operations,
including
pre-lift inspections,
and the proper use of
operator hand signals.
We'll learn about the
different kinds of slings,
and when it's
appropriate to use them.
And we'll show you the
importance of regular
testing, inspection, and
maintenance of equipment.
[Basic Crane
Types & Their Use]
The great mathematician and
inventor Archimedes, once said
"Give me a lever long
enough and a place to stand,
and I could
move the Earth."
The crane is the modern
descendant of Archimedes lever,
and has become a fixture on
the decks of vessels of all sizes.
They are also
relatively simple to use.
They can be either hydraulically
or electrically powered,
and often use a hydraulic boom
and an electrical drum cable,
for raising and
lowering loads.
There are several
types of cranes.
The most common is the
Boom Crane and its variants.
There are Single Piece Booms,
Telescoping Booms, and
Segmented or
Knuckle Boom Cranes,
and some that
include all three features.
There are also Jib Cranes
which use a Stationary Boom
and a Block & Tackle or
Electric Hoist to lift loads.
All these cranes are used
for a variety of operations.
Commonly to lift provisions,
supplies, and equipment
on and
off a vessel.
They are also used to lift
bunkering gear and hoses
for refueling
operations.
A crane typically
consists of several parts.
The pedestal
forms the foundation.
The boom, which
performs the actual lifting,
is hinged to
the pedestal.
The load is lifted
by way of a runner cable
which runs from a wench through
a set of pulleys or sheaves,
and connects to the load by
way of block and tackle to a hook.
In the case of a
Knuckle Boom Crane,
the lifting angle of
the boom is controlled
by way of a hydraulic ram
or auxiliary hoist.
Some cranes are equipped
with a telescoping boom
that can be extended to
increase the reach of the crane.
Cranes specifically designed
to hoist bunkering hoses
or cargo hoses are
common to some ships.
These are used to
place bunkering hoses
in place to help ensure
a spill-free fuel transfer.
Derrick cranes are
commonly used on
cargo ships, salvage,
and heavy lift vessels,
and include the Hallen,
Velle, and Steulchen Derricks.
They consist of
a mast or tower,
and one or more
booms hinged at the base.
These are used when a port
lacks the necessary cranes or lifts
to load or unload
the vessel's cargo.
[Safe Working Limit]
While cranes provide a
strong measure of safety,
ensuring your lifting
operation remains safe
depends on knowing how much
your lifting appliance can carry.
This is known as the
Safe Working Load
or Working
Load Limit.
The Safe Working Load
for each crane will be clearly
displayed on either
the pedestal or boom.
A load greater than
the Safe Working Load
should never
be attempted.
Remember, the maximum Safe
Working Load is only as much
as the weakest component
of the lifting apparatus.
Information on
the actual weight
of pallets, parcels, and
break bulk cargo, can be found
on the invoices, shipping
records or equipment manuals.
Some cranes are also
equipped with a scale
or a load sensor
built into the main hoist.
An experienced crane operator
can estimate the weight of a load,
if no information
is available,
based on volume,
density, and composition.
Dynamic factors need to
be taken into consideration.
If a load is being
raised at an angle,
instead of perpendicular
to the deck or ground,
it will increase drag, adding
to the force required to lift,
which is similar
to increased weight.
The load should be adjusted
so it is pulled up vertically,
rather than
at an angle.
All loads, the center of gravity
should be under the boom tip.
So, you don't
want that hoist line
to be anything
other than vertical.
Ship-to-ship transfers
also run the risk
of lifting the
load at an angle
due to rolling seas
or strong winds.
In cases like these, a strong
tag line should be used to
steady the load to as
close as vertical as possible.
Always be aware of
any sounds or sights
that would indicate the crane
is working past its safe limit.
Does the winch motor sound
different, as if it's straining?
Does the boom appear to be at an
angle that doesn't look familiar?
If so, stand down work
and re-evaluate the operation
before resuming
lifting operations.
[Safe Lifting Operations
& Hand Signals]
Every lifting operation,
whether big or small,
requires
proper planning.
A Job Safety Analysis
involving all crew members
assigned to the lift
will need to be performed.
All crew
assigned to the lift
should have received
proper training before the JSA.
Proper PPE
should always be worn.
Your company or ship's
Safety Management System
will detail the
appropriate PPE
to be worn
during lifting operations.
A responsible crew member,
usually the crane operator,
needs to perform a thorough
inspection of the crane.
All moving parts
of the crane,
including runners,
rigging, hooks, and pulleys,
along with safety equipment such
as limit switches and sensors,
need to be inspected to
ensure proper working condition.
We will talk more about
sling and rigging inspection
later in
the program.
Once the crane and slings
have passed inspection,
the lifting
operation can begin.
Crew should be assigned
stations to minimize the risk
of being caught underneath
the load during the lift.
Never walk underneath
a load during a lift.
Be sure to avoid walking
underneath the boom and hook.
Other important safety
considerations include
avoid touching a load
that is above waist high.
If it is necessary to
make contact with a load,
Avoid potential pinch points
by keeping hands, arms, or legs
from in between the
load and any structures.
It's also
important to note
that a hoist wire can part
without a load attached.
The crane operator should
have an unobstructed view
of the lifting
and loading areas.
When that
is not possible,
a signaler should be positioned
in clear view of the operator.
A signaler uses hand signals
to direct the crane operator
on how to pick
and place the load.
Main Hoist
Use
Auxiliary Hoist
Hoist Load
Hoist Load Slowly
Lower Load
Lower Load Slowly
Raise Boom
Raise Boom
while Lowering Load
Lower Boom
Lower Boom
while Raising Load
Stop Operations
Emergency Stop
Swing Boom
Swing Boom Slowly
Travel
Retract Boom
Extend Boom
Dog Everything
If it starts raining, if
someone is in the path of travel,
or more space is required
to land the load, use this signal.
The crew member
acting as the signaler
must be properly trained in
the use of these hand signals,
and have the
confidence that comes
from working under
all lifting conditions.
Pay particular attention to
weather and sea conditions.
Strong winds
and high seas
can cause loads
to swing unpredictably,
even with
a tag line.
Lifting operations
must be suspended
until conditions change
to resume safe lifting.
Once the operation
is complete,
return the crane
to its rest position.
Place all controls
to rest or neutral,
and secure hooks, booms, and
other equipment as necessary.
[Slings, Lifting Gear
& Proper Rigging]
Slings are a necessary
component to ensure a safe lift
with minimal
risk to property.
The most commonly
used type of sling
is the synthetic
web sling and round sling.
Round slings may be equipped
with a cover to reduce abrasion.
Slings can also be
made from chain,
synthetic ropes,
as well as wire rope.
Specialized slings,
such as hose straps,
are used to lift
bunker or cargo hoses.
Netting is also a
good choice for lifting,
especially when
the cargo includes
odd sized parcels,
pallets, or barrels.
The main advantage
of cargo nets is
everything is
kept inside the net.
So, there's
very little chance
that something's
going to come out
or the load
is going to flip.
When lifting
pallets with a net,
make sure the pallet sides
are completely flush.
A winged pallet with
a lip or uneven edges
can cause the net to
catch when first lifted,
potentially dislodging
the load once in the air.
Always be aware of the
load's center of gravity.
A load's center of gravity
may shift during the lift,
making it unstable
and potentially hazardous.
If the hook is not
over the center of gravity,
then when
you lift the load,
it's going to come up
a little bit uneven.
Specially designed
barrel slings can be used,
but a net
is usually safer.
Limit the load
to two full barrels.
Selecting the right
rigging technique is
just as important as choosing
the correct lifting appliance.
Different rigging
techniques include
Basket Hitches,
Vertical Hitches,
Choker Hitches,
and Multi-Leg Slings.
As with all loads,
the sling used and angle of lift
has the ability to
change the working load limit.
Many slings have
pictures of sample hitches.
Slings and lifting gear
should also be inspected
prior to
commencing a lifting operation.
If the sling is
covered by chaffing gear,
that should
be pulled aside
to allow a
complete visual inspection.
Items to
look for include
knots, heat exposure, and
missing identification tags.
Synthetic slings should
be taken out of service,
and marked as
not acceptable,
and destroyed if any of the
following conditions are present:
acid or
caustic burns,
discolored,
brittle or stiff areas,
melting or charring on
any part of the surface,
snags, tears,
cuts, or punctures,
excessive
abrasive wear,
knots in any
part of the sling,
broken or
worn stitches,
fittings that are
corroded, pitted, cracked,
broken or
deformed, in any way,
and missing or illegible
sling identification.
Wire rope slings should
be removed from service
if any of the
following is visible:
broken wires, severe
localized abrasion and scraping,
kinking, crushing, birdcaging, or
other damage to the rope structure,
evidence of
heat damage.
end attachments that are cracked,
deformed, or substantially worn,
severe corrosion
of the rope or fittings,
and missing or illegible
workload limit tag.
Each sling is also marked
with it's Safe Working Load.
Care should be taken to
check this prior to the lift
against the freight manifest
or product information.
[Inspection
& Maintenance]
Ships are required
to maintain a register
of all permanently attached lifting
and cargo handling equipment.
This is known as the
Register of Lifting Appliances,
Chain Register or
Cargo Gear Register,
and will include
a record of all
class society
examinations and inspections.
Vessels that regularly
load and unload cargo,
as well as make
several port stops,
usually carry
multiple Chain Registers
in order to satisfy both
Port and Flag State regulations.
Port State regulations also
govern inspection intervals
for cranes and
other lifting equipment.
In addition to regular
pre-lift inspections,
each lifting appliance
must be inspected
for both load capacity
and operational soundness,
at least
every five years.
Checks should
include looking for
cracks, distortion, corrosion,
and general wear and tear
that could affect operations
and safe work load.
Pedestal
slew bearings,
in addition to the pedestal bolts
that fasten it to the deck,
must also be checked
for wear and damage.
Wire rope runners should be
inspected for proper lubrication,
as well as any
frayed or corroded wires.
Inspect all shackles
to ensure that
screw pins, bolts,
nuts, and cotter pins,
are not broken,
bent, or corroded.
Also check to make sure the
shackle is not bent or deformed.
Check to ensure the wire rope
has been secured to the drum,
as well as being neatly
wound onto the drum.
If the crane uses
hydraulic components,
reservoirs should be
checked for proper levels,
as well as inspecting hoses for
any cracks, abrasions, or leaks.
All pulleys, sheaves,
drums, and block and tackle,
should be properly
lubricated as per
the manufacturer's instructions
or your company's SMS.
If any issues
are discovered
with regard to the
crane or its rigging,
or there might be
damage previous loads
that have exceeded
the Safe Working Load,
work should
not commence
until a thorough inspection
has been completed,
and all issues
have been resolved.
[What We've Learned]
In this program, we've learned
how to safely operate cranes
both dockside and
on board vessels.
We saw the most
common types of cranes
used in the
maritime industry,
such as
the Boom Crane,
and how
they operate.
We learned about the
Safe Working Loads of cranes,
and why knowing the weight
of the load to be lifted
is critical for personal
and equipment safety.
We saw the steps involved
in organizing a successful lift,
including equipment inspection,
safe lifting procedures,
and operator
hand signals.
We also learned about the different
types of lifting equipment,
such as slings and netting,
and how to use them correctly.
And we learned
about the importance
of inspections and
maintenance to ensure that
cranes are
safe to use
and will work reliably
throughout operation.
Electric and hydraulic cranes,
when properly used,
provide a safe,
fast, and reliable way
to provision, fuel, and repair
vessels across the industry.