Many construction jobs require the use of a heavy-duty crane to lift equipment and supplies. If you are planning to use a crane for your next job, taking the time to brush up on some safety basics can be beneficial.

Here are three crane safety elements that you should go over with your employees before beginning any construction job where a crane will be used.

1. Hand Signals

The potential for injury is increased whenever you bring a crane onto a construction site. Unless workers on the ground are able to accurately and quickly communicate with the crane operator, a serious accident could occur. Before beginning a construction job where a crane will be used to transport equipment and materials, it can be beneficial to have your employees brush up on their hand signals.

Crane operators rely on hand signals for direction, and receiving the wrong hand signal could be disastrous. A quick refresher course in proper hand signals prior to the start of a project will reduce the likelihood of injury on your work site in the future.

2. Load Charts

Each crane is designed to accommodate a limited amount of pressure from the loads it transports. In order to ensure that your employees are not overloading the crane on your work site, it can be beneficial to ensure that each worker knows how to read a load chart.

Taking the time to have your employees engage in a quick test to calculate the maximum load dimensions, lift capacity, and lift range for the crane that will be operating on your work site will help eliminate accidents as you complete your construction project.

3. Certification

Since operating a crane requires precision and attention to detail, operators must attend an educational course to become certified. If you are concerned about the qualifications of your employees, sending them to a certification seminar can be beneficial.

Having more than one certified crane operator on your crew ensures that you will always have an educated and reliable operator controlling the crane you will rely on to complete your construction project.

Cranes can be both beneficial and dangerous. To ensure that your employees are giving heavy-duty cranes the respect they deserve on each job site, it can be beneficial to brush up on crane safety basics before work begins. Going over hand signals, reading load charts, and certifying operators are all simple ways to make using a crane less dangerous.

To rent heavy-duty cranes, contact a company such as Caribou Interior Crane Services Ltd.